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

کمَل نَین پروردگار، ہزار پرّوں والے چکر کا دھارک، اپنے شنکھ ناد کی گرج سے دہشت میں ڈال کر چور وغیرہ بدکار مخلوقات کے جھنڈ کو دور کر دے۔

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.