Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

The Exposition of Hanumān’s Protective Kavaca

Māruti-kavaca

Devanagari script

कपोलौ कर्णमूले च पातु श्रीरामकिंकरः । नासाग्रमंजनासूनुः पातु वक्त्रं हरीश्वरः ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

kapolau karṇamūle ca pātu śrīrāmakiṃkaraḥ | nāsāgramaṃjanāsūnuḥ pātu vaktraṃ harīśvaraḥ || 12 ||

Translation

Möge der hingebungsvolle Diener Śrī Rāmas meine Wangen und die Ansätze meiner Ohren schützen. Möge der Sohn Añjanās die Spitze meiner Nase behüten; und möge Hari, der höchste Herr, mein Antlitz bewahren.

Word by Word

• कपोलौ: the two cheeks
• कपोलौ: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• कर्णमूले: at the roots of the ears
• कर्णमूले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्णस्य मूलम्)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रीरामकिङ्करः: servant of Śrī Rāma
• श्रीरामकिङ्करः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीराम + किङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्रीरामस्य किङ्करः)

• नासाग्रम्: tip of the nose
• नासाग्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासा + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नासायाः अग्रं)

• अञ्जनासूनुः: son of Añjanā
• अञ्जनासूनुः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जना + सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अञ्जनायाः सूनुः)

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वक्त्रम्: face / mouth
• वक्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हरीश्वरः: lord of the monkeys
• हरीश्वरः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हरीणाम् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shri Rama
• Hanuman (Anjana-sunu, Rama-kinkara)
• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

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

It functions like a kavacha (spiritual armor): by naming Hanumān as Rāma’s servant and as Añjanā’s son, the devotee invokes protective divine presence over specific body-parts, turning the body into a safeguarded vessel for bhakti and japa.

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

Bhakti is expressed through śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in Hari and His foremost devotee Hanumān; protection is sought not by self-effort alone but by heartfelt remembrance of divine names and relationships (Rāma–Hanumān).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Mantra-prayoga (applied use of sacred formulae) is implied: the verse assigns deities to protect particular limbs (a kavacha/anga-rakṣā approach), reflecting disciplined recitation practice and precise phonetic delivery (śikṣā) for efficacy.