Indra, Brhaspati and Narayana Kavaca

Chapter 7, 8

One of Daksa’s daughters, Aditi, was married to Kasyapa Muni. From their union came Tvasta, who later married Racana, the daughter of the demons. Their son, Visvarupa, became the priest of the demigods when Brhaspati had rejected them. Maharaja Pariksit was intrigued, so Sukadeva Goswami narrated the entire history.

Once, Indra was comfortably seated in his assembly, surrounded by admirers, being eulogised with choice poetry. When Brhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods, entered, the proud Indra neglected to receive him appropriately. Brhaspati swiftly departed and Indra immediately regretted his mindless neglect - this, he thought, could be fatal. He frantically initiated a search for his spiritual master, but to no avail, and his offensive behaviour eventually caused him to lose his opulence and suffer defeat at the hands of the demons, who forcefully overtook his throne.

Indra and the other demigods took shelter of Brahma, who chastised them for their neglect and directed them to accept Visvarupa as their priest. Indeed, the demons had become powerful precisely because of the respect they offered to their guru, Sukracarya.

Visvarupa taught the demigods various yajnas and trained them to invoke the Narayana Kavaca, in which the devotee requests Vishnu, in various forms, to protect him in different times, places and circumstances. Thus equipped, the demigods were able to conquer the demons and reclaim the throne. At Maharaja Pariksit’s request, Sukadeva Goswami explained the Narayana Kavaca by relating the conversation between Indra and Visvarupa.