Shloka 5
Nārāyaṇa-kavaca — The Armor of Lord Nārāyaṇa
श्रीविश्वरूप उवाच धौताङ्घ्रिपाणिराचम्य सपवित्र उदङ्मुख: । कृतस्वाङ्गकरन्यासो मन्त्राभ्यां वाग्यत: शुचि: ॥ ४ ॥ नारायणपरं वर्म सन्नह्येद् भय आगते । पादयोर्जानुनोरूर्वोरुदरे हृद्यथोरसि ॥ ५ ॥ मुखे शिरस्यानुपूर्व्यादोंङ्कारादीनि विन्यसेत् । ॐ नमो नारायणायेति विपर्ययमथापि वा ॥ ६ ॥
śrī-viśvarūpa uvāca dhautāṅghri-pāṇir ācamya sapavitra udaṅ-mukhaḥ kṛta-svāṅga-kara-nyāso mantrābhyāṁ vāg-yataḥ śuciḥ
Viśvarūpa dit : Quand la crainte survient, qu’on lave d’abord mains et pieds, puis qu’on accomplisse l’ācamana pour se purifier ; qu’on s’assoie avec gravité, tourné vers le nord, en touchant l’herbe kuśa et en gardant le silence. Ensuite, par les mantras de huit et de douze syllabes, qu’on fasse le nyāsa des mains et des membres et qu’on revête l’armure de Nārāyaṇa. En récitant ‘oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya’, qu’on place le nyāsa des pieds jusqu’aux genoux, cuisses, ventre, cœur, poitrine, bouche et tête ; puis qu’on le fasse aussi en ordre inverse.
FAQs
This verse instructs that when fear arises one should take shelter of the Narayana-centered “armor,” mentally placing divine protection over the body—signifying complete dependence on Nārāyaṇa.
Viśvarūpa teaches this protective discipline as a devotional safeguard in times of danger, directing the practitioner to consciously invoke Nārāyaṇa’s protection through sacred placement (nyāsa).
When anxiety or threat arises, remember Nārāyaṇa, recite His name/mantra, and cultivate mindful God-centered protection—training the mind to respond to fear with surrender rather than panic.