Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

तत्पार्शदेश्वराः स्वस्ववाहनायुधभूषणाः । स्वस्वदिक्षु स्थिताः पांतु मामिंद्राद्या महाबलाः ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

tatpārśadeśvarāḥ svasvavāhanāyudhabhūṣaṇāḥ | svasvadikṣu sthitāḥ pāṃtu māmiṃdrādyā mahābalāḥ || 29 ||

Translation

Que les puissants, à commencer par Indra—les seigneurs gardiens postés de chaque côté, chacun portant sa monture, ses armes et ses ornements—me protègent depuis leurs directions respectives.

Word by Word

• तत्-पार्शद-ईश्वराः: lords of his attendants
• तत्-पार्शद-ईश्वराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पार्शद (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘तस्य पार्शदानाम् ईश्वराः’

• स्व-स्व-वाहन-आयुध-भूषणाः: each with their own vehicles, weapons, and ornaments
• स्व-स्व-वाहन-आयुध-भूषणाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘स्वस्वं वाहनं आयुधं भूषणं च येषाम्’ (each having their own vehicle, weapons, ornaments)

• स्व-स्व-दिक्षु: in their respective directions
• स्व-स्व-दिक्षु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दिक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘स्वस्वासु दिक्षु’

• स्थिताः: stationed
• स्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त): ‘स्थित’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘being stationed’

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

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

• इन्द्र-आद्याः: Indra and others
• इन्द्र-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘इन्द्रः आदिः येषाम्’ (beginning with Indra)

• महाबलाः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘महत् बलं येषाम्’ (very strong)

Speaker

Narada (within a didactic/protective recitation taught in the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira (heroic)

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Dikpalas (directional guardians)

FAQs

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

It functions as a protective invocation (rakṣā) that sacralizes space by calling on Indra and other directional guardians to shield the practitioner from all sides, a common Vedic-Puranic method of establishing ritual safety and auspiciousness.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as humble surrender—seeking refuge in divine protectors rather than relying solely on personal strength—reinforcing dependence on divine order (deva-dharma) as part of devotional living.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual procedure: directional orientation (dik), protective recitation before rites or study, and the technical idea of assigning guardians to quarters—an operational detail used alongside mantra practice in Vedic-style observances.