The Vaishnava Kavacha (Vishnu's Protective Armor)

Verse 1 (garuda.1.194.1)

हरिरुवाच । सर्वव्याधिहरं वक्ष्ये वैष्णवं कवचं शुभम् । येन रक्षा कृता शम्भोर्दैत्यान्क्षपयतः पुरा

hariruvāca sarvavyādhiharaṁ vakṣye vaiṣṇavaṁ kavacaṁ śubham yena rakṣā kṛtā śambhordaityānkṣapayataḥ purā

Hari said: I shall declare the auspicious Vaishnava armor (kavacha), which removes every disease, by which Shambhu's protection was once secured while he was destroying the daityas.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.194.2)

प्रणम्य देवमीशानमजं नित्यमनामयम् । देवं सर्वेश्वरं विष्णुं सर्वव्यापिनमव्ययम्

praṇamya devamīśānamajaṁ nityamanāmayam devaṁ sarveśvaraṁ viṣṇuṁ sarvavyāpinamavyayam

Having bowed to the unborn, eternal, ever-untroubled God Ishana, and having saluted the God Vishnu, Lord of all, all-pervading, imperishable —

Verse 3 (garuda.1.194.3)

बध्नाम्यहं प्रतिसरं नमस्कृत्य जनार्दनम् । अमोघाप्रतिमं सर्वं सर्वदुः खनिवारणम्

badhnāmyahaṁ pratisaraṁ namaskṛtya janārdanam amoghāpratimaṁ sarvaṁ sarvaduḥ khanivāraṇam

— having saluted Janardana, I bind this protective charm, unfailing, unequalled, the remover of every sorrow.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.194.4)

विष्णुर्मामग्रतः पातु कृष्णो रक्षतु पृष्ठतः । हरिर्मे रक्षतु शिरो हृदयञ्च जनार्दनः

viṣṇurmāmagrataḥ pātu kṛṣṇo rakṣatu pṛṣṭhataḥ harirme rakṣatu śiro hṛdayañca janārdanaḥ

May Vishnu protect me from in front; may Krishna protect me from behind; may Hari protect my head, and may Janardana protect my heart.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.194.5)

मनो मम हृषीकेशो जिह्वां रक्षतु केशवः । प्रातु नेत्रे वासुदेवः श्रोत्रे सङ्कर्षणो विभुः

mano mama hṛṣīkeśo jihvāṁ rakṣatu keśavaḥ prātu netre vāsudevaḥ śrotre saṅkarṣaṇo vibhuḥ

May Hrishikesha protect my mind, may Keshava protect my tongue; may Vasudeva protect my eyes, and may the mighty Sankarshana protect my ears.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.194.6)

प्रद्युम्नः पातु मे घ्राणमनिरुद्धस्तु चर्म च । वनमाली गलस्यान्तं श्रीवत्सो रक्षतामधः

pradyumnaḥ pātu me ghrāṇamaniruddhastu carma ca vanamālī galasyāntaṁ śrīvatso rakṣatāmadhaḥ

May Pradyumna protect my sense of smell, and Aniruddha my skin; may Vanamali protect the base of my neck, and may Shrivatsa protect below.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.194.7)

पार्श्वं रक्षतु मे चक्रं वामं दैत्यनिवारणम् । दक्षिणन्तु गदा देवी सर्वासुरनिवारिणी

pārśvaṁ rakṣatu me cakraṁ vāmaṁ daityanivāraṇam dakṣiṇantu gadā devī sarvāsuranivāriṇī

May the discus, the destroyer of daityas, protect my left side; and may the divine mace, the destroyer of all asuras, protect my right side.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.194.8)

उदरं मुसलं पातु पृष्ठं मे पातु लाङ्गलम् । ऊर्ध्वं रक्षतु मे शार्ङ्गं जङ्घे रक्षतु नन्दकः

udaraṁ musalaṁ pātu pṛṣṭhaṁ me pātu lāṅgalam ūrdhvaṁ rakṣatu me śārṅgaṁ jaṅghe rakṣatu nandakaḥ

May the club protect my belly, and the plough protect my back; may the bow Sharnga protect above, and may Nandaka (the sword) protect my shins.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.194.9)

पार्ष्णो रक्षतु शङ्खश्च पद्मं मे चरणावुभौ । सर्वकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थं पातु मां गरुडः सदा

pārṣṇo rakṣatu śaṅkhaśca padmaṁ me caraṇāvubhau sarvakāryārthasiddhyarthaṁ pātu māṁ garuḍaḥ sadā

May the conch protect my heels, and may the lotus protect both my feet; may Garuda always protect me for the accomplishment of every undertaking.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.194.10)

वराहो रक्षतु जले विषमेषु च वामनः । अटव्यां नरसिंहश्च सर्वतः पातु केशवः

varāho rakṣatu jale viṣameṣu ca vāmanaḥ aṭavyāṁ narasiṁhaśca sarvataḥ pātu keśavaḥ

May Varaha protect me in water, and Vamana amid dangers; may Narasimha protect me in the forest, and may Keshava protect me on every side.

Verse 11 (garuda.1.194.11)

हिरण्यगर्भो भगवान्हिरण्यं मे प्रयच्छतु । सांख्याचार्यस्तु कपिलो धातुसाम्यं करोतु मे

hiraṇyagarbho bhagavānhiraṇyaṁ me prayacchatu sāṁkhyācāryastu kapilo dhātusāmyaṁ karotu me

May the Blessed Hiranyagarbha grant me gold (prosperity); may Kapila, the teacher of Sankhya, establish balance among my bodily elements.

Verse 12 (garuda.1.194.12)

श्वेतद्वीपनिवासी च श्वेतद्वीपं नयत्वजः । सर्वान्सूदयतां शत्रून्मधुकैटभमर्दनः

śvetadvīpanivāsī ca śvetadvīpaṁ nayatvajaḥ sarvānsūdayatāṁ śatrūnmadhukaiṭabhamardanaḥ

May the unborn dweller of Shvetadvipa lead me to Shvetadvipa; may the destroyer of Madhu and Kaitabha slay all my enemies.

Verse 13 (garuda.1.194.13)

सदाकर्षतु विष्णुश्च किल्बिषं मम विग्रहात् । हंसो मत्स्यस्तथा कूर्मः पातु मां सर्वतोदिशम्

sadākarṣatu viṣṇuśca kilbiṣaṁ mama vigrahāt haṁso matsyastathā kūrmaḥ pātu māṁ sarvatodiśam

May Vishnu ever draw out sin from my body; may Hamsa, Matsya, and Kurma protect me in every direction.

Verse 14 (garuda.1.194.14)

त्रिविक्रमस्तु मे देवः सर्वपापानि कृन्ततु । तथा नारायणो देवो बुद्धिं पालयतां मम

trivikramastu me devaḥ sarvapāpāni kṛntatu tathā nārāyaṇo devo buddhiṁ pālayatāṁ mama

May the God Trivikrama cut away all my sins; and may the God Narayana guard my intellect.

Verse 15 (garuda.1.194.15)

शेषो मे निर्मलं ज्ञानं करोत्वज्ञाननाशनम् । वडवामुखो नाशयतां कल्मषं यत्कृतं मया

śeṣo me nirmalaṁ jñānaṁ karotvajñānanāśanam vaḍavāmukho nāśayatāṁ kalmaṣaṁ yatkṛtaṁ mayā

May Shesha grant me spotless knowledge, destroying ignorance; may Vadavamukha destroy whatever sin I have committed.

Verse 16 (garuda.1.194.16)

पद्भ्यां ददातु परमं सुखं मूर्ध्नि मम प्रभुः । दत्तात्रेयः प्रकुरुतां सपुत्रपशुबान्धवम्

padbhyāṁ dadātu paramaṁ sukhaṁ mūrdhni mama prabhuḥ dattātreyaḥ prakurutāṁ saputrapaśubāndhavam

May the Lord grant supreme happiness from my feet to my head; may Dattatreya bless me with sons, cattle, and kinsmen.

Verse 17 (garuda.1.194.17)

सर्वानरीन्नाशयतु रामः परशुना मम । रक्षोघ्नस्तु दशरथिः पातु नित्यं महाभुजः

sarvānarīnnāśayatu rāmaḥ paraśunā mama rakṣoghnastu daśarathiḥ pātu nityaṁ mahābhujaḥ

May Rama, with his axe, destroy all my enemies; may the destroyer of rakshasas, the mighty-armed son of Dasharatha, ever protect me.

Verse 18 (garuda.1.194.18)

शत्रीन्हलेन मे हन्याद्रामो यादवनन्दनः । प्रलम्बकेशिचाणूरपूतनाकंसनाशनः । कृष्णस्य यो बालभावः स मे कामान्प्रयच्छतु

śatrīnhalena me hanyādrāmo yādavanandanaḥ pralambakeśicāṇūrapūtanākaṁsanāśanaḥ kṛṣṇasya yo bālabhāvaḥ sa me kāmānprayacchatu

May Rama, the delight of the Yadavas, slay my enemies with his plough; may Krishna, the destroyer of Pralamba, Keshi, Chanura, Putana, and Kamsa — may that childhood form of his grant me my desires.

Verse 19 (garuda.1.194.19)

अन्धकारतमोघोरं पुरुषं कृष्णषिङ्गलम् । पश्यामि भयसन्त्रस्तः पाशहस्तमिवान्तकम्

andhakāratamoghoraṁ puruṣaṁ kṛṣṇaṣiṅgalam paśyāmi bhayasantrastaḥ pāśahastamivāntakam

Terrified with fear, I see a man dark as blinding darkness, tawny-black in hue, with a noose in hand, like Death himself —

Verse 20 (garuda.1.194.20)

ततोऽहं पुण्डरीकाक्षमच्युतं शरणं गतः । धन्योऽहं निर्भयो नित्यं यस्य मे भगवान्हरिः

tato'haṁ puṇḍarīkākṣamacyutaṁ śaraṇaṁ gataḥ dhanyo'haṁ nirbhayo nityaṁ yasya me bhagavānhariḥ

— then I have taken refuge in the lotus-eyed, imperishable One. Blessed am I, ever fearless, whose Lord is the Blessed Hari.

Verse 21 (garuda.1.194.21)

ध्यात्वा नारायणं देवं सर्वोपद्रवनाशनम् । वैष्णवं कवचं बद्ध्वा विचरामि महीतले

dhyātvā nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ sarvopadravanāśanam vaiṣṇavaṁ kavacaṁ baddhvā vicarāmi mahītale

Meditating on the God Narayana, the destroyer of every calamity, and having bound on the Vaishnava armor, I wander the earth.

Verse 22 (garuda.1.194.22)

अप्रधृष्योऽस्मि भूतानां सर्वदेवमयो ह्यहम् । स्मरणाद्देवदेवस्य विष्णोरमिततेजसः

apradhṛṣyo'smi bhūtānāṁ sarvadevamayo hyaham smaraṇāddevadevasya viṣṇoramitatejasaḥ

I am unassailable by all beings, for I have become wholly filled with the divine, through the mere remembrance of the God of gods, Vishnu of measureless splendour.

Verse 23 (garuda.1.194.23)

सिद्धिर्भवतु मे नित्यं यथामन्त्रमुदाहृतम् । यो मां पश्यति चक्षुर्भ्यां यञ्चः पश्यामि चक्षुषा । सर्वेषां पापदुष्टानां विष्णुर्बध्नातु चक्षुषी

siddhirbhavatu me nityaṁ yathāmantramudāhṛtam yo māṁ paśyati cakṣurbhyāṁ yañcaḥ paśyāmi cakṣuṣā sarveṣāṁ pāpaduṣṭānāṁ viṣṇurbadhnātu cakṣuṣī

As declared according to this mantra, may success ever be mine. Whoever looks at me with their eyes, and whomever I look upon with mine — may Vishnu bind shut the eyes of every sinful, evil person.

Verse 24 (garuda.1.194.24)

वासुदेवस्य यच्चक्रं तस्य चक्रस्य ये त्वराः । ते हि च्छिन्दन्तु पापान्मे मम हिंसन्तु हिंसकान्

vāsudevasya yaccakraṁ tasya cakrasya ye tvarāḥ te hi cchindantu pāpānme mama hiṁsantu hiṁsakān

Whatever discus belongs to Vasudeva, and whatever swift force belongs to that discus — may they cut away my sins, and may they strike down those who would harm me.

Verse 25 (garuda.1.194.25)

राक्षसेषु पिशाचेषु कान्तारेष्वटवीषु च । विवादे राजमार्गेषु द्यूतेषु कलहेषु च

rākṣaseṣu piśāceṣu kāntāreṣvaṭavīṣu ca vivāde rājamārgeṣu dyūteṣu kalaheṣu ca

Among rakshasas, among pishachas, in desolate wildernesses and forests, in disputes, on royal highways, in gambling and in quarrels,

Verse 26 (garuda.1.194.26)

नदीसन्तारणे घोरे संप्राप्ते प्राणसंशये । अग्निचौरनिपातेषु सर्वग्रहनिवारणे

nadīsantāraṇe ghore saṁprāpte prāṇasaṁśaye agnicauranipāteṣu sarvagrahanivāraṇe

in the dread crossing of a river, when life is in peril, in dangers from fire or thieves, in the warding-off of every malevolent planetary influence,

Verse 27 (garuda.1.194.27)

विद्युत्सर्पविषोद्वेगे रोगे वै विघ्नसङ्कटे । जप्यमेतज्जपेन्नित्यं शरीरे भयमागते

vidyutsarpaviṣodvege roge vai vighnasaṅkaṭe japyametajjapennityaṁ śarīre bhayamāgate

in the terror of lightning, snakes, and poison, in disease, in obstacles and calamities — this recitation should always be repeated whenever fear comes upon the body.

Verse 28 (garuda.1.194.28)

अयं भगवतो मन्त्रो मन्त्राणां परमो महान् । विख्यातं कवचं गुह्यं सर्पपापप्रणाशनम् । स्वमायाकृतिनिर्माणं कल्पान्तगहनं महत्

ayaṁ bhagavato mantro mantrāṇāṁ paramo mahān vikhyātaṁ kavacaṁ guhyaṁ sarpapāpapraṇāśanam svamāyākṛtinirmāṇaṁ kalpāntagahanaṁ mahat

This is the mantra of the Blessed Lord, supreme and greatest among all mantras; this renowned, secret armor destroys the sin of serpent-bite; it is a profound and great construction wrought by His own divine power, lasting until the end of the cosmic cycle.

Verse 29 (garuda.1.194.29)

अनाद्यन्त ! जगद्बीज ! पद्मनाभ ! नमोऽस्तु ते । ओं कालाय स्वाहा । ओं कालपुरुषाय स्वाहा । ओं कृष्णाय स्वाहा । ओं कृष्णरूपाय स्वाहा । ओं चण्डाय स्वाहा । ओं चण्डरूपाय स्वाहा । ओं प्रचण्डाय स्वाहा । ओं प्रचणरूपाय स्वाहा । ओं सर्वाय स्वाहा । ओं सर्वरूपाय स्वाहा । ओं नमो भुवनेशाय त्रिलोकधात्रे इह विटि सिविटि सिविटि स्वाहा। ओं नमः अयोखेतये ये ये संज्ञापय दैत्यदानवयक्षराक्षसभूतपिशाचकूष्माण्डान्तापस्मारकच्छर्दनदुद्धर्राणामेकाहिकद्व्याहिकत्र्याहिकचातुर्थिकमौहूर्तिकदिनज्वररात्रिज्वरसन्ध्याज्वरसर्वज्वरादीनां लूताकीटकण्टकपूतनाभुजङ्गस्थावरजङ्गमविषादी नामिदं शरीरं मम पथ्यं त्वं कुरु स्फुट स्फुट स्फुट प्रकोट लफट विकटदंष्ट्र पूर्वतो रक्षतु ओं है है है है दिनकरसहस्रकालसमाहतो जय पश्चिमतो रक्ष ओं निवि निवि प्रदीप्तज्वलनज्वालाकार महाकपिल उत्तरतो रक्ष ओं विलि विलि मिलि मिलि गरुडि गरुडि गौरीगान्धारीविषमोहविषमविषमां महोहयतु स्वाहा दक्षिणतो रक्ष मां पश्य सर्वभूतभयोपद्रवेभ्यो रक्ष रक्ष जय जय विजय तेन हीयते रिपुत्रासाहङ्कृतवाद्यतो भयनुदभयतोऽभयं दिशतुच्युतं । तदुदरमखिलं विशन्तु युगपरिवर्तसहस्रसंख्येयोऽस्तंहंसमिव प्रविशन्ति रश्मयः । वासुदेवसङ्कर्षणप्रद्युम्नाश्चानिरुद्धकः । सर्वज्वरान्ममघ्नन्तु विष्णुर्नारायणो हरिः

anādyanta ! jagadbīja ! padmanābha ! namo'stu te oṁ kālāya svāhā oṁ kālapuruṣāya svāhā oṁ kṛṣṇāya svāhā oṁ kṛṣṇarūpāya svāhā oṁ caṇḍāya svāhā oṁ caṇḍarūpāya svāhā oṁ pracaṇḍāya svāhā oṁ pracaṇarūpāya svāhā oṁ sarvāya svāhā oṁ sarvarūpāya svāhā oṁ namo bhuvaneśāya trilokadhātre iha viṭi siviṭi siviṭi svāhā oṁ namaḥ ayokhetaye ye ye saṁjñāpaya daityadānavayakṣarākṣasabhūtapiśācakūṣmāṇḍāntāpasmārakacchardanaduddharrāṇāmekāhikadvyāhikatryāhikacāturthikamauhūrtikadinajvararātrijvarasandhyājvarasarvajvarādīnāṁ lūtākīṭakaṇṭakapūtanābhujaṅgasthāvarajaṅgamaviṣādī nāmidaṁ śarīraṁ mama pathyaṁ tvaṁ kuru sphuṭa sphuṭa sphuṭa prakoṭa laphaṭa vikaṭadaṁṣṭra pūrvato rakṣatu oṁ hai hai hai hai dinakarasahasrakālasamāhato jaya paścimato rakṣa oṁ nivi nivi pradīptajvalanajvālākāra mahākapila uttarato rakṣa oṁ vili vili mili mili garuḍi garuḍi gaurīgāndhārīviṣamohaviṣamaviṣamāṁ mahohayatu svāhā dakṣiṇato rakṣa māṁ paśya sarvabhūtabhayopadravebhyo rakṣa rakṣa jaya jaya vijaya tena hīyate riputrāsāhaṅkṛtavādyato bhayanudabhayato'bhayaṁ diśatucyutaṁ tadudaramakhilaṁ viśantu yugaparivartasahasrasaṁkhyeyo'staṁhaṁsamiva praviśanti raśmayaḥ vāsudevasaṅkarṣaṇapradyumnāścāniruddhakaḥ sarvajvarānmamaghnantu viṣṇurnārāyaṇo hariḥ

'O beginningless, endless one, seed of the universe, lotus-naveled one, salutations to You! Om, salutations to Kala; Om, salutations to Kalapurusha; Om, salutations to Krishna; Om, salutations to the form of Krishna; Om, salutations to Chanda; Om, salutations to the form of Chanda; Om, salutations to Prachanda; Om, salutations to the form of Prachanda; Om, salutations to the All; Om, salutations to the form of the All; Om, salutations to the Lord of the worlds, sustainer of the three worlds — [mantra syllables] svaha. Om, salutations to the iron-hued one — command and subdue all daityas, danavas, yakshas, rakshasas, bhutas, pishachas, kushmandas, and epilepsy-causing spirits, and every fever — the one-day, two-day, three-day, and quarterly fevers, the momentary fever, the day-fever, the night-fever, the twilight-fever, and every kind of fever — and the poison of spiders, insects, thorns, putana, serpents, and every stationary and moving venomous creature — make this body of mine wholesome. [Mantra command] — protect from the east; [seed-syllables invoking the thousand-rayed sun and time itself] grant victory; protect from the west; [seed-syllables invoking the blazing, flame-formed Mahakapila] protect from the north; [seed-syllables invoking Garudi and Gauri-Gandhari, destroying poison and delusion] protect from the south; behold me, protect me, protect me from the fear and calamity of all beings; victory, victory, supreme victory! By this may the terror and pride of enemies be diminished; may the Imperishable One grant freedom from fear and bestow fearlessness. May countless rays, numerous as the turning of the ages, enter this entire body of mine, just as a swan enters its nest. May Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha, may Vishnu, Narayana, and Hari destroy all my fevers.'