Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 49

The Exposition of Hanumān’s Protective Kavaca

Māruti-kavaca

Devanagari script

महार्णवशिलाबद्ध्वसेतुबंधाय ते नमः । इत्येतत्कथितं विप्र मारुतेः कवचं शिवम् ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

mahārṇavaśilābaddhvasetubaṃdhāya te namaḥ | ityetatkathitaṃ vipra māruteḥ kavacaṃ śivam || 49 ||

Translation

മഹാസമുദ്രത്തിൽ ശിലകൾ ബന്ധിച്ച് സേതു പണിതവനേ! നിനക്കു നമസ്കാരം. ഹേ വിപ്രാ, ഇങ്ങനെ മാർുതി (ഹനുമാൻ)ന്റെ മംഗളകരമായ കവചം പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെട്ടു।

Word by Word

• महा: great
• महा: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (indeclinable-like in compounds)

• अर्णव: ocean
• अर्णव: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (compound-member)

• शिला: rock/stone
• शिला: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (compound-member)

• बद्ध्वा: having bound
• बद्ध्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• सेतु: bridge/causeway
• सेतु: Samāsa-aṅga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (compound-member)

• बंधाय: for the building/binding
• बंधाय: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बंध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• ते: to you/your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; enclitic pronoun

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (सम्बोधन/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक निपात (salutatory particle)

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-paryavasāna (वचनपर्यवसान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरणसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कथितम्: has been told
• कथितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from √कथ् (धातु))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP) used predicatively (‘has been said’)

• विप्र: O brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• मारुतेः: of Maruti (Hanuman)
• मारुतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• कवचम्: armor (protective hymn)
• कवचम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शिवम्: auspicious
• शिवम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of कवचम्

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Maruti (Hanuman)

FAQs

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

It concludes the Maruti-kavacha by honoring Hanumān’s divine, service-filled power—symbolized by building the ocean-bridge—and affirms the kavacha as an auspicious spiritual protection for the devotee.

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

By offering direct salutations to Māruti and remembering his selfless assistance to Rāma, the verse models bhakti as reverent remembrance (smaraṇa) and surrender, where divine help and protection arise from devoted praise.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights mantra-prayoga in the form of a kavacha—structured recitation for rakṣā (protection)—a practical application aligned with Vedic ritual discipline (kalpa-style usage) rather than grammar or astrology.