Garuda Purana — Moksha Sadhana Prakarana, Shloka 97

Multi-form Manifestations, Indra–Kāma Incarnations, Pravāha, and the Twofold Buddhi

Sense-Discipline and Exclusive Refuge in Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

तासं हस्तं पुस्तके स्तापयित्वा त्राहित्येवं तन्मुखैर्वाचयस्व / त्वं खड्गदेवं पूजयस्वाद्यभर्तस्तत्सेवकान्पूजयस्वाद्य सम्यक्

Transliteration

tāsaṃ hastaṃ pustake stāpayitvā trāhityevaṃ tanmukhairvācayasva / tvaṃ khaḍgadevaṃ pūjayasvādyabhartastatsevakānpūjayasvādya samyak

Translation

Hãy đặt tay họ lên quyển thánh thư, rồi bảo họ tự miệng mình tụng lời: “Xin hộ trì!” Cũng theo cách ấy, hỡi bậc chủ, hôm nay hãy phụng thờ Thần Kiếm, và kính đãi các tùy tùng của Ngài cho đúng pháp.

Word by Word

• tāsām: of those (women)
• tāsām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• hastam: hand
• hastam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• pustake: in/on the book
• pustake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pustaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• sthāpayitvā: having placed
• sthāpayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु) (causative: sthāpay-)
• Form: Causative gerund (णिच् + क्त्वान्त): 'having placed/set'

• trāhi: protect (me/us)!
• trāhi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √trā (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यम), Singular; parasmaipada

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-marker (वाक्यार्थचिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• evam: in this manner
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय)

• tat-mukhaiḥ: by their mouths
• tat-mukhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; tatpuruṣa: 'with their mouths' (lit. 'those mouths')

• vācayasva: make (them) recite
• vācayasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु) (causative: vācay-)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यम), Singular; ātmanepada; causative: 'make (them) recite/read'

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• khaḍga-devam: Khaḍga-deva (sword deity)
• khaḍga-devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'sword-deity'

• pūjayasva: worship
• pūjayasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यम), Singular; ātmanepada

• ādya-bhartaḥ: O prime lord
• ādya-bhartaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; karmadhāraya: 'O first/prime lord'

• tat-sevakān: those servants
• tat-sevakān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (प्रातिपदिक) + sevaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; tatpuruṣa: 'his/that (deity's) servants'

• pūjayasva: worship
• pūjayasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यम), Singular; ātmanepada

• ādya: today/now
• ādya: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial usage (अव्ययीभाववत्), 'today/now/at first' (contextual)

• samyak: properly
• samyak: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinataputra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Protection is ritually enacted through śabda (recitation), śāstra-sparśa (touching the sacred text), and honoring protective deities and their attendants.

Vedantic Theme: Power of mantra/śabda as a vehicle of intention; dharmic protection through sanctioned ritual rather than private violence.

Application: Use formal vows/affirmations and community-backed procedures for protection; honor protectors/guardians (ethical security) and those who serve them.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: ritual enclosure

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.28.96 (preparatory domestic discipline); Garuda Purana 3.28.98-100 (continued protective/Śaiva-martial worship sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Khaḍgadeva (Sword-deity)
• Sevakas (attendants/servitors)

FAQs

What is the importance of reciting “trāhi” (protect us) in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse frames “trāhi” as a direct protective invocation, strengthened by oath-like participation—placing the hand on a sacred text and reciting aloud—so the plea becomes ritually and ethically binding.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana practices around fear, danger, or after-death vulnerability?

In the Preta Khanda context, protection rites are emphasized because the departed and the living face subtle dangers; the verse prescribes a structured protective act—scripture-contact, vocal recitation, and deity-worship—to establish safeguarding merit and warding power.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use disciplined, sincere recitation of protective prayers with reverence for scripture, and pair devotion with proper honoring of helpers (teachers, priests, assistants), reflecting the verse’s stress on correctness and completeness in worship.