Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 25

Nārāyaṇa-kavaca — The Armor of Lord Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

त्वं यातुधानप्रमथप्रेतमातृ- पिशाचविप्रग्रहघोरद‍ृष्टीन् । दरेन्द्र विद्रावय कृष्णपूरितो भीमस्वनोऽरेर्हृदयानि कम्पयन् ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

tvaṁ yātudhāna-pramatha-preta-mātṛ- piśāca-vipragraha-ghora-dṛṣṭīn darendra vidrāvaya kṛṣṇa-pūrito bhīma-svano ’rer hṛdayāni kampayan

Translation

O best of conchshells, O Pāñcajanya in the hands of the Lord, you are always filled with the breath of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you create a fearful sound vibration that causes trembling in the hearts of enemies like the Rākṣasas, pramatha ghosts, Pretas, Mātās, Piśācas and brāhmaṇa ghosts with fearful eyes.

Synonyms

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थे संबोधन/प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular, 2nd person pronoun form)

• यातुधान: demons (yātudhānas)
• यातुधान: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातुधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural) — समासपूर्वपद (member of compound)

• प्रमथ: pramathas (attendant spirits)
• प्रमथ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative plural) — समासपूर्वपद

• प्रेत: ghosts
• प्रेत: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन — समासपूर्वपद

• मातृ: mothers/mātṛ-spirits
• मातृ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative plural) — समासपूर्वपद; ‘मातृ’ here as class of spirits (mātṛkās)

• पिशाच: piśācas (goblins)
• पिशाच: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन — समासपूर्वपद

• विप्रग्रह: hostile/contending forms (vipragrahas)
• विप्रग्रह: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्रग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन — समासपूर्वपद

• घोर: terrible
• घोर: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative plural) — समासपूर्वपद, विशेषण (qualifier)

• दृष्टीन्: glances/looks
• दृष्टीन्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन (Feminine, Accusative plural)

• दर-इन्द्र: O lord of fear/terror (O Darendra)
• दर-इन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/उपपदभाव), पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• विद्रावय: drive away
• विद्रावय: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + द्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; causative sense ‘to drive away’

• कृष्ण-पूरितः: filled with Kṛṣṇa (Kṛṣṇa-infused)
• कृष्ण-पूरितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पूरित (कृदन्त, √पॄ/पूर्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘पूरित’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular), विशेषण (qualifying ‘त्वम्’)

• भीम-स्वनः: of dreadful sound
• भीम-स्वनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन, विशेषण

• अरेः: of the enemy
• अरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive singular)

• हृदयानि: hearts
• हृदयानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन (Neuter, Accusative plural)

• कम्पयन्: shaking/trembling (causing to tremble)
• कम्पयन्: Kriya (क्रिया/Participial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम्प् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (concomitant action)

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Nārāyaṇa
• Indra
• Viśvarūpa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about protection from ghosts and negative entities?

In the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca (Bhāgavatam 6.8), the devotee prays for the Lord’s fearsome protective presence to drive away harmful beings like pretas and piśācas and to make hostile forces flee.

Why is this verse spoken in Canto 6 Chapter 8 of the Bhagavatam?

It appears within the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, a protective prayer taught for Indra’s safety; Śukadeva narrates it to show how remembrance of the Lord acts as divine armor against dangers and enemies.

Practical application of the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca idea in modern life?

Cultivate daily God-remembrance—through prayer, mantra, and sāttvika living—so the mind becomes “filled with the Lord,” reducing fear, strengthening resolve, and protecting one from harmful influences.