Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21
The Exposition of Hanumān’s Protective Kavaca
Māruti-kavaca
स्थलेंऽतरिक्षे ह्यग्नौ वा पर्वते सागरे द्रुमे । संग्रामे संकटे घोरे विराङ्रूपधरोऽवतु ॥ २१ ॥
sthaleṃ'tarikṣe hyagnau vā parvate sāgare drume | saṃgrāme saṃkaṭe ghore virāṅrūpadharo'vatu || 21 ||
Zu Lande, in der Luft, im Feuer, auf dem Berge, im Ozean oder zwischen Bäumen; im Kampf, in Gefahr und in schrecklichen Krisen—möge mich der Herr schützen, der die kosmische Gestalt (Virāṭ) trägt.
Narada (stotra/invocation within the Narada Purana’s discourse tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It teaches constant refuge in the all-pervading Lord: by remembering Vishnu as Virāṭ (the cosmic form), one seeks protection in every realm—earth, sky, fire, mountains, oceans, forests, and even in extreme fear.
Bhakti here is expressed as uninterrupted remembrance and surrender (śaraṇāgati): the devotee calls on Vishnu’s universal presence, trusting that divine protection is not limited by place, element, or circumstance.
The verse functions like a viniyoga-style protective prayer (stotra), showing practical application of sacred recitation—using precise locative contexts (place/element) and a clear protective intent, a common ritual-prayer structure used alongside Vedic disciplines.