Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 85
The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca
Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta
दूरादेव विनश्यंतु प्रणष्टेंद्रियसाहसाः । मनुष्याः पशवो त्वृक्षवानरा वनगोचराः ॥ ८५ ॥
dūrādeva vinaśyaṃtu praṇaṣṭeṃdriyasāhasāḥ | manuṣyāḥ paśavo tvṛkṣavānarā vanagocarāḥ || 85 ||
Mögen jene tollkühnen Wesen, deren Sinne zugrunde gegangen und ungezähmt sind, schon von ferne zugrunde gehen—seien es Menschen, Tiere, baumbewohnende Affen oder andere, die in den Wäldern umherstreifen.
Narada (contextual attribution within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue flow)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: raudra (anger)
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka (fear)
FAQs
It stresses that uncontrolled senses lead to destructive, adharmic conduct, and that such disruptive, reckless forces should be kept at a distance from the sādhaka and from sacred learning.
Bhakti requires inner purity and steadiness; the verse implies that sense-dominated recklessness obstructs devotion, so the devotee avoids such influences to protect japa, worship, and remembrance.
It highlights the practical prerequisite for Vedanga-based study—self-discipline and control of the senses—without which mantra recitation, pronunciation (śikṣā), and disciplined learning cannot be sustained.