Shloka 15

Nārāyaṇa-kavaca — The Armor of Lord Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

रक्षत्वसौ माध्वनि यज्ञकल्प: स्वदंष्ट्रयोन्नीतधरो वराह: । रामोऽद्रिकूटेष्वथ विप्रवासे सलक्ष्मणोऽव्याद् भरताग्रजोऽस्मान् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

rakṣatv asau mādhvani yajña-kalpaḥ sva-daṁṣṭrayonnīta-dharo varāhaḥ rāmo ’dri-kūṭeṣv atha vipravāse salakṣmaṇo ’vyād bharatāgrajo ’smān

Translation

യജ്ഞസ്വരൂപനായ യജ്ഞേശ്വരൻ വരാഹഭഗവാൻ, തന്റെ മൂർച്ചയുള്ള ദംഷ്ട്രകളിൽ ഭൂമിയെ ജലത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ഉയർത്തിയവൻ, വഴിയിലെ ദുഷ്ടന്മാരിൽ നിന്ന് എന്നെ കാക്കട്ടെ. പർവ്വതശിഖരങ്ങളിൽ പരശുരാമൻ കാക്കട്ടെ; വിദേശത്തിൽ ഭരതാഗ്രജൻ ശ്രീരാമൻ ലക്ഷ്മണനോടൊപ്പം ഞങ്ങളെ രക്ഷിക്കട്ടെ.

Synonyms

• rakṣatu: may (he) protect
• rakṣatu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• asau: that (he)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• mādhvani: in the Madhu (demon) episode / in (the act of slaying) Madhu
• mādhvani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; locative of place/state

• yajña-kalpaḥ: (he who is) like a sacrifice
• yajña-kalpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक) + kalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘yajñasya kalpaḥ’

• sva: own
• sva: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग/समासपूर्वपद; reflexive ‘own’ used as compound member

• daṁṣṭrayā: with (his) tusk
• daṁṣṭrayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṁṣṭrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; instrumental

• unnīta: lifted up
• unnīta: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-√nī (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (as compound member); ‘lifted/raised’

• dharaḥ: bearer
• dharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘bearer/holder’

• varāhaḥ: Varāha (the Boar incarnation)
• varāhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• rāmaḥ: Rāma
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• adri-kūṭeṣu: on the mountain-peaks
• adri-kūṭeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adri (प्रातिपदिक) + kūṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘adriṇāṁ kūṭāni’/‘adri-kūṭa’ = mountain-peaks

• atha: and then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction/sequence marker

• vipravāse: in exile / during separation
• vipravāse: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipravāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; locative

• sa-lakṣmaṇaḥ: together with Lakṣmaṇa
• sa-lakṣmaṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: ‘lakṣmaṇena saha’ = accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa

• avyāt: may (he) protect
• avyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√av (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; वैदिक/छान्दस रूप ‘avyāt’ = ‘may he protect’

• bharata-agrajaḥ: the elder brother of Bharata
• bharata-agrajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक) + agraja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘bharatasya agrajaḥ’

• asmān: us
• asmān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; pronoun

Purport

There are three Rāmas. One Rāma is Paraśurāma (Jāmadāgnya), another Rāma is Lord Rāmacandra, and a third Rāma is Lord Balarāma. In this verse the words rāmo ’dri-kūṭeṣv atha indicate Lord Paraśurāma. The brother of Bharata Mahārāja and Lakṣmaṇa is Lord Rāmacandra.

Characters & Entities

• Varaha
• Rama
• Lakshmana
• Bharata

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about divine protection through Vishnu’s avatars?

This verse invokes the Lord’s avatāras—Varāha and Rāma—as living protectors, teaching that remembering and praying to the Lord’s incarnations grants spiritual and practical protection in all situations.

Why are Varaha and Rama mentioned together in the Narayana-kavaca?

The kavaca lists forms of the Lord suited to different dangers and places: Varāha is praised as the sacrificial Lord who rescued the earth, while Rāma with Lakṣmaṇa is invoked for protection in rugged terrains and during exile—symbolizing safety in hardship.

Practical application of the Narayana-kavaca in modern life?

Use this verse as a daily remembrance: when facing “exile-like” phases (loss, instability, isolation) or “mountain-like” obstacles, consciously take shelter of the Lord through prayer, steadiness in dharma, and devotion.