Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

एतास्तु मूर्तयो रक्ता रक्तमाल्यांशुकावृताः । प्रधानदेवतारूपाः पृथग्रथवरे स्थिताः ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

etāstu mūrtayo raktā raktamālyāṃśukāvṛtāḥ | pradhānadevatārūpāḥ pṛthagrathavare sthitāḥ || 27 ||

Translation

Adapun rupa-rupa ini berwarna merah, dihiasi kalung bunga merah dan diselubungi pakaian merah; masing-masing merupakan wujud dewa utama, dan masing-masing berdiri berasingan di atas kereta yang mulia.

Word by Word

• एताः: these
• एताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• मूर्तयः: forms/manifestations
• मूर्तयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• रक्ताः: red
• रक्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from रञ्ज्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• रक्त-माल्य-अंशुक-आवृताः: covered with red garlands and garments
• रक्त-माल्य-अंशुक-आवृताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अंशुक (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (कृदन्त; आ-वृ धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण: क्त (PPP) ‘आवृत’; समास: रक्तमाल्य (कर्मधारय) + अंशुक (द्वन्द्व/समाहारार्थ) + आवृत (तत्पुरुष)

• प्रधान-देवता-रूपाः: having the form of the principal deities
• प्रधान-देवता-रूपाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समास: प्रधानदेवता (कर्मधारय) + रूप (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘प्रधानदेवताया रूपाः’)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): ‘separately’

• रथ-वरे: on an excellent chariot
• रथ-वरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘श्रेष्ठः रथः’

• स्थिताः: standing/situated
• स्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (past active participle/क्त): ‘स्थित’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भावे/कर्तरि प्रयोग: ‘being situated/standing’

Speaker

Narada (within the Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined upāsanā through precise visualization: the “principal deity-forms” are distinguished by consistent ritual markers (red color, garlands, garments, and chariots), indicating ordered divine manifestations rather than random imagery.

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

Bhakti here is expressed as attentive, reverential worship—seeing each devatā as a distinct, exalted manifestation (pradhāna-devatā-rūpa) and honoring them with specific auspicious offerings (red cloth/garlands), supporting focused devotion and steadiness of mind.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse reflects ritual-technical knowledge used in upāsanā and yajña-related visualization—how deity-forms are specified by attributes (color, attire, placement), aligning with procedural precision characteristic of Vedāṅga-informed practice.