Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50
The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca
Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta
शारीरे च महादुःखे मानसे च महाज्वरे । आधिव्याधिभये विघ्नज्वालोपद्रवकेऽपि च ॥ ५० ॥
śārīre ca mahāduḥkhe mānase ca mahājvare | ādhivyādhibhaye vighnajvālopadravake'pi ca || 50 ||
ശരീരത്തിൽ മഹാദുഃഖം വന്നപ്പോൾ, മനസ്സിൽ മഹാജ്വരം പോലെ കഠിന വേദന വന്നപ്പോൾ; ആധി-വ്യാധികളുടെ ഭയത്തിൽ, കൂടാതെ വിഘ്നങ്ങൾ, ജ്വാലപോലുള്ള അപകടങ്ങൾ, ഉപദ്രവങ്ങൾ എന്നിവയിലും—അപ്പോൾ ഭഗവദാശ്രയം ചെയ്ത് (നാമഭക്തിയുടെ) ഉപായം അനുഷ്ഠിക്കണം।
Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
It frames extreme physical and mental distress—disease, anxiety, obstacles, and calamities—as moments when one should intensify refuge in dharma and the prescribed sacred practice (typically japa, stotra, vrata, or protective prayoga) rather than fall into fear.
By listing crises (duḥkha, jvara, ādhi-vyādhi, vighna), it implies that devotion is not conditional on comfort; bhakti is a steady refuge that is especially activated when life becomes unstable.
The verse points to applied prayoga—structured use of sacred recitation and ritual procedure for protection—aligned with Vedanga-style discipline (correct application, timing, and method), even though it does not name a specific Vedanga explicitly.