रक्षा करना (rakshaa karnaa)

verb A compound verb built from the noun रक्षा (rakshaa, 'protection, defense') plus करना (karnaa, 'to do'); it means 'to protect, to defend, to save from harm.'
Sense 1 : to protect, defend, safeguard
verb, transitive Takes the person or thing being protected with की (kii): माँ बच्चे की रक्षा करती है (maan bachche kii rakshaa kartii hai, 'the mother protects the child').
Synonyms: बचाना (bachaanaa), सुरक्षा करना (surakshaa karnaa), हिफ़ाज़त करना (hifaazat karnaa)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This phrase carries a formal, almost solemn weight -- you'll hear it in contexts like देश की रक्षा करना (desh kii rakshaa karnaa, 'to protect the country'), or addressed to a deity asking for protection, as in भगवान हमारी रक्षा करें (bhagvaan hamaarii rakshaa karen, 'may God protect us'). It is less used for everyday small acts of saving someone (for that, बचाना (bachaanaa) is far more natural), and more for duty-bound or larger-scale protection -- soldiers, guardians, laws, and gods.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often try को (ko) for the protected party, following the pattern of simple transitive verbs, but this compound requires की (kii) linking रक्षा (rakshaa) to its object -- रक्षा करना (rakshaa karnaa) behaves grammatically like 'to do the protection of' someone. 2) Do not confuse with बचाना (bachaanaa), which is more about rescuing from an immediate danger; रक्षा करना (rakshaa karnaa) has a broader, often ongoing or protective-duty sense, as in a guard, deity, or law 'protecting' something.
Sample Sentences:
सेना देश की रक्षा करती है। The army protects the country.
(senaa desh kii rakshaa kartii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
भगवान हमारी रक्षा करें। May God protect us.
(bhagvaan hamaarii rakshaa karen।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
पुलिस का काम नागरिकों की रक्षा करना है। The job of the police is to protect the citizens.
(pulis kaa kaam naagrikon kii rakshaa karnaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
राजा ने प्रजा की रक्षा की। The king protected his subjects.
(raajaa ne prajaa kii rakshaa kii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
अपने अधिकारों की रक्षा करो। Protect your rights.
(apne adhikaaron kii rakshaa karo।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
यह कानून नागरिकों के अधिकारों की रक्षा करने के लिए बनाया गया है। This law has been made to protect the rights of citizens.
(yah kaanoon naagrikon ke adhikaaron kii rakshaa karne ke lie banaayaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
अगर सीमाओं की रक्षा न की जाती, तो देश पर संकट आ जाता। If the borders had not been protected, the country would have faced a crisis.
(agar siimaaon kii rakshaa n kii jaatii, to desh par sankat aa jaataa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Passive
सैनिक सीमा की रक्षा करते हुए शहीद हो गया। The soldier was martyred while protecting the border.
(sainik siimaa kii rakshaa karte hue shahiid ho gayaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
हमें पर्यावरण की रक्षा करनी चाहिए। We should protect the environment.
(hamen paryaavran kii rakshaa karnii chaahie।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
देवी दुर्गा को शक्ति और रक्षा की देवी माना जाता है, जो अपने भक्तों की रक्षा करती हैं। Goddess Durga is considered the goddess of strength and protection, who protects her devotees.
(devii durgaa ko shakti aur rakshaa kii devii maanaa jaataa hai, jo apne bhakton kii rakshaa kartii hain।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Verb (irregular)
infinitive: रक्षा करना (rakshaa karnaa)
infinitive oblique: रक्षा करने (rakshaa karne)
habitual/simple (sg.m): रक्षा करता (rakshaa kartaa)
habitual/simple (pl.m): रक्षा करते (rakshaa karte)
habitual/simple (sg.f): रक्षा करती (rakshaa kartii)
habitual/simple (pl.f): रक्षा करतीं (rakshaa kartiin)
continuous (sg.m): रक्षा कर रहा (rakshaa kar rahaa)
continuous (pl.m): रक्षा कर रहे (rakshaa kar rahe)
continuous (sg.f): रक्षा कर रही (rakshaa kar rahii)
continuous (pl.f): रक्षा कर रहीं (rakshaa kar rahiin)
perfective (sg.m): रक्षा किया (rakshaa kiyaa)
perfective (pl.m): रक्षा किए (rakshaa kie)
perfective (sg.f): रक्षा की (rakshaa kii)
perfective (pl.f): रक्षा कीं (rakshaa kiin)
imperative (informal): रक्षा कर (rakshaa kar)
imperative (neutral): रक्षा करो (rakshaa karo)
imperative (formal): रक्षा कीजिए (rakshaa kiijie)
future (1sg.m): रक्षा करूँगा (rakshaa karoongaa)
future (1sg.f): रक्षा करूँगी (rakshaa karoongii)
future (1pl.m): रक्षा करेंगे (rakshaa karenge)
future (1pl.f): रक्षा करेंगी (rakshaa karengii)
future (2sg.m): रक्षा करेगा (rakshaa karegaa)
future (2sg.f): रक्षा करेगी (rakshaa karegii)
future (2pl.m): रक्षा करोगे (rakshaa karoge)
future (2pl.f): रक्षा करोगी (rakshaa karogii)
future (3sg.m): रक्षा करेगा (rakshaa karegaa)
future (3sg.f): रक्षा करेगी (rakshaa karegii)
future (3pl.m): रक्षा करेंगे (rakshaa karenge)
future (3pl.f): रक्षा करेंगी (rakshaa karengii)
subjunctive (1sg): रक्षा करूँ (rakshaa karoon)
subjunctive (1pl): रक्षा करें (rakshaa karen)
subjunctive (2sg): रक्षा करे (rakshaa kare)
subjunctive (2pl): रक्षा करो (rakshaa karo)
subjunctive (3sg): रक्षा करे (rakshaa kare)
subjunctive (3pl): रक्षा करें (rakshaa karen)