Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

The Exposition of Hanumān’s Protective Kavaca

Māruti-kavaca

Devanagari script

लंकानिभंजनः पातु पृष्टदेशे निरंतरम् । नाभिं श्रीरामभक्तस्तु कटिं पात्वनिलात्मजः ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

laṃkānibhaṃjanaḥ pātu pṛṣṭadeśe niraṃtaram | nābhiṃ śrīrāmabhaktastu kaṭiṃ pātvanilātmajaḥ || 15 ||

Translation

എന്റെ പൃഷ്ഠദേശത്തെ നിരന്തരം ലങ്കാനിഭഞ്ജനൻ കാക്കട്ടെ. എന്റെ നാഭിയെ ശ്രീരാമഭക്തൻ കാക്കട്ടെ; എന്റെ കടിയെ അനിലാത്മജൻ കാക്കട്ടെ॥१५॥

Word by Word

• लङ्कानिभञ्जनः: destroyer of Lanka
• लङ्कानिभञ्जनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का + निभञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (लङ्कायाः निभञ्जनः/भञ्जनः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पृष्ठदेशे: at the back region
• पृष्ठदेशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (पृष्ठस्य देशः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• निरन्तरम्: constantly/without interruption
• निरन्तरम्: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निरन्तर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• नाभिम्: the navel
• नाभिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• श्रीरामभक्तः: devotee of Śrī Rāma
• श्रीरामभक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीराम + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (श्रीरामस्य भक्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• कटिम्: the waist
• कटिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; in text as पात्व- due to sandhi with following vowel

• अनिलात्मजः: son of the Wind-god
• अनिलात्मजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिल + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (अनिलस्य आत्मजः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Sri Rama
• Hanuman (Anilatmaja)
• Anila (Vayu)

FAQs

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

It functions as a rakṣā-prayoga (protective invocation), assigning divine guardianship to specific body regions through remembrance of Śrī Rāma and Hanumān, reinforcing faith (śraddhā) and continuous God-consciousness.

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

Bhakti is shown as living reliance on the Lord and His greatest devotee: Śrī Rāma is invoked as the victorious protector, and Hanumān is praised by identity—‘Śrī Rāma’s devotee’—teaching that devotion itself becomes a channel of protection and grace.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects mantra-prayoga and nyāsa-like application (mapping protection to body parts), a practical ritual technique used in stotra/kavacha recitation, aligned with the Vedanga-oriented instructional tone of Book 1.3.