Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 93

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

दाहोपद्यातगरलशस्त्रपातातिदुःखदाः । क्षेत्रवित्तादिहरणबंधनादिभयप्रदाः ॥ ९३ ॥

Transliteration

dāhopadyātagaralaśastrapātātiduḥkhadāḥ | kṣetravittādiharaṇabaṃdhanādibhayapradāḥ || 93 ||

Translation

Sie bereiten übergroßes Leid durch Brand, plötzliche Unheile, Gift und herabfallende Waffen; und sie flößen Furcht ein durch Raub von Land und Besitz, Gefangenschaft und andere derartige Drohungen.

Word by Word

• dāha-upadyāta-garala-śastra-pāta-ati-duḥkha-dāḥ: givers of extreme pain through burning, attacks, poison, and weapon-falls
• dāha-upadyāta-garala-śastra-pāta-ati-duḥkha-dāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāha + upadyāta + garala + śastra + pāta + ati + duḥkha + da (प्रातिपदिक; दा-धातु से क्विप्/दाः)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘दाहेन/उपद्यातेन्/गरलेन/शस्त्रपातेन अतिदुःखं ददाति’

• kṣetra-vitta-ādi-haraṇa-bandhana-ādi-bhaya-pradāḥ: givers of fear from theft of land/wealth etc. and from imprisonment etc.
• kṣetra-vitta-ādi-haraṇa-bandhana-ādi-bhaya-pradāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra + vitta + ādi + haraṇa + bandhana + ādi + bhaya + prada (प्रातिपदिक; दा-धातु से)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘क्षेत्र-वित्त-आदि-हरण-बंधन-आदि-भयं प्रददाति’

Speaker

Narada (in a teaching context, within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

FAQs

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

It catalogs classic forms of arishta (severe misfortune)—fire, poison, weapon-injury, loss of property, and bondage—reminding the practitioner to pursue dharma and protective disciplines that reduce fear and instability.

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

By emphasizing the fragility of worldly security (land, wealth, freedom), it indirectly pushes the mind toward taking refuge in the Divine as the steadier ground beyond external threats—an essential bhakti orientation.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse aligns with technical discussions used in Jyotiṣa-related arishta analysis—enumerating danger-types (fire, poison, weapons, imprisonment, loss) that are mapped in applied predictive frameworks and addressed via śānti-oriented practice.