Shloka 1

Vaiṣṇava-kavaca: Vishnu’s Protective Armor Against Fear, Disease, Poison, and Hostile Forces

Devanagari script

ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / सर्वव्याधिहरं वक्ष्ये वैष्णवं कवचं शुभम् / येन रक्षा कृता शम्भोर्दैत्यान्क्षपयतः पुरा

Transliteration

'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / sarvavyādhiharaṃ vakṣye vaiṣṇavaṃ kavacaṃ śubham / yena rakṣā kṛtā śambhordaityānkṣapayataḥ purā

Translation

哈利说道：“我将宣说吉祥的毗湿奴护甲（Vaiṣṇava kavaca），能除尽一切病苦；昔日商婆（Śambhu，湿婆）诛灭古代代底耶时，正是凭此而得护佑。”

Word by Word

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वव्याधिहरम्: all-disease-removing
• सर्वव्याधिहरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √हृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्व-व्याधि-हर = 'removing all diseases'

• वक्ष्ये: I will declare
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava (of Viṣṇu)
• वैष्णवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कवचम्: armor, protective hymn
• कवचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (सर्वनाम)

• रक्षा: protection
• रक्षा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कृता: was done/made
• कृता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; रक्षा-सम्बद्धा

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• दैत्यान्: the demons (Daityas)
• दैत्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• क्षपयतः: of (him) destroying
• क्षपयतः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षपयत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √क्षप्, णिच् causative)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; 'of (him) destroying'

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'formerly/once')

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Hari)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vaiṣṇava kavaca (protective hymn/armor) as a universal remover of afflictions; divine protection is accessed through mantraic devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-rakṣā and śaraṇāgati: reliance on the Lord’s protective power; harmonization of sectarian forms by showing Śiva protected through Hari’s kavaca.

Application: Adopt kavaca recitation as a disciplined protective practice (with faith, purity, and regularity), especially during illness, fear, or adversity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: mythic battlefield

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.193.17 (Vishnu as medicine); Subsequent verses of the kavaca chapter (1.194.x) detailing the kavaca’s components (anticipated internal continuation)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Shambhu (Shiva)
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the importance of the Vaiṣṇava Kavaca in Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces the Vaiṣṇava Kavaca as an auspicious protective formula credited with removing all afflictions and granting powerful spiritual protection.

How does this verse explain the source of protection described in the text?

Hari (Viṣṇu) presents the kavaca as time-tested, stating it once protected Śambhu (Śiva) during his destruction of the Daityas, implying its potency against hostile forces and obstacles.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the teaching as a reminder to seek protection through disciplined devotional practice (Vaiṣṇava orientation), combining prayer/mantra with ethical living to reduce fear, illness-anxiety, and negativity.