Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

The Exposition of Hanumān’s Protective Kavaca

Māruti-kavaca

Devanagari script

दिव्यदेहधरो धीमान्सर्वसत्त्वभयंकरः । साधकेंद्रावनः शश्वत्पातु सर्वत एव माम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

divyadehadharo dhīmānsarvasattvabhayaṃkaraḥ | sādhakeṃdrāvanaḥ śaśvatpātu sarvata eva mām || 23 ||

Translation

ದಿವ್ಯದೇಹಧಾರಿ, ಧೀಮಂತನು, ಸಮಸ್ತ ದುಷ್ಟಸತ್ತ್ವಗಳಿಗೆ ಭಯಂಕರನು, ಸಾಧಕಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠರ ನಿತ್ಯ ರಕ್ಷಕನಾದ ಪ್ರಭು—ಅವನು ಎಲ್ಲ ದಿಕ್ಕುಗಳಿಂದಲೂ ಸದಾ ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಕಾಪಾಡಲಿ।

Word by Word

• दिव्य-देह-धरः: bearer of a divine body
• दिव्य-देह-धरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + देह (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—दिव्यदेहः (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः) + धरः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: दिव्यदेहस्य धरः)

• धीमान्: wise, intelligent
• धीमान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सर्व-सत्त्व-भयम्-करः: causing fear to all beings
• सर्व-सत्त्व-भयम्-करः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—सर्वसत्त्वानां भयम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + करः (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: भयम् करोति)

• साधक-इन्द्र-अवनः: protector of the lord of sādhakas (chief practitioner)
• साधक-इन्द्र-अवनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—साधकेन्द्रस्य अवनः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• शश्वत्: always
• शश्वत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शश्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb of time)

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• सर्वतः: from all sides, everywhere
• सर्वतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb of place/direction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle of emphasis)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narada (as a stotra/prayer-like utterance within the teaching flow to/from Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It functions as a protective invocation (rakṣā) affirming that the divine, wise Lord safeguards the devotee from all directions while dispelling hostile forces that obstruct spiritual practice.

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

Bhakti is expressed through surrender and remembrance: the devotee asks the Lord to “protect me always,” implying reliance on divine grace while continuing sādhana with faith.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse exemplifies mantra-style usage—compact epithets and directional protection (sarvataḥ)—a practical liturgical pattern often applied in ritual recitation and daily protective prayer.