Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 55

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

Devanagari script

चौरादि दुष्टसत्त्वौघान्करोतु कमलेक्षणः । स्वशंखनादसंत्रस्तान्सहस्रारसहस्रभृत् ॥ ५५ ॥

Transliteration

caurādi duṣṭasattvaughānkarotu kamalekṣaṇaḥ | svaśaṃkhanādasaṃtrastānsahasrārasahasrabhṛt || 55 ||

Translation

ขอให้พระผู้มีเนตรดุจดอกบัว ผู้ทรงจักรพันก้าน ขับไล่หมู่สัตว์ชั่วเช่นโจรทั้งหลายให้ไกล โดยทำให้หวาดสะท้านด้วยเสียงสังข์กึกก้องของพระองค์เอง

Word by Word

• caura-ādi: thieves and the like
• caura-ādi: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caura (चौर) + ādi (आदि)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (ādi-artha): ‘चौरादि’ = beginning with thieves; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः विशेषणरूपेण

• duṣṭa-sattva-oghān: hosts of wicked beings
• duṣṭa-sattva-oghān: Karma (कर्म/object of karotu)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duṣṭa (दुष्ट) + sattva (सत्त्व) + ogha (ओघ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘सत्त्वौघ’ = host of beings; ‘दुष्ट’ विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• karotu: let (him) make/do
• karotu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• kamala-īkṣaṇaḥ: the lotus-eyed one
• kamala-īkṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kamala (कमल) + īkṣaṇa (ईक्षण)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: ‘कमले इक्षणे यस्य’ (whose eyes are like lotuses); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sva-śaṃkha-nāda-saṃtrastān: terrified by his own conch-sound
• sva-śaṃkha-nāda-saṃtrastān: Karma (कर्म/object; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (स्व) + śaṃkha (शंख) + nāda (नाद) + saṃ-√tras (सं-त्रस्) + ta (क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘संत्रस्त’ (क्त-कृदन्त) विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; अर्थः ‘स्वशंखनादेन संत्रस्तान्’

• sahasra-āra-sahasra-bhṛt: bearer of the thousand-spoked (wheel)
• sahasra-āra-sahasra-bhṛt: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to kamalekṣaṇaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (सहस्र) + āra (आर) + sahasra (सहस्र) + √bhṛ (भृ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘भृत्’ (क्विप्/कृदन्त, present participial noun) = bearer; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः ‘सहस्रारं सहस्रं (चक्रं) भर्ता’ इत्यर्थे—सहस्रारचक्रधारकः

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It functions as a protective invocation: remembering Vishnu as the lotus-eyed bearer of the Sudarśana and the conch’s divine sound is presented as a force that dispels hostile and unrighteous influences.

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

Bhakti is expressed as refuge (śaraṇāgati): the devotee relies on Vishnu’s attributes—conch-blast and discus-power—as living protections, showing devotion is not only contemplative but also a practical surrender to divine guardianship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse reflects mantra-stotra prayoga (applied recitation) and precise epithet-usage (nāma/viśeṣaṇa) typical of Vedic liturgical style, supporting correct devotional recitation for protective intent.