Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

बाधाशतविनिर्मुक्तमस्तु मे भयवर्जितम् । बद्धेदं कवचं दिव्यमभेद्यं हैहयेशितुः ॥ ४४ ॥

Transliteration

bādhāśatavinirmuktamastu me bhayavarjitam | baddhedaṃ kavacaṃ divyamabhedyaṃ haihayeśituḥ || 44 ||

Translation

Puissé-je être délivré de centaines d’afflictions et demeurer sans crainte. Cette armure divine (kavaca) a été attachée sur moi ; elle est impénétrable, appartenant au Seigneur des Haihayas.

Word by Word

• बाधा-शत-विनिर्मुक्तम्: freed from hundreds of afflictions
• बाधा-शत-विनिर्मुक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाधा-शत-विनिर्मुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मुच्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; क्त (PPP) 'विनिर्मुक्त'; समासः (बाधानां शतानि तैः विनिर्मुक्तम्)

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/optative sense in benediction), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• भय-वर्जितम्: devoid of fear
• भय-वर्जितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय-वर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वृज्/वर्ज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; क्त (PPP) 'वर्जित'; समासः (भयेन वर्जितम्/भयात् रहितम्)

• बद्ध: bound, fastened
• बद्ध: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √बन्ध्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; क्त (PPP)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• कवचम्: armor, protective covering
• कवचम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• अभेद्यम्: unbreakable, impenetrable
• अभेद्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग 'अ-' (negation)

• हैहय-ईशितुः: of the lord of the Haihayas
• हैहय-ईशितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हैहय-ईशितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हैहयानाम् ईशितुः)

Speaker

Narada (as a transmitted protective formula within the Vedanga-oriented section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Haihayeshita (Lord of the Haihayas)
• Kavaca (divine armour)

FAQs

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

It affirms the kavaca as a sanctified protection: the practitioner seeks release from many bādhās (afflictions) and establishes fearlessness by ritually “binding” a divine, inviolable protective power.

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

Bhakti is expressed as surrender to a higher lordly protection—trusting that divine authority shields the devotee from fear and adversity when invoked with faith and proper observance.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied mantra-prayoga (ritual application): the idea of “binding” (baddha) a kavaca points to procedural use in rites—recitation with intention, protective nyāsa-style framing, and disciplined ritual performance.