Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

अवतारो हरेः साक्षात्पालयत्वखिलं मम । कार्तवीर्य महावीर्य सर्वदुष्टविनाशन ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

avatāro hareḥ sākṣātpālayatvakhilaṃ mama | kārtavīrya mahāvīrya sarvaduṣṭavināśana || 56 ||

Translation

Mögest du—die unmittelbare Inkarnation Haris—alles, was mein ist, behüten. O Kārtavīrya, Held von großer Kraft, Vernichter aller Frevler!

Word by Word

• अवतारः: incarnation
• अवतारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly, manifestly
• साक्षात्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पालयतु: may (he) protect
• पालयतु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अखिलम्: all (entirety)
• अखिलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• कार्तवीर्य: O Kārtavīrya
• कार्तवीर्य: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तवीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• महावीर्य: O great-in-power
• महावीर्य: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—महान् + वीर्य (कर्मधारय)

• सर्वदुष्टविनाशन: O destroyer of all wicked (ones)
• सर्वदुष्टविनाशन: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-दुष्ट-विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—सर्वेषां दुष्टानां विनाशनः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Unspecified (a supplicant/prayerful address to Kārtavīrya as Hari’s avatāra within the Narada Purana narrative frame)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Kārtavīrya Arjuna

FAQs

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

It is a protective supplication (rakṣā-prārthanā) that recognizes divine presence in an avatāra and seeks safeguarding of one’s life and possessions, while affirming the dharmic destruction of wickedness.

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

Bhakti appears here as direct praise and surrender—addressing the divine (Hari) as present “sākṣāt” in an avatāra and requesting protection, showing reliance on the Lord’s grace rather than mere personal power.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse chiefly functions as stuti/prayer rather than a technical Vedāṅga rule; practically, it exemplifies correct mantra-like address (nāma + guṇa: “mahāvīrya,” “sarvaduṣṭavināśana”) used in devotional recitation for rakṣā (protection).