Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 79

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

कालव्याला महादंष्ट्रा महाजगरसंज्ञकाः । अनंतशूलिकाद्याश्च दंष्ट्राविषमहाभयाः ॥ ७९ ॥

Transliteration

kālavyālā mahādaṃṣṭrā mahājagarasaṃjñakāḥ | anaṃtaśūlikādyāśca daṃṣṭrāviṣamahābhayāḥ || 79 ||

Translation

കാലവ്യാല, മഹാദംഷ്ട്രാ, മഹാജഗര എന്ന പേരുള്ള സർപ്പങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ട്; അനന്തശൂലിക മുതലായവയും ഉണ്ട്—ദംഷ്ട്രവിഷം കാരണം അത്യന്തം ഭയങ്കരർ.

Word by Word

• कालव्यालाः: black/Time-like serpents
• कालव्यालाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालव्याल (प्रातिपदिक; काल + व्याल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• महादंष्ट्राः: having huge fangs
• महादंष्ट्राः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महादंष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक; महा + दंष्ट्रा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• महाजगरसंज्ञकाः: called 'great pythons'
• महाजगरसंज्ञकाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाजगरसंज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक; महा + अजगर + संज्ञक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अनन्तशूलिकाद्याः: Anantaśūlikā and others
• अनन्तशूलिकाद्याः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्तशूलिका + आदि (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; 'आदि' = 'and others' (etc.)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दंष्ट्राविषमहाभयाः: causing great fear by fangs and poison
• दंष्ट्राविषमहाभयाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंष्ट्रा + विष + महाभय (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (fear due to fangs/poison)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context with the Sanatkumara tradition; verse functions as a catalog within the technical section)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kālavyāla
• Mahādaṃṣṭrā
• Mahājagara
• Anantaśūlikā

FAQs

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

By naming specific fearsome serpents and emphasizing fang-poison, the verse highlights the Purana’s applied wisdom: dharma includes recognizing real dangers and seeking protection through disciplined, scripture-aligned means rather than panic.

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

Indirectly, it frames worldly fear as something to be faced with steadiness; in the Narada Purana’s broader teaching, such fear is ultimately calmed through refuge in the Divine (especially Vishnu-bhakti) alongside proper conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

This is a technical enumeration typical of Book 1.3’s applied learning—useful for ritual-practical contexts (identification of dangers and the need for protective measures), aligning with auxiliary knowledge streams used in rites and traditional remedies.