Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

विद्याकरीसमायुक्तः सुमहहुःखनाशनः । पातु मे नैर्ऋतीं चापपाणिर्विदिशमीश्वरः ॥ २१ ॥

Transliteration

vidyākarīsamāyuktaḥ sumahahuḥkhanāśanaḥ | pātu me nairṛtīṃ cāpapāṇirvidiśamīśvaraḥ || 21 ||

Translation

May the Lord—bestower of knowledge and destroyer of great suffering—protect me in the south‑western direction; may the Sovereign, bow in hand, guard my quarter.

Word by Word

• विद्याकरी-समायुक्तः: endowed with the vidyā-karī (bestower of knowledge)
• विद्याकरी-समायुक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्याकरी (प्रातिपदिक) + समायुक्त (कृदन्त; सम्-आ-युज् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/क्त (past passive participle) ‘समायुक्त’ = ‘सम्यक् युक्तः’

• सुमहः-उःख-नाशनः: destroyer of very great sorrow
• सुमहः-उःख-नाशनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + मह (प्रातिपदिक) + उःख/उख (प्रातिपदिक; ‘दुःख’ अर्थे) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक; √नश् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासे ‘(सु)मह(द्) + (दुः)ख-नाशन’ इति अर्थः

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मे: my / of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th, Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of me / my’

• नैर्ऋतीम्: the south-western direction
• नैर्ऋतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैर्ऋती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd, Accusative), एकवचन; ‘नैर्ऋती दिशा’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चाप-पाणिः: the one with a bow in hand
• चाप-पाणिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘चापः पाणौ यस्य’ इति (धनुर्धरः)

• विदिशम्: the (specified) direction/quarter (Vidishā)
• विदिशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदिश्/विदिशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘विदिशा’ (a quarter/direction)

• ईश्वरः: the Lord
• ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (in a didactic/protective invocation within the Vedanga-oriented section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara (the Lord)
• Nairriti (south-west direction)

FAQs

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

It frames the Lord as both the giver of true knowledge and the remover of intense suffering, invoking His protection specifically over the south‑west quarter—showing that inner illumination and outer safeguarding are one divine grace.

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

Bhakti appears as reliance on the Lord’s guardianship: the devotee calls Him “Ishvara,” remembers His attributes (knowledge-giving, sorrow-destroying), and surrenders the protection of one’s life and space to Him.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual directionality (dik-vyavasthā) used in mantras and protective rites—assigning divine guardianship to specific quarters, a practical feature often applied in Vedic ritual procedure and mantra-application.