Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 111
The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca
Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta
खङ्गभृत्कामदः कांतः कालघ्नः कमलेक्षणः । भद्रवादप्रियो वैद्यो विबुधो वरदो वशी ॥ १११ ॥
khaṅgabhṛtkāmadaḥ kāṃtaḥ kālaghnaḥ kamalekṣaṇaḥ | bhadravādapriyo vaidyo vibudho varado vaśī || 111 ||
He is the Bearer of the sword; the Giver of desired boons; the Beloved, radiant One; the Destroyer of Time (death); the Lotus-eyed Lord. He delights in auspicious speech; He is the Divine Physician; the all-knowing Wise One; the Bestower of blessings; and the self-controlled Master.
Narada (as reciter/teacher within the Narada Purana’s instructional flow)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
This verse presents power-names of Vishnu that frame Him as protector (sword-bearer), benefactor (boon-giver), and liberator (destroyer of death), guiding the devotee toward fearlessness, auspicious conduct, and God-centered remembrance.
By meditating on Vishnu’s qualities—beauty, compassion, healing, and mastery—Bhakti becomes concrete through nāma-smaraṇa (name-remembrance) and inner transformation: cultivating auspicious speech, self-control, and trust in divine grace.
The verse supports disciplined sacred recitation (linked with Śikṣā and Vyākaraṇa in practice): clear pronunciation, meaning-based contemplation, and ethical speech (bhadravāda) as a practical rule for effective mantra/nāma-japa.