Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9
The Exposition of Hanumān’s Protective Kavaca
Māruti-kavaca
ऊर्द्ध पातु कपिश्रेष्ठः केसरिप्रियनंदनः । अधस्ताद्विष्णुभक्तस्तु पातु मध्ये च पावनिः ॥ ९ ॥
ūrddha pātu kapiśreṣṭhaḥ kesaripriyanaṃdanaḥ | adhastādviṣṇubhaktastu pātu madhye ca pāvaniḥ || 9 ||
மேலிருந்து கபிச்ரேஷ்டன், கேசரியை மகிழ்விக்கும் பிரிய புதல்வன், என்னைக் காக்கட்டும். கீழிருந்து விஷ்ணுபக்தன் காக்கட்டும்; நடுவில் பாவனன் (புனிதப்படுத்துபவன்) காக்கட்டும்.
Narada (as a protective stotra/mantra within the teaching context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It invokes all-direction protection (above, below, and the middle) through remembrance of Hanumān—praised as the foremost monkey and exemplary devotee of Viṣṇu—showing that bhakti itself becomes a shield.
By identifying the protector specifically as “viṣṇu-bhakta,” the verse teaches that unwavering devotion to Viṣṇu is the defining power behind spiritual protection, with Hanumān presented as the model of such bhakti.
It reflects practical mantra-recitation structure used in ritual protection (rakṣā): directional safeguarding (ūrdhva/adhastāt/madhye) and epithets (nāma-guṇa) as sanctioned mnemonic/phonetic aids aligned with Śikṣā-style disciplined chanting.