The Vishnu-Dharma Knowledge and Its Directional Protections

Verse 1 (garuda.1.196.1)

श्रीगरुडमहापुराणम् १९६ हरिरुवाच । अवाप जप्त्वा चेन्द्रत्वं विष्णुधर्माख्यविद्यया । सर्वाञ्छत्रून्विनिर्जित्य ताञ्च वक्ष्ये महेश्वर

śrīgaruḍamahāpurāṇam 196 hariruvāca avāpa japtvā cendratvaṁ viṣṇudharmākhyavidyayā sarvāñchatrūnvinirjitya tāñca vakṣye maheśvara

Hari said: By reciting the knowledge called Vishnu-dharma, one attained the status of Indra, having conquered all enemies; I shall now tell that knowledge, O Maheshvara.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.196.2)

पादयोर्जानुनोरूर्वोरुदरे हृद्यथोरसि । मुखे शिरस्यानुपूर्वमोङ्का रादीनि विन्यसेत्

pādayorjānunorūrvorudare hṛdyathorasi mukhe śirasyānupūrvamoṅkā rādīni vinyaset

On the feet, knees, thighs, and belly, then the heart, chest, mouth, and head — in due order, one should place the mantra beginning with the syllable Om.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.196.3)

नमो नारायणायेति विपर्यासमथापि च । करन्यासं ततः कुर्याद्द्वादक्षरविद्यया

namo nārāyaṇāyeti viparyāsamathāpi ca karanyāsaṁ tataḥ kuryāddvādakṣaravidyayā

'Namo Narayanaya' — this should also be done in reverse order; then the hand-placement should be performed with the twelve-syllabled knowledge.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.196.4)

प्रणवादियकारान्तमङ्गुल्यं गुष्ठपर्वसु । न्यसेद्धृदय ओङ्कारं मनुं मूर्ध्नि समस्तकम्

praṇavādiyakārāntamaṅgulyaṁ guṣṭhaparvasu nyaseddhṛdaya oṅkāraṁ manuṁ mūrdhni samastakam

The syllables from the pranava (Om) through 'ya' should be placed on the joints of the fingers and thumb; Om should be placed at the heart, and the entire mantra at the crown of the head.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.196.5)

ओङ्कारन्तु भ्रुवोर्मध्ये शिकानेत्रादिमूर्धतः । ओं विष्णवे इति इमं मन्त्रन्यासमुदीरयेत्

oṅkārantu bhruvormadhye śikānetrādimūrdhataḥ oṁ viṣṇave iti imaṁ mantranyāsamudīrayet

Om should be placed between the eyebrows, and from the crown down through the eyes and the rest — one should utter this mantra-placement: 'Om, to Vishnu.'

Verse 6 (garuda.1.196.6)

आत्मानं परमं ध्यायेच्छेषं यच्छक्तिभिर्युतम् । मम रक्षां हरिः कुर्यान्मत्स्यमूर्तिर्जलेऽवतु

ātmānaṁ paramaṁ dhyāyeccheṣaṁ yacchaktibhiryutam mama rakṣāṁ hariḥ kuryānmatsyamūrtirjale'vatu

One should meditate on the Supreme Self in the form of Shesha, endowed with His powers. May Hari protect me; may the form of a fish protect me in water.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.196.7)

त्रिविक्रमस्तथाकाशे स्थले रक्षतु वामनः । अटव्यां नरसिंहस्तु रामो रक्षतु पर्वते

trivikramastathākāśe sthale rakṣatu vāmanaḥ aṭavyāṁ narasiṁhastu rāmo rakṣatu parvate

May Trivikrama protect me in the sky, and Vamana on the ground; may Narasimha protect me in the forest, and may Rama protect me on the mountain.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.196.8)

भूमौ रक्षतु वाराहौ व्योम्नि नारायणोऽवतु । कर्मबन्धाच्च कपिलो दत्तो रोगाच्च रक्षतु

bhūmau rakṣatu vārāhau vyomni nārāyaṇo'vatu karmabandhācca kapilo datto rogācca rakṣatu

May Varaha protect me on earth, and Narayana protect me in the sky; may Kapila protect me from the bondage of karma, and Dattatreya from disease.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.196.9)

हयग्रीवो देवताभ्यः कुमारो मकरध्वजात् । नारदोऽन्यार्चनाद्देवः कूर्मो वै नैरृते सदा

hayagrīvo devatābhyaḥ kumāro makaradhvajāt nārado'nyārcanāddevaḥ kūrmo vai nairṛte sadā

May Hayagriva protect me from the gods, Kumara from Makaradhvaja (the god of love), the God Narada from misdirected worship, and may Kurma ever protect the south-west direction,

Verse 10 (garuda.1.196.10)

धन्वन्तीरश्चापथ्याच्च नागः क्रोधवशात्किल । यज्ञो रोगात्समस्ताच्च व्यासोऽज्ञानाच्च रक्षतु

dhanvantīraścāpathyācca nāgaḥ krodhavaśātkila yajño rogātsamastācca vyāso'jñānācca rakṣatu

may Dhanvantari protect from unwholesome food, Naga from falling under the sway of anger, Yajna from every disease, and Vyasa from ignorance.

Verse 11 (garuda.1.196.11)

बुद्धः पाषण्डसंघातात्कल्की रक्षतु कल्मषात् । पायान्मध्यन्दिने विष्णुः प्रातर्नारायणोऽवतु

buddhaḥ pāṣaṇḍasaṁghātātkalkī rakṣatu kalmaṣāt pāyānmadhyandine viṣṇuḥ prātarnārāyaṇo'vatu

May Buddha protect from the assembly of heretical doctrines, and Kalki protect from sin; may Vishnu protect at midday, and Narayana protect in the morning.

Verse 12 (garuda.1.196.12)

मधुहा चापराह्ने च सायं रक्षतु माधवः । हृषीकेशः प्रदोषेऽव्यात्प्रत्यूषेऽव्याज्जनार्दनः

madhuhā cāparāhne ca sāyaṁ rakṣatu mādhavaḥ hṛṣīkeśaḥ pradoṣe'vyātpratyūṣe'vyājjanārdanaḥ

May the slayer of Madhu protect in the afternoon, and Madhava protect in the evening; may Hrishikesha protect at dusk, and Janardana protect just before dawn.

Verse 13 (garuda.1.196.13)

श्रीधरोऽव्यादर्धरात्रे पद्मनाभो निशीथके । चक्रकौमोदकीबाणा घ्नन्तु शत्रूंश्च राक्षसान्

śrīdharo'vyādardharātre padmanābho niśīthake cakrakaumodakībāṇā ghnantu śatrūṁśca rākṣasān

May Shridhara protect at midnight, and Padmanabha at the depth of night; may the discus, the mace Kaumodaki, and the arrows strike down enemies and rakshasas.

Verse 14 (garuda.1.196.14)

शङ्खः पद्मं च शत्रुभ्यः शार्ङ्गं वै गरुडस्तथा । बुद्धीन्द्रियमनः प्राणान्पान्तु पार्श्वविभूषणः

śaṅkhaḥ padmaṁ ca śatrubhyaḥ śārṅgaṁ vai garuḍastathā buddhīndriyamanaḥ prāṇānpāntu pārśvavibhūṣaṇaḥ

May the conch and lotus protect from enemies, and likewise the bow Sharnga and Garuda; may the ornament adorning the side protect intellect, senses, mind, and life-breaths.

Verse 15 (garuda.1.196.15)

शेषः सर्पस्वरूपश्च सदा सर्वत्र पातु माम् । विदिक्षु दिक्षु च सदा नारसिंहश्च रक्षतु

śeṣaḥ sarpasvarūpaśca sadā sarvatra pātu mām vidikṣu dikṣu ca sadā nārasiṁhaśca rakṣatu

May Shesha, in serpent form, always protect me everywhere; and may Narasimha ever protect me in the intermediate and cardinal directions.

Verse 16 (garuda.1.196.16)

एतद्धारयमाणश्च यं यं पश्यति चक्षुषा । स वशी स्याद्विपाप्मा च रोगमुक्तो दिवं व्रजेत्

etaddhārayamāṇaśca yaṁ yaṁ paśyati cakṣuṣā sa vaśī syādvipāpmā ca rogamukto divaṁ vrajet

One who wears this protection brings under his influence whomever he looks upon with his eyes; he himself becomes free of sin, and, released from disease, journeys to heaven.