Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

जंघे वीराधिपः पातु पातु पादौ मनोजवः । पातु सर्वायुधधरः सर्वांगं सर्वमर्मसु ॥ ४० ॥

Transliteration

jaṃghe vīrādhipaḥ pātu pātu pādau manojavaḥ | pātu sarvāyudhadharaḥ sarvāṃgaṃ sarvamarmasu || 40 ||

Translation

Que Vīrādhipa protège mes jambes ; que Manojava garde mes pieds. Que le Porteur de toutes les armes protège tout mon corps—surtout en tous les points vitaux (marmas).

Word by Word

• jaṃghe: the two shanks/legs
• jaṃghe: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṃghā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• vīra-adhipaḥ: lord of heroes
• vīra-adhipaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (vīrāṇām adhipaḥ)

• pātu: may (he) protect
• pātu: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• pātu: may (he) protect
• pātu: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• pādau: the two feet
• pādau: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• mano-javaḥ: swift as the mind
• mano-javaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक) + java (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (manasaḥ javaḥ iva / manojavaḥ)

• pātu: may (he) protect
• pātu: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• sarva-āyudha-dharaḥ: bearer of all weapons
• sarva-āyudha-dharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from √dhṛ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (sarvāṇi āyudhāni dharati iti)

• sarva-aṅgam: the whole body
• sarva-aṅgam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (sarvam aṅgam)

• sarva-marmasu: in all vital points
• sarva-marmasu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + marma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (sarvāṇi marmāṇi)

Speaker

Narada (within a recited protective formula/kavacha tradition transmitted in the Narada Purana’s dialogue setting)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vīrādhipa
• Manojava
• Sarvāyudhadhara (Vishnu-aligned epithet)

FAQs

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

It functions as an aṅga-rakṣā (limb-protection) invocation, sanctifying the body as a fit vessel for sādhana by placing every limb and marma under divine guardianship.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as śaraṇāgati—seeking refuge through remembrance of divine names/epithets, trusting the Lord’s protective presence over one’s entire being.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects mantra-viniyoga style used in ritual recitation: assigning specific deities/epithets to specific body-parts (aṅga-nyāsa / protective mapping), a practical liturgical technique aligned with Śikṣā (proper recitation) and Kalpa (ritual procedure).