Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

रेवांबगुलीलासंहप्तो जठरं परिरक्षतु । वीरशूरस्तु मे नाभिं पार्श्वौ मे सर्वदुष्टहा ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

revāṃbagulīlāsaṃhapto jaṭharaṃ parirakṣatu | vīraśūrastu me nābhiṃ pārśvau me sarvaduṣṭahā || 38 ||

Translation

Que Reva—dont le jeu sacré se déploie dans les eaux—protège mon ventre ; que le héros vaillant garde mon nombril ; que le Destructeur de toute méchanceté protège mes flancs.

Word by Word

• revā-ambaguli-līlā-saṃhaptaḥ: (he) who is ‘saṃhapta’ in the play at Revā-ambaguli (epithet)
• revā-ambaguli-līlā-saṃhaptaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: revā (प्रातिपदिक) + ambaguli (प्रातिपदिक) + līlā (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhapta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (विशेषणरूपेण)

• jaṭharam: the stomach
• jaṭharam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṭhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• pari-rakṣatu: may (he) protect all around
• pari-rakṣatu: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः—परि

• vīra-śūraḥ: hero and valiant one
• vīra-śūraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक) + śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (vīraś ca śūraś ca)

• tu: and/indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

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

• nābhim: the navel
• nābhim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nābhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• pārśvau: the two sides/flanks
• pārśvau: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

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

• sarva-duṣṭa-hā: slayer of all wicked (ones)
• sarva-duṣṭa-hā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + han (धातु; √han)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः; कृदन्तः—ण्वुल्/घञर्थक ‘हन्’ (हन्ता/हाः) अर्थे

Speaker

Narada (in a protective/hymnic recitation taught within the technical-ritual context of Book 1.3)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Reva (Narmada)

FAQs

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

It functions as a rakṣā-prayoga (protective invocation), assigning divine/tīrtha power to specific body regions, expressing surrender and seeking warding-off of inner and outer harm.

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

Bhakti appears here as dependence on sacred power—invoking revered presences (like Reva/Narmadā and a ‘destroyer of wickedness’) for protection, reflecting faith-driven remembrance and prayer.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse illustrates applied mantra-recitation used in ritual/protective contexts—an example of disciplined verbal practice aligned with Vedāṅga concerns like correct utterance and ritual application.