Previous Verse
Next Verse

Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

The Account of Kārtavīrya’s Protective Kavaca

Kārtavīrya-kavaca-vṛttānta

सर्वत्र सर्वदा दुष्टचौरान्नाशाय नाशय । किं त्वं स्वपिषि दुष्टघ्न किं तिष्टसि चिरायासि ॥ ५७ ॥

sarvatra sarvadā duṣṭacaurānnāśāya nāśaya | kiṃ tvaṃ svapiṣi duṣṭaghna kiṃ tiṣṭasi cirāyāsi || 57 ||

ทุกหนทุกแห่ง ทุกกาลเวลา จงทำลายโจรชั่วให้สิ้น จงทำลายให้สิ้น โอ้ผู้ปราบคนชั่ว ไฉนพระองค์ยังบรรทม? ไฉนยืนเฉยและผัดผ่อนเนิ่นนาน?

सर्वत्रeverywhere
सर्वत्र:
Deshadhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसर्वत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)
सर्वदाalways
सर्वदा:
Kaladhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसर्वदा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)
दुष्टचौरान्wicked thieves
दुष्टचौरान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदुष्ट-चौर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—दुष्टाः चौराः (कर्मधारय)
नाशायfor destruction
नाशाय:
Sampradana/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)
नाशयdestroy (them)
नाशय:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootनश् (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense: cause to perish)
किम्why? / what?
किम्:
Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
स्वपिषि(you) sleep
स्वपिषि:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootस्वप् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
दुष्टघ्नO slayer of the wicked
दुष्टघ्न:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeAdjective
Rootदुष्ट-घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—दुष्टान् हन्ति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)
किम्why?
किम्:
Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक
तिष्ठसि(you) stand / remain
तिष्ठसि:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootस्था (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
चिरायfor long
चिराय:
Kaladhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-निभः प्रयोगः; चिरम् इत्यर्थे; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: for long)
असि(you) are
असि:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Unspecified (contextual exhortation within the Adhyaya; likely a supplicatory address within Narada–Sanatkumara dialogue framework)

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

FAQs

It frames protection of society as a dharmic imperative, urging immediate removal of harmful forces (“wicked thieves”) and condemning delay in upholding righteous order.

Though not a direct bhakti instruction, it reads like a forceful supplication—calling upon a “slayer of the wicked” to act—reflecting devotional reliance on divine or righteous power to restore dharma.

The verse is primarily ethical and administrative (dharma/daṇḍa) rather than technical Vedanga; its practical takeaway is prompt enforcement of order and protection of the community.