Shloka 41

Nārāyaṇa-kavaca — The Armor of Lord Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच य इदं श‍ृणुयात्काले यो धारयति चाद‍ृत: । तं नमस्यन्ति भूतानि मुच्यते सर्वतो भयात् ॥ ४१ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca ya idaṁ śṛṇuyāt kāle yo dhārayati cādṛtaḥ taṁ namasyanti bhūtāni mucyate sarvato bhayāt

Translation

ศรีศุกเทว โคสวามีตรัสว่า ผู้ใดในยามหวาดกลัว ฟังหรือสวมคาวจะนี้ด้วยศรัทธาและความเคารพ สรรพสัตว์ย่อมนอบน้อมเขา และเขาย่อมพ้นจากภัยทั้งปวงโดยฉับพลัน

Synonyms

• śrī-śukaḥ: Śrī Śuka
• śrī-śukaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + śuka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) honorific name; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्/वचने धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa, Singular

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Napumsaka, Accusative, Singular

• śṛṇuyāt: should hear
• śṛṇuyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु/श्रवणे धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Singular

• kāle: at the time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• dhārayati: holds/recites (keeps in mind)
• dhārayati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धृ/धारणे धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• ādṛtaḥ: with reverence
• ādṛtaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādṛta (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from ā-√dṛ/√dṛ? ‘to respect’)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘respectful/attentive’

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• namasyanti: bow to
• namasyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nam (नम्/प्रणामे धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa, Plural (बहुवचन)

• bhūtāni: beings
• bhūtāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative, Plural

• mucyate: is freed
• mucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (मुच्/मोचने धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Prathama-puruṣa, Singular; passive sense ‘is released’

• sarvataḥ: from all sides/entirely
• sarvataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• bhayāt: from fear
• bhayāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Ablative (5th), Singular

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva (Śrī Śuka)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about becoming free from fear?

This verse says that one who hears the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca at the proper time and reverently holds it within the heart becomes freed from fear on all sides.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī speak about the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca?

In Canto 6, Chapter 8, Śukadeva explains the divine protective prayer (kavaca) and its results, emphasizing that faithful hearing and remembrance invoke spiritual protection and fearlessness.

How can I apply the teaching of this shloka in modern life?

Set a steady practice of attentive hearing/recitation of the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca and keep its meaning in remembrance; the verse highlights reverent absorption in Nārāyaṇa as a source of inner security amid anxiety and uncertainty.