Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

विजयश्रीयुतः साक्षात्सहस्रारधरो विभुः । दिशमूर्द्ध्वामवतु मे सर्वदुष्टभयंकरः ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

vijayaśrīyutaḥ sākṣātsahasrāradharo vibhuḥ | diśamūrddhvāmavatu me sarvaduṣṭabhayaṃkaraḥ || 24 ||

Translation

Möge der allgegenwärtige Herr—wahrhaft offenbar, mit dem Ruhm des Sieges geschmückt und den tausendspeichigen Diskus tragend—mich von oben beschützen; er ist Schrecken für alle Bösen.

Word by Word

• विजय-श्री-युतः: endowed with victory and prosperity
• विजय-श्री-युतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजय (प्रातिपदिक) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (कृदन्त; √यु/युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-क्त ‘युत’

• साक्षात्: manifestly; directly
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘directly/manifestly’

• सहस्रार-धरः: holder of the thousand-spoked (discus/wheel)
• सहस्रार-धरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्रार (प्रातिपदिक; सहस्र+अर) + धर (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; √धृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘सहस्रारं धरति’

• विभुः: the all-pervading Lord
• विभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दिशम्: the direction
• दिशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ऊर्ध्वाम्: upper; upward
• ऊर्ध्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘ऊर्ध्वा दिशा’

• अवतु: may (he) protect
• अवतु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव्/अव (धातु; ‘रक्षणे’)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मे: my / of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• सर्व-दुष्ट-भयम्-करः: one who causes fear to all the wicked
• सर्व-दुष्ट-भयम्-करः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘सर्वेषां दुष्टानां भयम् करोति’

Speaker

Narada (protective invocation within the teaching context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It functions as a protective prayer (rakṣā) invoking Vishnu as the victorious, omnipresent Lord whose Sudarśana-like “thousand-spoked” power removes fear and subdues negativity, specifically guarding the upward direction.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti is expressed here as śaraṇāgati—seeking refuge through remembrance and praise of Vishnu’s attributes (victory, omnipresence, divine weapon), trusting that sincere invocation brings protection from harmful forces.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual-recitation practice used in protective rites (dik-rakṣā/dikbandha), where precise wording and meter-guided chanting (linked to Śikṣā/phonetics and Chandas) supports focused, directional invocation.