Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

सर्वसौभाग्यदं भद्रं भक्ताभयविधायिनम् । दिव्यमाल्यानुलेपाढ्यं सर्वलक्षणसंयुतम् ॥ ११ ॥

Transliteration

sarvasaubhāgyadaṃ bhadraṃ bhaktābhayavidhāyinam | divyamālyānulepāḍhyaṃ sarvalakṣaṇasaṃyutam || 11 ||

Translation

Ia sungguh suci dan membawa keberkahan, menganugerahkan segala keberuntungan serta memberi tanpa takut kepada para bhakta. Ia berhias rangkaian bunga ilahi dan baluran wewangian, lengkap dengan segala tanda keutamaan.

Word by Word

• सर्वसौभाग्यदम्: bestowing all good fortune
• सर्वसौभाग्यदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + सौभाग्य + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• भद्रम्: auspicious
• भद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• भक्त-अभय-विधायिनम्: granting fearlessness to devotees
• भक्त-अभय-विधायिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त + अभय + विधायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दिव्य-माल्य-अनुलेप-आढ्यम्: rich with divine garlands and unguents
• दिव्य-माल्य-अनुलेप-आढ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य + माल्य + अनुलेप + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सर्व-लक्षण-संयुतम्: endowed with all auspicious marks
• सर्व-लक्षण-संयुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + लक्षण + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narada (describing the deity/object of worship in the instructional context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Bhakta (devotees)

FAQs

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

It presents the worshipful form as inherently auspicious—one that grants devotees both worldly well-being (saubhāgya) and inner security (abhaya), linking devotion with protection and blessing.

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

Bhakti is shown as a direct refuge: the devotee approaches the auspicious divine presence, and the fruit is fearlessness—an immediate, relational grace rather than merely a ritual outcome.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse reflects ritual praxis and iconographic discipline—use of mālya (garlands) and anulepa (anointing) consistent with kalpa-oriented worship procedures, and lakṣaṇa language used for identifying auspicious divine characteristics.