Shloka 12

Viṣṇu-dharma Rakṣā: Nyāsa and Nārāyaṇa-Kavaca

Protective Invocation of Viṣṇu and His Avatāras

Devanagari script

मधुहा चापराह्ने च सायं रक्षतु माधवः / हृषीकेशः प्रदोषे ऽव्यात्प्रत्यूषे ऽव्याज्जनार्दनः

Transliteration

madhuhā cāparāhne ca sāyaṃ rakṣatu mādhavaḥ / hṛṣīkeśaḥ pradoṣe 'vyātpratyūṣe 'vyājjanārdanaḥ

Translation

愿灭蜜魔者摩杜哈于午后护佑我；愿摩达瓦于傍晚守护我。愿掌御诸根的赫利希凯沙于暮色护我；愿贾那尔达那于黎明护我。

Word by Word

• मधुहा: Madhuhā (slayer of Madhu)
• मधुहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुहा (प्रातिपदिक; मधु + हन् (धातु) → बहुव्रीहिसंज्ञक-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसमासः (मधुं हन्ति इति)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपराह्ने: in the afternoon
• अपराह्ने: Adhikarana (Location/Time अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सायम्: in the evening
• सायम्: Adhikarana (Time अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सायम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• रक्षतु: may (he) protect
• रक्षतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• माधवः: Mādhava (Vishnu)
• माधवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हृषीकेशः: Hṛṣīkeśa (lord of the senses)
• हृषीकेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः (हृषीकाणां ईशः)

• प्रदोषे: at twilight (early nightfall)
• प्रदोषे: Adhikarana (Time अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अव्यात्: may (he) protect
• अव्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• प्रत्यूषे: at dawn
• प्रत्यूषे: Adhikarana (Time अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यूष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अव्यात्: may (he) protect
• अव्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (chastiser/protector of people)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः (जनानाम् अर्दनः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within a protective stotra context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Smaraṇa (remembrance) of Vishnu’s nāmas as continuous protection through all times.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha (divine grace) accessed through nāma and surrender; steadiness of mind through devotion.

Application: Recite as a daily protective prayer at the mentioned times (aparāhna, sāyam, pradoṣa, pratyūṣa) or as a single cycle with mindful visualization of each name guarding that time.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: temporal cycle (day-parts)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.196.13-16 (continuation of the kavaca with night-hours, weapons, directions, and phalaśruti)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Madhuhā
• Mādhava
• Hṛṣīkeśa
• Janārdana

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Vishnu’s names by time of day in the Garuda Purana?

This verse assigns specific names of Vishnu to key day-junctions (afternoon, evening, twilight, dawn), framing continuous protection through remembrance (smaraṇa) across changing times.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

While not describing the after-death route directly, it supports the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching that steady devotion and protective remembrance of Narayana safeguards the jīva from fear, obstacles, and inauspicious influences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Recite or remember these names at the stated times (especially at dawn and dusk), using them as a simple daily discipline for steadiness of mind, ethical restraint, and spiritual protection.