FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.8.12

ॐ हरिर्विदध्यान्मम सर्वरक्षां न्यस्ताङ्‌घ्रिपद्म: पतगेन्द्रपृष्ठे । दरारिचर्मासिगदेषुचाप- पाशान् दधानोऽष्टगुणोऽष्टबाहु: ॥ १२ ॥
om harir vidadhyān mama sarva-rakṣāṁ
[om harir vidadhyaan mama sarva-rakshaam]
nyastāṅghri-padmaḥ patagendra-pṛṣṭhe
[nyastaanghri-padmah patagendra-prishthe]
darāri-carmāsi-gadeṣu-cāpa-
[daraari-charmaasi-gadeshu-chaapa-]
pāśān dadhāno ’ṣṭa-guno ’ṣṭa-bāhuḥ
[paashaan dadhaano ’shta-guno ’shta-baahuh]
Word-for-word
om — O Lord hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead vidadhyāt — may He bestow mama — my sarva-rakṣām — protection from all sides nyasta — placed aṅghri-padmaḥ — whose lotus feet patagendra-pṛṣṭhe — on the back of Garuḍa, the king of all birds dara — conchshell ari — disc carma — shield asi — sword gadā — club iṣu — arrows cāpa — bow pāśān — ropes dadhānaḥ — holding aṣṭa — possessing eight guṇaḥ — perfections aṣṭa — eight bāhuḥ — arms.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
om harir vidadhyān mama sarva-rakṣāṁ
om
O Lord
hariḥ
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
vidadhyāt
may He bestow
mama
my
sarva-rakṣām
protection from all sides
nyastāṅghri-padmaḥ patagendra-pṛṣṭhe
nyasta
placed
aṅghri-padmaḥ
whose lotus feet
patagendra-pṛṣṭhe
on the back of Garuḍa, the king of all birds
darāri-carmāsi-gadeṣu-cāpa-
dara
conchshell
ari
disc
carma
shield
asi
sword
gadā
club
iṣu
arrows
cāpa
bow
pāśān dadhāno ’ṣṭa-guno ’ṣṭa-bāhuḥ
pāśān
ropes
dadhānaḥ
holding
aṣṭa
possessing eight
guṇaḥ
perfections
aṣṭa
eight
bāhuḥ
arms.
The Supreme Lord, who sits on the back of the bird Garuḍa, touching him with His lotus feet, holds eight weapons — the conchshell, disc, shield, sword, club, arrows, bow and ropes. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead protect me at all times with His eight arms. He is all-powerful because He fully possesses the eight mystic powers [aṇimā, laghimā, etc.].
Purport

Thinking oneself one with the Supreme is called ahaṅgrahopāsanā. Through ahaṅgrahopāsanā one does not become God, but he thinks of himself as qualitatively one with the Supreme. Understanding that as a spirit soul he is equal in quality to the supreme soul the way the water of a river is of the same nature as the water of the sea, one should meditate upon the Supreme Lord, as described in this verse, and seek His protection. The living entities are always subordinate to the Supreme. Consequently their duty is to always seek the mercy of the Lord in order to be protected by Him in all circumstances.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
May the Lord, whose feet are placed on the back of Garuḍa, whose eight hands with eight qualities hold the conch, disk, sword, shield, club, arrow, bow and noose, protect me on all sides. Having attained oneness with the Lord in meditation, like rivers entering the ocean, but still remaining separate, one should chant this mantra praying from one’s protection. “The eight qualities” refers to the eight siddhis.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Eight-armed and seated on Garuḍa, may the Lord protect me from all sides. Visualization of the Lord's specific weapons turns vague faith into precise sheltering.
Reflection Questions
  • Can I visualize the Lord's eight weapons with any specificity, or is my image of Him vague?
  • What 'specific weapon' do I most need from Him today?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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