Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 24

Nārāyaṇa-kavaca — The Armor of Lord Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

गदेऽशनिस्पर्शनविस्फुलिङ्गे निष्पिण्ढि निष्पिण्ढ्यजितप्रियासि । कुष्माण्डवैनायकयक्षरक्षो- भूतग्रहांश्चूर्णय चूर्णयारीन् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

gade ’śani-sparśana-visphuliṅge niṣpiṇḍhi niṣpiṇḍhy ajita-priyāsi kuṣmāṇḍa-vaināyaka-yakṣa-rakṣo- bhūta-grahāṁś cūrṇaya cūrṇayārīn

Translation

O club in the hand of Bhagavān, you shower sparks like the touch of a thunderbolt and are most dear to the unconquered Lord. Therefore, crush—crush—my foes. Pulverize the Kuṣmāṇḍas, Vaināyakas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Bhūtas and Grahas; grind these enemies to dust.

Synonyms

• गदे: O mace
• गदे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative Singular)

• अशनिस्पर्शनविस्फुलिङ्गे: O (mace) whose sparks are like thunderbolt-contact
• अशनिस्पर्शनविस्फुलिङ्गे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशनि-स्पर्शन-विस्फुलिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय (अशनेः स्पर्शनम् इव विस्फुलिङ्गा यस्याः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति; विशेषण (of गदे)

• निष्पिण्ढि: crush!
• निष्पिण्ढि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पिण्ढ्/पिण्ड् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्ग-निस् (niṣ-) (crush/pound)

• निष्पिण्ढि: crush (again)!
• निष्पिण्ढि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पिण्ढ्/पिण्ड् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphasis)

• अजितप्रिया: beloved of Ajita (the Unconquered Lord)
• अजितप्रिया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजित-प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अजितस्य प्रिया); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; विशेषण (addressed mace)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कुष्माण्डवैनायकयक्षरक्षोभूतग्रहान्: Kushmandas, Vinayakas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Bhutas, and Grahas
• कुष्माण्डवैनायकयक्षरक्षोभूतग्रहान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुष्माण्ड-वैनायक-यक्ष-रक्षस्-भूत-ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (list-compound of beings); पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative Plural)

• चूर्णय: pulverize!
• चूर्णय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चूर्णय् (धातु-नामधातु from चूर्ण)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (pulverize)

• चूर्णय: pulverize (again)!
• चूर्णय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चूर्णय् (धातु-नामधातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphasis)

• अरीन्: enemies
• अरीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative Plural)

Characters & Entities

• Ajita (Lord Narayana)
• Gadā (the Lord’s mace)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 6.8.24 say about protection from negative forces?

This verse invokes the Lord’s mace (Gadā), asking it to crush hostile beings and afflictive forces (bhūtas, grahas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, etc.), expressing faith that divine power protects the devotee.

Why is Gadā (the mace) addressed in the Narayana-kavaca prayer?

In the Narayana-kavaca, the devotee invokes the Lord’s personal weapons as living protectors; Gadā is praised as dear to Ajita (Lord Narayana) and asked to destroy obstacles and threats.

How can this Bhagavatam verse be applied in modern life?

It teaches turning to God’s shelter when facing fear, hostility, or unseen anxieties—strengthening inner courage through remembrance of Narayana and disciplined devotional practice.