Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 128

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

सर्वरोगप्रपीडासु त्रेधा वा पंचधा पठेत् । स रोगमृत्युवेतालभूतप्रेतैर्न बाध्यते ॥ १२८ ॥

Transliteration

sarvarogaprapīḍāsu tredhā vā paṃcadhā paṭhet | sa rogamṛtyuvetālabhūtapretairna bādhyate || 128 ||

Translation

เมื่อถูกโรคภัยเบียดเบียน ควรสวดบทนี้สามครั้งหรือห้าครั้ง บุคคลนั้นย่อมไม่ถูกรบกวนด้วยโรคภัย มรณะก่อนกาล เวตาล ภูต หรือเปรตเลย।

Word by Word

• सर्व-रोग-प्रपीडासु: in afflictions from all diseases
• सर्व-रोग-प्रपीडासु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रपीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः—सर्वरोगाणां प्रपीडाः (पीडाः) तासु = “सर्वरोगजन्यपीडासु”

• त्रेधा: three times
• त्रेधा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + धा (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक; ‘-धा’ प्रत्ययः = “त्रिवारम्/त्रिप्रकारेण”

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle: or)

• पंचधा: five times
• पंचधा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + धा (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक; ‘-धा’ प्रत्ययः = “पञ्चवारम्”

• पठेत्: should recite
• पठेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• रोग-मृत्यु-वेताल-भूत-प्रेतैः: by disease, death, vetālas, spirits, and pretas
• रोग-मृत्यु-वेताल-भूत-प्रेतैः: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + वेताल (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (समाहार/इतरेतर) — “रोगैः मृत्युभिः वेतालैः भूतैः प्रेतैः” इत्यर्थः; करण/हेतु-भावे निषेधवाक्ये

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध

• बाध्यते: is afflicted / is troubled
• बाध्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बाध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive/कर्मणि), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in instruction to Narada, within the Vedanga/ritual-application context of Book 1.3)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vetala
• Bhuta
• Preta

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It presents recitation (japa/pāṭha) as a dhārmic remedy: disciplined repetition invokes protective potency that wards off both physical illness and subtle afflictions attributed to hostile beings.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Though practical in tone, the method relies on faithful recitation and surrender to sacred sound; the devotee’s trust in the mantra/teaching becomes the means of protection and steadiness in suffering.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights prayoga—rule-based application of recitation counts (three or five) used in ritual/technical traditions, aligning with Vedanga-style procedural guidance for remedial practice.