Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 5

Nārāyaṇa-kavaca — The Armor of Lord Nārāyaṇa

श्रीविश्‍वरूप उवाच धौताङ्‌घ्रिपाणिराचम्य सपवित्र उदङ्‍मुख: । कृतस्वाङ्गकरन्यासो मन्त्राभ्यां वाग्यत: शुचि: ॥ ४ ॥ नारायणपरं वर्म सन्नह्येद् भय आगते । पादयोर्जानुनोरूर्वोरुदरे हृद्यथोरसि ॥ ५ ॥ मुखे शिरस्यानुपूर्व्यादोंङ्कारादीनि विन्यसेत् । ॐ नमो नारायणायेति विपर्ययमथापि वा ॥ ६ ॥

śrī-viśvarūpa uvāca dhautāṅghri-pāṇir ācamya sapavitra udaṅ-mukhaḥ kṛta-svāṅga-kara-nyāso mantrābhyāṁ vāg-yataḥ śuciḥ

วิศวรูปกล่าวว่า—เมื่อความหวาดกลัวมาถึง พึงล้างมือเท้าแล้วทำอาจมนะให้บริสุทธิ์ นั่งสงบหันหน้าไปทางทิศเหนือ สัมผัสหญ้ากุศะและสำรวมวาจา จากนั้นทำการนยาสะด้วยมนตร์แปดพยางค์และสิบสองพยางค์ แล้วสวม “เกราะนารายณ์” โดยสวด ‘โอม นโม นารายณายะ’ วางนยาสะจากเท้าไปยังเข่า ต้นขา ท้อง หทัย อก ปาก และศีรษะตามลำดับ แล้วทำย้อนลำดับอีกครั้งหนึ่ง

śrī-viśvarūpaḥŚrī Viśvarūpa
śrī-viśvarūpaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśrī-viśvarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; संज्ञा (proper name)
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
dhauta-aṅghri-pāṇiḥhaving washed (his) feet and hands
dhauta-aṅghri-pāṇiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootdhauta (कृदन्त, √dhāv/√dhū ‘to wash’) + aṅghri (प्रातिपदिक) + pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘धौतौ अङ्घ्री च पाणी च यस्य’ इति (washed feet and hands)
ācamyahaving performed ācamana
ācamya:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootā-cam (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘आचम्य’ = having sipped water (ācamana)
sa-pavitraḥwith sacred grass (pavitra) / wearing pavitra
sa-pavitraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsa (उपसर्ग/सह-भाव) + pavitra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘पवित्रेण सह’/‘पवित्रयुक्तः’
udaṅ-mukhaḥfacing north
udaṅ-mukhaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootudak (दिक्-प्रातिपदिक ‘north’) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘उदङ् दिशि मुखं यस्य’
kṛta-sva-aṅga-kara-nyāsaḥhaving done the nyāsa on one’s limbs and hands
kṛta-sva-aṅga-kara-nyāsaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootkṛta (कृदन्त, √kṛ ‘to do’) + sva (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक) + nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘कृतः स्वाङ्ग-करन्यासः येन’ = who has performed body- and hand-nyāsa
mantrābhyāmwith two mantras
mantrābhyām:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootmantra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), द्विवचन
vāk-yataḥrestrained in speech
vāk-yataḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootvāc (प्रातिपदिक) + yata (कृदन्त, √yam ‘to restrain’)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘वाचा यतः’ = restrained in speech
śuciḥpure
śuciḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootśuci (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण
N
Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

This verse instructs that when fear arises one should take shelter of the Narayana-centered “armor,” mentally placing divine protection over the body—signifying complete dependence on Nārāyaṇa.

Viśvarūpa teaches this protective discipline as a devotional safeguard in times of danger, directing the practitioner to consciously invoke Nārāyaṇa’s protection through sacred placement (nyāsa).

When anxiety or threat arises, remember Nārāyaṇa, recite His name/mantra, and cultivate mindful God-centered protection—training the mind to respond to fear with surrender rather than panic.