The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca
Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta
इत्यष्टशतनामोत्त्या मूर्तयो दश दिक्पथि । सम्यग्दशदिशो व्याप्य पालयंतु च मां सदा ॥ ११५ ॥
ityaṣṭaśatanāmottyā mūrtayo daśa dikpathi | samyagdaśadiśo vyāpya pālayaṃtu ca māṃ sadā || 115 ||
Assim, tendo sido invocado pela recitação dos cento e oito Nomes, que as dez Formas divinas postadas nos caminhos das dez direções permeiem plenamente esses dez quadrantes e sempre me protejam.
Narada
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
It presents nāma-recitation (ashtottara/108 names) as a consecrating invocation that establishes protective divine presence in all directions, symbolizing total spiritual safeguarding and completeness.
By emphasizing praise through sacred names, it frames bhakti as direct remembrance and invocation—where devotion (nāma-japa/stuti) itself becomes the means of protection and divine nearness.
It reflects mantra-prayoga (ritual application of recitation) and structured liturgical practice—how a defined name-list (nāma-stotra) is used for rakṣā by ritually extending sanctity to the ten directions.