Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 85
The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca
Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta
दूरादेव विनश्यंतु प्रणष्टेंद्रियसाहसाः । मनुष्याः पशवो त्वृक्षवानरा वनगोचराः ॥ ८५ ॥
dūrādeva vinaśyaṃtu praṇaṣṭeṃdriyasāhasāḥ | manuṣyāḥ paśavo tvṛkṣavānarā vanagocarāḥ || 85 ||
ഇന്ദ്രിയനിയന്ത്രണം നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട, ഉന്മത്ത ധൈര്യമുള്ളവർ—അവർ ദൂരത്തുനിന്നുതന്നെ നശിക്കട്ടെ; അവർ മനുഷ്യരായാലും, മൃഗങ്ങളായാലും, വൃക്ഷവാസി വാനരങ്ങളായാലും, വനഗോചര ജീവികളായാലും.
Narada (contextual attribution within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue flow)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: raudra (anger)
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka (fear)
FAQs
It stresses that uncontrolled senses lead to destructive, adharmic conduct, and that such disruptive, reckless forces should be kept at a distance from the sādhaka and from sacred learning.
Bhakti requires inner purity and steadiness; the verse implies that sense-dominated recklessness obstructs devotion, so the devotee avoids such influences to protect japa, worship, and remembrance.
It highlights the practical prerequisite for Vedanga-based study—self-discipline and control of the senses—without which mantra recitation, pronunciation (śikṣā), and disciplined learning cannot be sustained.