Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

शंखभृत्सुमहाशक्तिसंयुतोऽप्यधरां दिशम् । परिरक्षतु मे दुःखध्वांतसम्भेदभास्करः ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

śaṃkhabhṛtsumahāśaktisaṃyuto'pyadharāṃ diśam | parirakṣatu me duḥkhadhvāṃtasambhedabhāskaraḥ || 25 ||

Translation

Möge der Strahlende wie die Sonne, der die Finsternis meines Kummers zerschmettert, mich auch in der unteren Richtung beschützen; er trägt die Muschel und ist mit höchster göttlicher Kraft erfüllt.

Word by Word

• शंख-भृत्: conch-bearer
• शंख-भृत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक) + भृत् (कृदन्त; √भृ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-क्तिन्/क्विप्-प्राय ‘भृत्’ = ‘धारकः’

• सु-महा-शक्ति-संयुतः: endowed with very great power
• सु-महा-शक्ति-संयुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (कृदन्त; सम्-√यु/युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-क्त ‘संयुत’

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: ‘also/even’)

• अधराम्: lower
• अधराम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्—‘अधरा दिशा’ (lower)

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

• परिरक्षतु: may (he) protect all around
• परिरक्षतु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

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

• दुःख-ध्वान्त-सम्भेद-भास्करः: sun that dispels the darkness of sorrow
• दुःख-ध्वान्त-सम्भेद-भास्करः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भेद (प्रातिपदिक; सम्+√भिद्) + भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘दुःखरूपस्य ध्वान्तस्य सम्भेदकः भास्करः’ (metaphor)

Speaker

Narada (hymnic invocation within the teaching context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Surya

FAQs

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

It invokes a protective, light-dispelling divine presence for the “lower direction,” teaching that divine radiance destroys the inner darkness of grief and safeguards the seeker on all sides.

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

Bhakti is expressed as surrender and remembrance: the devotee prays for protection and inner illumination, seeing the Lord’s power as the force that removes suffering and grants steadiness.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied mantra/stotra practice used with directional safeguarding (dik-rakṣā/dikbandha) and the disciplined use of epithets (nāma) to invoke specific divine functions like protection and removal of darkness.