Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39
The Exposition of Hanumān’s Protective Kavaca
Māruti-kavaca
रक्षोघ्नाय रिपुघ्नाय भूतघ्नाय नमोनमः । ऋक्षवानरवीरौघप्रासादाय नमोनमः ॥ ३९ ॥
rakṣoghnāya ripughnāya bhūtaghnāya namonamaḥ | ṛkṣavānaravīraughaprāsādāya namonamaḥ || 39 ||
Repeated salutations to Him who destroys the rākṣasas, who destroys enemies, who destroys malevolent beings. Repeated salutations to Him who is the exalted refuge and support of the hosts of heroic bears and vānaras.
Narada (within a devotional recitation/stotra context addressed to Sri Rama/Vishnu)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It praises the Divine (Rama/Vishnu) as the remover of inner and outer obstacles—demonic tendencies (rākṣasas), adversities (enemies), and unsettling forces (bhūtas)—and as the protector-refuge of devotees and righteous allies.
Bhakti here is expressed as repeated surrender (namo namaḥ), trusting the Lord as both protector and support; the devotee remembers His saving power and takes refuge in His grace (prāsāda).
The verse functions as a stotra-mantra style recitation: it uses devotional epithets (nāma/guṇa-kīrtana) for protective intent (rakṣā). Practically, it reflects careful usage of compounds (samāsa) and case endings (vyākaraṇa) typical of mantra-like praise.