Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 117

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

अग्निनिर्ऋतिवाय्वीशकोणगाः पांतु मां सदा । मम सौख्यमसंबाधमारोग्यमपराजयः ॥ ११७ ॥

Transliteration

agninirṛtivāyvīśakoṇagāḥ pāṃtu māṃ sadā | mama saukhyamasaṃbādhamārogyamaparājayaḥ || 117 ||

Translation

May the deities presiding over the directions—Agni, Nirṛti, Vāyu, and Īśa—ever protect me, granting me unobstructed happiness, good health, and invincibility (freedom from defeat).

Word by Word

• अग्नि-निर्ऋति-वायु-ईश-कोणगाः: the guardians of the corners (Agni, Nirṛti, Vāyu, Īśa)
• अग्नि-निर्ऋति-वायु-ईश-कोणगाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि + निर्ऋति + वायु + ईश + कोणग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative): ‘those who are in the directions of Agni, Nirṛti, Vāyu, Īśa’

• पान्तु: may (they) protect
• पान्तु: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सौख्यम्: happiness, comfort
• सौख्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• असंबाधम्: unobstructed, unhindered
• असंबाधम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + संबाध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (negated)

• आरोग्यम्: health
• आरोग्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आरोग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपराजयः: invincibility, non-defeat
• अपराजयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + पराजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (instructive/ritual prayer formula within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Nirṛti
• Vāyu
• Īśa (Rudra/Śiva)

FAQs

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

It invokes the directional guardians (especially corner presences) as cosmic protectors, aiming to align one’s life with orderly space (dik) so that happiness, health, and success remain unhindered.

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

Bhakti here appears as reverent dependence: the devotee prays for protection and well-being by remembering and honoring divine powers that sustain the world, cultivating humility and trust in divine guardianship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied directional theology used in ritual layout and protective recitation—knowledge aligned with Jyotiṣa/Vāstu-style directional mapping and mantra-prayoga for safeguarding health and success.