Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

The Exposition of Hanumān’s Protective Kavaca

Māruti-kavaca

Devanagari script

एकदाहं गतो द्रष्टुं रामं रमयतां वरम् । आनंदवनिकासंस्थं ध्यायंतं स्वात्मनः पदम् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

ekadāhaṃ gato draṣṭuṃ rāmaṃ ramayatāṃ varam | ānaṃdavanikāsaṃsthaṃ dhyāyaṃtaṃ svātmanaḥ padam || 3 ||

Translation

ある時、私はラーマを拝しに赴いた。衆生を喜ばせる者のうち最勝なる御方である。彼はアーナンダヴァニカーという林に住し、自らのアートマンの至上の境地を観想して瞑想しておられた。

Word by Word

• ekadā: once, one day
• ekadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekadā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb): ‘once/one day’

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; प्रथमा (Nominative)

• gataḥ: went
• gataḥ: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया/गमन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगे ‘gone’

• draṣṭum: to see
• draṣṭum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); प्रयोजनार्थक (purpose)

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Accusative); एकवचन

• ramayatām: of those who delight (others)
• ramayatām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ramayat (प्रातिपदिक; √ram causative stem रमय-)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-शब्द (agent noun/participle-like); षष्ठी (Genitive); बहुवचन; ‘of those who delight/please’

• varam: excellent, best
• varam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying rāmaṃ)

• ānanda-vanikā-saṃstham: situated in the grove of Ānanda
• ānanda-vanikā-saṃstham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ānanda (प्रातिपदिक) + vanikā (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (ānanda-vanikāyām saṃsthaḥ); पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying rāmaṃ)

• dhyāyantam: meditating
• dhyāyantam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhyai (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; ‘meditating’ (qualifying rāmaṃ)

• svātmanaḥ: of his own Self
• svātmanaḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष ‘स्वः आत्मा’; पुंलिङ्ग (ātman); षष्ठी (Genitive); एकवचन

• padam: state/abode/footing
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Rama

FAQs

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

It presents Rāma as an ideal—one who delights the world outwardly yet remains inwardly established in meditation on the Self’s highest state, pointing to moksha through steady dhyāna.

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

By portraying Rāma as supremely auspicious and worthy of being sought out, it supports bhakti as reverent approach to the Lord, complemented by contemplative absorption (bhakti joined with dhyāna).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not naming a specific Vedāṅga, the verse emphasizes disciplined dhyāna—an applied yogic practice often supported by correct mantra usage and phonetic precision (Śikṣā) in Vedic-style recitation and contemplation.