Shloka 21
Nārāyaṇa-kavaca — The Armor of Lord Nārāyaṇa
देवोऽपराह्णे मधुहोग्रधन्वा सायं त्रिधामावतु माधवो माम् । दोषे हृषीकेश उतार्धरात्रे निशीथ एकोऽवतु पद्मनाभ: ॥ २१ ॥
devo ’parāhṇe madhu-hogradhanvā sāyaṁ tri-dhāmāvatu mādhavo mām doṣe hṛṣīkeśa utārdha-rātre niśītha eko ’vatu padmanābhaḥ
Pada bahagian kelima siang, semoga Madhusūdana yang memegang busur menakutkan bagi para asura melindungiku. Pada petang, semoga Mādhava dalam rupa tiga (Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara) melindungiku; pada awal malam semoga Hṛṣīkeśa melindungiku; dan pada tengah malam yang sunyi semoga Padmanābha sahaja melindungiku.
FAQs
This verse assigns specific names of Lord Viṣṇu to protect the devotee at afternoon, evening, dusk, and midnight, teaching continuous remembrance (smaraṇa) as a spiritual shield.
Indra, threatened by powerful enemies, was instructed by Viśvarūpa to take shelter of Lord Nārāyaṇa through a protective prayer, emphasizing that ultimate safety comes from devotion rather than mere strength.
Use time-based remembrance—briefly invoking Viṣṇu’s names at transitions like afternoon, evening, and before sleep—to cultivate steadiness, reduce fear, and anchor the mind in bhakti.