Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 82

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

मत्स्यका विषपुच्छाश्च ये चान्ये जलवासिनः । जलजाः स्थलजाश्चैव कृत्रिमाश्च महाविषाः ॥ ८२ ॥

Transliteration

matsyakā viṣapucchāśca ye cānye jalavāsinaḥ | jalajāḥ sthalajāścaiva kṛtrimāśca mahāviṣāḥ || 82 ||

Translation

Poissons et êtres à queue venimeuse, ainsi que d’autres habitants des eaux—nés de l’eau ou de la terre—et même des poisons préparés artificiellement : tout cela est tenu pour hautement toxique.

Word by Word

• मत्स्यकाः: small fishes
• मत्स्यकाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; लघु-मत्स्यविशेषः

• विषपुच्छाः: poison-tailed
• विषपुच्छाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष-पुच्छ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘विषयुक्तं पुच्छं येषाम्’ (poison-tailed)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ये: who/which
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• जलवासिनः: water-dwellers
• जलवासिनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल-वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘जले वसन्ति’ (water-dwellers)

• जलजाः: water-born
• जलजाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल-ज (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘जले जाताः’ (born in water)

• स्थलजाः: land-born
• स्थलजाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थल-ज (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘स्थले जाताः’ (land-born)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• कृत्रिमाः: artificial/man-made
• कृत्रिमाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्रिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महाविषाः: highly venomous ones
• महाविषाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-विष (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘महच्च तत् विषम्’ (greatly poisonous/strong poison)

Speaker

Narada (within a didactic listing in technical-ritual context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka (fear)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes vigilance and purity in dharmic life by identifying sources of intense impurity and danger (mahāviṣa), supporting a disciplined approach to bodily and ritual well-being.

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

Indirectly: by urging careful avoidance of harmful influences, it supports steadiness of body and mind—conditions favorable for sustained Vishnu-bhakti and regulated sādhana.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A practical, technical classification useful for ritual and daily conduct—recognizing natural (water/land) and artificial (kṛtrima) toxins, relevant to dharmic procedure and safety.