Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

The Exposition of Hanumān’s Protective Kavaca

Māruti-kavaca

Devanagari script

हनुमान् पूर्वतः पातु दक्षिणे पवनात्मजः । पातु प्रतीच्यामक्षघ्नः सौम्ये सागरतारकः ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

hanumān pūrvataḥ pātu dakṣiṇe pavanātmajaḥ | pātu pratīcyāmakṣaghnaḥ saumye sāgaratārakaḥ || 8 ||

Translation

ਪੂਰਬ ਵੱਲ ਹਨੁਮਾਨ ਮੇਰੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ; ਦੱਖਣ ਵੱਲ ਪਵਨਪੁੱਤਰ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ। ਪੱਛਮ ਵੱਲ ਅਕ੍ਸ਼-ਵਧਕ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ; ਉੱਤਰ ਵੱਲ ਸਾਗਰ-ਤਾਰਕ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ।

Word by Word

• हनुमान्: Hanumān
• हनुमान्: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हनुमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेष्य-नाम

• पूर्वतः: in the east / from the front
• पूर्वतः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense: direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; दिक्-अव्यय (directional adverb)

• पातु: may (he) protect
• पातु: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दक्षिणे: in the south
• दक्षिणे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense: direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; दिक्-अव्यय (directional)

• पवनात्मजः: son of the Wind-god
• पवनात्मजः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवन + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पवनस्य आत्मजः)

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

• प्रतीच्याम्: in the west
• प्रतीच्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; दिक्-शब्द

• अक्षघ्नः: slayer of Akṣa
• अक्षघ्नः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अक्षस्य घ्नः = अक्षं हन्ति इति)

• सौम्ये: in the north
• सौम्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; दिक्/कोण-निर्देश (north)

• सागरतारकः: he who helped cross the ocean / ocean-crosser
• सागरतारकः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर + तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सागरस्य तारकः)

Speaker

Narada (teaching a protective directional invocation as part of technical/ritual application)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hanuman
• Vayu (Pavana)
• Aksha

FAQs

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

It functions as a directional protection (dik-rakṣā) invocation, remembering Hanumān through specific epithets tied to his deeds, establishing inner fearlessness and steadiness for sādhana.

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

Bhakti is expressed through nāma and līlā-smaraṇa: each title of Hanumān recalls a sacred act (service to Rāma), turning remembrance into a living devotional refuge in every direction.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects mantra-prayoga and ritual structuring—assigning deities/epithets to directions for protective recitation (kavacha-style), a practical application often taught alongside technical disciplines in Purāṇic instruction.