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Shloka 3

Nārāyaṇa-kavaca — The Armor of Lord Nārāyaṇa

श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच वृत: पुरोहितस्त्वाष्ट्रो महेन्द्रायानुपृच्छते । नारायणाख्यं वर्माह तदिहैकमना: श‍ृणु ॥ ३ ॥

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca vṛtaḥ purohitas tvāṣṭro mahendrāyānupṛcchate nārāyaṇākhyaṁ varmāha tad ihaika-manāḥ śṛṇu

श्रीबादरायणिरुवाच—देवैः पुरोहितत्वेन वृतः त्वाष्ट्रः विश्वरूपः महेन्द्रेण पृष्टः सन् ‘नारायणाख्यं वर्म’ प्रोवाच। तदिदानीं एकाग्रचित्तः श‍ृणु।

śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥŚrī Bādarāyaṇi
śrī-bādarāyaṇiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśrī + bādarāyaṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); ‘श्रीमान् बादरायणिः’
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
vṛtaḥchosen; appointed
vṛtaḥ:
Kriya/Predicate (क्रिया/विधेय)
TypeVerb
Rootvṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
purohitaḥthe priest
purohitaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpurohita (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)
tvāṣṭraḥthe son of Tvaṣṭṛ (Viśvarūpa)
tvāṣṭraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottvāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); patronymic ‘son/descendant of Tvaṣṭṛ’
mahendrāyato Mahendra (Indra)
mahendrāya:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootmahendra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (चतुर्थी/4), Singular (एकवचन); ‘महान् इन्द्रः’
anupṛcchateasks; inquires
anupṛcchate:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootanu-prach (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); आत्मनेपद
nārāyaṇa-ākhyamcalled ‘Nārāyaṇa’
nārāyaṇa-ākhyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootnārāyaṇa + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘नारायण-नामकं’
varmaarmor; protective prayer
varma:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvarman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
āhasaid
āha:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootah (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
tatthat
tat:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
ihahere; now
iha:
Desha/Kala-adhikarana (देश/काल-अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiha (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘here/now’
eka-manāḥwith one-pointed mind
eka-manāḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rooteka + manas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहिः—‘एकं मनः यस्य सः’
śṛṇulisten
śṛṇu:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootśru (धातु)
FormImperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); परस्मैपद
Ś
Śukadeva Gosvāmī
V
Viśvarūpa (Tvāṣṭra)
I
Indra (Mahendra)
N
Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

It is a divine “armor” of protection connected with Lord Nārāyaṇa, introduced here as a sacred safeguard to be heard and practiced with one-pointed attention.

In the narrative of Canto 6, Indra seeks spiritual protection amid danger; therefore he requests his priest Viśvarūpa, who then explains the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca.

It emphasizes attentive hearing and focused remembrance of the Lord as the foundation for inner protection, steadiness, and faith during fear or uncertainty.