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 ||
Khắp nơi, mọi lúc—xin Ngài diệt trừ bọn trộm ác để chúng phải tiêu vong. Ôi đấng sát diệt kẻ ác, sao Ngài còn ngủ? Sao Ngài đứng yên mà chậm trễ lâu đến vậy?
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.