Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 17
Nārāyaṇa-kavaca — The Armor of Lord Nārāyaṇa
सनत्कुमारोऽवतु कामदेवा- द्धयशीर्षा मां पथि देवहेलनात् । देवर्षिवर्य: पुरुषार्चनान्तरात् कूर्मो हरिर्मां निरयादशेषात् ॥ १७ ॥
sanat-kumāro ’vatu kāmadevād dhayaśīrṣā māṁ pathi deva-helanāt devarṣi-varyaḥ puruṣārcanāntarāt kūrmo harir māṁ nirayād aśeṣāt
May Sanat-kumāra protect me from lusty desires. As I begin some auspicious activity, may Lord Hayagrīva protect me from being an offender by neglecting to offer respectful obeisances to the Supreme Lord. May Devarṣi Nārada protect me from committing offenses in worshiping the Deity, and may Lord Kūrma, the tortoise, protect me from falling to the unlimited hellish planets.
Lusty desires are very strong in everyone, and they are the greatest impediment to the discharge of devotional service. Therefore those who are very much influenced by lusty desires are advised to take shelter of Sanat-kumāra, the great brahmacārī devotee. Nārada Muni, who is the guide for arcana, is the author of the Nārada-pañcarātra, which prescribes the regulative principles for worshiping the Deity. Everyone engaged in Deity worship, whether at home or in the temple, should always seek the mercy of Devarṣi Nārada in order to avoid the thirty-two offenses while worshiping the Deity. These offenses in Deity worship are mentioned in The Nectar of Devotion.
FAQs
This verse prays for protection from lust (kāma) through Sanat-kumāra and for safety from deva-aparādha (offenses toward demigods) through Hayagrīva, showing that inner purity and respectful conduct support spiritual protection.
Kūrma is invoked as Lord Hari’s protective avatāra, and the prayer asks Him to remove the devotee entirely from niraya (hellish states), emphasizing the Lord’s power to rescue one from severe karmic suffering.
Cultivate self-control against lust, avoid disrespect toward sacred beings and religious paths, and maintain steady daily worship without interruptions—while remembering the Lord’s forms for inner strength and protection.