Upanishads · Tripurātāpinī 39
॥
Devanāgarī
गोत्रेति नामगोत्रायामित्यादिना स्पष्टं कामकलालयं शेषं वाममित्यादिना । पूर्वेणाध्वना विद्येयं सर्वरक्षाकरी व्याचक्षते
Transliteration (IAST)
gotreti nāmagotrāyāmityādinā spaṣṭaṃ kāmakalālayaṃ śeṣaṃ vāmamityādinā | pūrveṇādhvanā vidyeyaṃ sarvarakṣākarī vyācakṣate
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
गोत्र इति नाम-गोत्रायाम्gotra iti nāma-gotrāyām«gotra» — in «nāma-gotra»
स्पष्टं काम-कला-लयंspaṣṭaṃ kāma-kalā-layaṃplainly the abode of the portion of desire
शेषं वामम् इत्य्-आदिनाśeṣaṃ vāmam ity-ādināthe remainder — «vāmam» and the rest
पूर्वेण अध्वना विद्या इयंpūrveṇa adhvanā vidyā iyaṃby the former path, this vidyā
सर्व-रक्षा-करी व्याचक्षतेsarva-rakṣā-karī vyācakṣateis called all-protecting
Translation
««Gotra» — in «nāma-gotra» and the rest: plainly the abode of the portion of desire; the remainder — «vāmam» and the rest. By the former path, this vidyā is called all-protecting».
Version
5b3ac9bd1c3f · published Aug 7, 2026, 5:19:24 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The name of the vidyā is given: sarva-rakṣā-karī, «all-protecting». The subject has changed here: until now the mantras were derived and broken down, and now for the first time it is said for what one of them serves — for protection. Protective mantras exist in Vaishnava practice too, and are called kavaca, «armor». The most famous of them is the «Narasiṃha-kavaca»; and the Bhāgavatam devotes a whole chapter (6.8) to how Viśvarūpa gives Indra the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca before battle.
Of this category of mantras one must speak plainly and without disdain. To ask for protection is neither shameful nor base: everyone asks, and in the hardest moments even those who ordinarily ask for nothing do ask. The only question is of whom one asks, and what is promised in return.
Hence the kavaca is not rejected, but only distinguished from a spell. The difference is simple: in an armor-mantra a person hides behind someone; in a spell he takes power for himself and disposes of it. The first is an acknowledgment of one's weakness, the second a claim to power; and it is by this mark that they are distinguished, not by length or number of syllables.