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Home › Mantras › Devi Kavacham
Chandi (Durga) Devi Kavacham (Durga Kavacham): sage Markandeya kneeling before four-headed Brahma as the Mother goddesses ride above
Markandeya asking Brahma for the armour, as the Mothers ride out in the sky above
Mantra · Brahma's armour of goddesses, laid on the body from crown to sole

Devi Kavacham

ॐ नमश्चण्डिकायै ॥

Also known as Durga Kavacham

In Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English — with the meaning of every word, and the one syllable most people pronounce wrongly.

What the Devi Kavacham is

The Devi Kavacham, the 'armour of the Goddess' and often called the Durga Kavacham, is the protective hymn read before the Durga Saptashati. In the Gita Press form it opens with a salutation to Chandika and runs to 56 verses in the anushtubh metre; its viniyoga names Brahma as the seer and Chamunda as the deity. The text is a dialogue in which the sage Markandeya asks Brahma for a hidden means of protection and Brahma answers. Verses 3 to 5 name the nine Durgas, from Shailaputri to Siddhidatri, and verses 9 to 15 describe the Mothers on their mounts and the weapons they hold. From verse 17 the hymn becomes the armour itself: a goddess is placed at each of the ten directions, then at each part of the body from the crown-lock to the soles, and then over the breaths, senses, family and road. Verse 42 asks Jayanti to guard any place left unnamed, and verses 43 to 56 are the phala shruti.

The secret Markandeya asked Brahma for

The hymn supplies its own setting. Markandeya addresses Brahma as Pitamaha, the Grandfather, and asks for the one thing in the world that protects people in every way and has never been told to anyone. Brahma calls it the most secret thing of all, beneficial to every being, and names it the Goddess's kavacha. Before he places a single guardian, though, he recites a roll of names: the nine Durgas, which verse 5 says Brahma himself proclaimed. He then pictures the Mothers riding to war, Chamunda on a corpse, Varahi on a buffalo, Brahmi on a swan, before assigning them their posts around and within the reciter. Where the text comes from is answered differently in print. One recension closes with a colophon placing it in the Varaha Purana and calling it the composition of Hari, Hara and Brahma, and that recension differs from the Gita Press text in about twenty-five readings. The Gita Press Durga Saptashati prints no source line at all and simply sets the hymn among the preliminaries of the Saptashati reading. The text also fixes its own place in worship: verse 53 directs that the Saptashati to Chandi be recited after this armour has first been recited.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiॐ नमश्चण्डिकायै ॥
Tamilௐ நமஶ்சண்டிகாயை ॥
Teluguఓం నమశ్చణ్డికాయై ॥
Kannadaಓಂ ನಮಶ್ಚಣ್ಡಿಕಾಯೈ ॥
Malayalamഓം നമശ്ചണ്ഡികായൈ ॥
EnglishRoman transliterationoṃ namaścaṇḍikāyai ||
“Om, salutations to Chandika.”
ॐ
oṃ — Om
यद्गुह्यं
yadguhyaṃ — that which is secret
परमं
paramaṃ — supreme, utmost
लोके
loke — in the world
सर्वरक्षाकरं
sarvarakṣākaraṃ — giving every protection
नृणाम्
nṛṇām — to people
यन्न
yanna — which not
कस्यचिदाख्यातं
kasyacidākhyātaṃ — told to anyone
तन्मे
tanme — that, to me
ब्रूहि
brūhi — tell
पितामह
pitāmaha — O Grandfather (Brahma)

Durga Kavacham lyrics in full

The Gita Press form: a salutation to Chandika, then 56 verses, the last of them a single half-verse.

All 57 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Durga Kavacham PDFAll 57 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

Invocation

ॐ नमश्चण्डिकायै ॥

Om, salutations to Chandika.

Verse 1

ॐ यद्गुह्यं परमं लोके सर्वरक्षाकरं नृणाम् ।
यन्न कस्यचिदाख्यातं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥

Markandeya said: O Grandfather (Brahma), tell me that which is most secret in the world, which gives every kind of protection to people, and which you have not yet revealed to anyone.

Verse 2

अस्ति गुह्यतमं विप्र सर्वभूतोपकारकम् ।
देव्यास्तु कवचं पुण्यं तच्छृणुष्व महामुने ॥

Brahma said: O sage, there is a most secret thing that benefits all beings, the sacred armour (kavacha) of the Goddess. Listen to it, great sage.

Verse 3

प्रथमं शैलपुत्री च द्वितीयं ब्रह्मचारिणी ।
तृतीयं चन्द्रघण्टेति कूष्माण्डेति चतुर्थकम् ॥

The first is called Shailaputri, the second Brahmacharini, the third Chandraghanta and the fourth Kushmanda.

Verse 4

पञ्चमं स्कन्दमातेति षष्ठं कात्यायनीति च ।
सप्तमं कालरात्रीति महागौरीति चाष्टमम् ॥

The fifth is Skandamata, the sixth Katyayani, the seventh Kalaratri and the eighth Mahagauri.

Verse 5

नवमं सिद्धिदात्री च नवदुर्गाः प्रकीर्तिताः ।
उक्तान्येतानि नामानि ब्रह्मणैव महात्मना ॥

The ninth is Siddhidatri. These are proclaimed as the nine Durgas; these names were declared by the great-souled Brahma himself.

Verse 6

अग्निना दह्यमानस्तु शत्रुमध्ये गतो रणे ।
विषमे दुर्गमे चैव भयार्ताः शरणं गताः ॥

Those who are burning in fire, who are surrounded by enemies on the battlefield, or who are caught in hard and dangerous straits, and who in fear take refuge in her -

Verse 7

न तेषां जायते किंचिदशुभं रणसंकटे ।
नापदं तस्य पश्यामि शोकदुःखभयं न हि ॥

- no misfortune befalls them in the crisis of battle. I see no calamity for such a person, and no sorrow, pain or fear.

Verse 8

यैस्तु भक्त्या स्मृता नूनं तेषां वृद्धिः प्रजायते ।
ये त्वां स्मरन्ति देवेशि रक्षसे तान्न संशयः ॥

Those who remember her with devotion surely prosper. O Queen of the gods, you protect those who remember you; of this there is no doubt.

Verse 9

प्रेतसंस्था तु चामुण्डा वाराही महिषासना ।
ऐन्द्री गजसमारूढा वैष्णवी गरुडासना ॥

Chamunda is seated on a corpse, Varahi rides a buffalo, Aindri is mounted on an elephant and Vaishnavi sits on Garuda.

Verse 10

माहेश्वरी वृषारूढा कौमारी शिखिवाहना ।
लक्ष्मीः पद्मासना देवी पद्महस्ता हरिप्रिया ॥

Maheshvari rides a bull, Kaumari has the peacock as her mount, and Lakshmi, beloved of Hari, sits on a lotus with a lotus in her hand.

Verse 11

श्वेतरूपधरा देवी ईश्वरी वृषवाहना ।
ब्राह्मी हंससमारूढा सर्वाभरणभूषिता ॥

Ishvari, of white form, rides a bull, and Brahmi, adorned with every ornament, is mounted on a swan.

Verse 12

इत्येता मातरः सर्वाः सर्वयोगसमन्विताः ।
नानाभरणशोभाढ्या नानारत्नोपशोभिताः ॥

All these Mothers are endowed with every yogic power, splendid with many ornaments and shining with many jewels.

Verse 13

दृश्यन्ते रथमारूढा देव्यः क्रोधसमाकुलाः ।
शङ्खं चक्रं गदां शक्तिं हलं च मुसलायुधम् ॥

The goddesses are seen mounted on chariots, filled with wrath, holding the conch, discus, mace, spear, plough and the pestle as a weapon,

Verse 14

खेटकं तोमरं चैव परशुं पाशमेव च ।
कुन्तायुधं त्रिशूलं च शार्ङ्गमायुधमुत्तमम् ॥

the shield, the lance, the axe and the noose, the javelin, the trident and the excellent bow Sharnga.

Verse 15

दैत्यानां देहनाशाय भक्तानामभयाय च ।
धारयन्त्यायुधानीत्थं देवानां च हिताय वै ॥

They bear these weapons to destroy the bodies of the demons, to give fearlessness to the devotees and for the good of the gods.

Verse 16

नमस्तेऽस्तु महारौद्रे महाघोरपराक्रमे ।
महाबले महोत्साहे महाभयविनाशिनि ॥

Salutations to you, O greatly fierce one of terrible valour, of great strength and great energy, destroyer of great fear.

Verse 17

त्राहि मां देवि दुष्प्रेक्ष्ये शत्रूणां भयवर्धिनि ।
प्राच्यां रक्षतु मामैन्द्री आग्नेय्यामग्निदेवता ॥

Save me, O Goddess hard to look upon, who increases the fear of enemies. May Aindri protect me in the east and the fire-goddess (Agni's power) in the south-east.

Verse 18

दक्षिणेऽवतु वाराही नैर्ऋत्यां खड्गधारिणी ।
प्रतीच्यां वारुणी रक्षेद् वायव्यां मृगवाहिनी ॥

May Varahi guard me in the south and the sword-bearer in the south-west; may Varuni protect me in the west and the deer-rider in the north-west.

Verse 19

उदीच्यां पातु कौमारी ऐशान्यां शूलधारिणी ।
ऊर्ध्वं ब्रह्माणि मे रक्षेदधस्ताद् वैष्णवी तथा ॥

May Kaumari guard me in the north and the trident-bearer in the north-east; may Brahmani protect me above and Vaishnavi below.

Verse 20

एवं दश दिशो रक्षेच्चामुण्डा शववाहना ।
जया मे चाग्रतः पातु विजया पातु पृष्ठतः ॥

Thus may Chamunda, who rides a corpse, protect the ten directions. May Jaya guard me in front and Vijaya behind.

Verse 21

अजिता वामपार्श्वे तु दक्षिणे चापराजिता ।
शिखामुद्योतिनी रक्षेदुमा मूर्ध्नि व्यवस्थिता ॥

May Ajita guard my left side and Aparajita my right. May Udyotini protect the crown-lock of my hair and Uma, seated on my head.

Verse 22

मालाधरी ललाटे च भ्रुवौ रक्षेद् यशस्विनी ।
त्रिनेत्रा च भ्रुवोर्मध्ये यमघण्टा च नासिके ॥

May Maladhari protect my forehead and Yashasvini my eyebrows; Trinetra the space between the brows and Yamaghanta the nose.

Verse 23

शङ्खिनी चक्षुषोर्मध्ये श्रोत्रयोर्द्वारवासिनी ।
कपोलौ कालिका रक्षेत्कर्णमूले तु शांकरी ॥

May Shankhini protect the space between the eyes and Dvaravasini the ears; may Kalika guard the cheeks and Shankari the roots of the ears.

Verse 24

नासिकायां सुगन्धा च उत्तरोष्ठे च चर्चिका ।
अधरे चामृतकला जिह्वायां च सरस्वती ॥

May Sugandha protect the nostrils, Charchika the upper lip, Amritakala the lower lip and Sarasvati the tongue.

Verse 25

दन्तान् रक्षतु कौमारी कण्ठदेशे तु चण्डिका ।
घण्टिकां चित्रघण्टा च महामाया च तालुके ॥

May Kaumari protect the teeth and Chandika the throat; Chitraghanta the uvula and Mahamaya the palate.

Verse 26

कामाक्षी चिबुकं रक्षेद् वाचं मे सर्वमङ्गला ।
ग्रीवायां भद्रकाली च पृष्ठवंशे धनुर्धरी ॥

May Kamakshi protect the chin and Sarvamangala my speech; Bhadrakali the neck and Dhanurdhari the spine.

Verse 27

नीलग्रीवा बहिःकण्ठे नलिकां नलकूबरी ।
स्कन्धयोः खड्गिनी रक्षेद् बाहू मे वज्रधारिणी ॥

May Nilagriva protect the outer throat and Nalakubari the windpipe; may Khadgini guard the shoulders and Vajradharini my arms.

Verse 28

हस्तयोर्दण्डिनी रक्षेदम्बिका चाङ्गुलीषु च ।
नखाञ्छूलेश्वरी रक्षेत्कुक्षौ रक्षेत्कुलेश्वरी ॥

May Dandini protect the hands and Ambika the fingers; may Shuleshvari guard the nails and Kuleshvari the belly.

Verse 29

स्तनौ रक्षेन्महादेवी मनः शोकविनाशिनी ।
हृदये ललिता देवी उदरे शूलधारिणी ॥

May Mahadevi protect the breasts and Shokavinashini the mind; Lalita Devi the heart and Shuladharini the abdomen.

Verse 30

नाभौ च कामिनी रक्षेद् गुह्यं गुह्येश्वरी तथा ।
पूतना कामिका मेढ्रं गुदे महिषवाहिनी ॥

May Kamini protect the navel and Guhyeshvari the private parts; may Putana and Kamika guard the generative organ and Mahishavahini the anus.

Verse 31

कट्यां भगवती रक्षेज्जानुनी विन्ध्यवासिनी ।
जङ्घे महाबला रक्षेत्सर्वकामप्रदायिनी ॥

May Bhagavati protect the waist and Vindhyavasini the knees; may Mahabala, the giver of all desires, guard the shanks.

Verse 32

गुल्फयोर्नारसिंही च पादपृष्ठे तु तैजसी ।
पादाङ्गुलीषु श्री रक्षेत्पादाधस्तलवासिनी ॥

May Narasimhi protect the ankles and Taijasi the upper feet; may Shri guard the toes and Talavasini the soles.

Verse 33

नखान् दंष्ट्राकराली च केशांश्चैवोर्ध्वकेशिनी ।
रोमकूपेषु कौबेरी त्वचं वागीश्वरी तथा ॥

May Damshtrakarali protect the nails and Urdhvakeshini the hair; Kauberi the pores of the skin and Vagishvari the skin.

Verse 34

रक्तमज्जावसामांसान्यस्थिमेदांसि पार्वती ।
अन्त्राणि कालरात्रिश्च पित्तं च मुकुटेश्वरी ॥

May Parvati protect blood, marrow, fat, flesh, bone and fat-tissue; Kalaratri the intestines and Mukuteshvari the bile.

Verse 35

पद्मावती पद्मकोशे कफे चूडामणिस्तथा ।
ज्वालामुखी नखज्वालामभेद्या सर्वसंधिषु ॥

May Padmavati protect the lotus-like inner centres and Chudamani the phlegm; Jvalamukhi the lustre of the nails, and Abhedya all the joints.

Verse 36

शुक्रं ब्रह्माणि मे रक्षेच्छायां छत्रेश्वरी तथा ।
अहंकारं मनो बुद्धिं रक्षेन्मे धर्मधारिणी ॥

May Brahmani protect my semen and Chhatreshvari my shadow; may Dharmadharini protect my ego, mind and intellect.

Verse 37

प्राणापानौ तथा व्यानमुदानं च समानकम् ।
वज्रहस्ता च मे रक्षेत्प्राणं कल्याणशोभना ॥

May Vajrahasta protect my vital breaths prana, apana, vyana, udana and samana, and may Kalyanashobhana protect my life.

Verse 38

रसे रूपे च गन्धे च शब्दे स्पर्शे च योगिनी ।
सत्त्वं रजस्तमश्चैव रक्षेन्नारायणी सदा ॥

May Yogini protect taste, form, smell, sound and touch, and may Narayani always guard sattva, rajas and tamas.

Verse 39

आयू रक्षतु वाराही धर्मं रक्षतु वैष्णवी ।
यशः कीर्तिं च लक्ष्मीं च धनं विद्यां च चक्रिणी ॥

May Varahi protect my life span and Vaishnavi my dharma; may Chakrini guard my fame, renown, fortune, wealth and learning.

Verse 40

गोत्रमिन्द्राणि मे रक्षेत्पशून्मे रक्ष चण्डिके ।
पुत्रान् रक्षेन्महालक्ष्मीर्भार्यां रक्षतु भैरवी ॥

May Indrani protect my family line; O Chandika, protect my cattle. May Mahalakshmi guard my children and Bhairavi my wife.

Verse 41

पन्थानं सुपथा रक्षेन्मार्गं क्षेमकरी तथा ।
राजद्वारे महालक्ष्मीर्विजया सर्वतः स्थिता ॥

May Supatha protect my journey and Kshemakari my road; may Mahalakshmi protect me at the king's court, and Vijaya, present everywhere, on all sides.

Verse 42

रक्षाहीनं तु यत्स्थानं वर्जितं कवचेन तु ।
तत्सर्वं रक्ष मे देवि जयन्ती पापनाशिनी ॥

Whatever place is left unguarded and not covered by this armour, protect all of it for me, O Goddess Jayanti, destroyer of sin.

Verse 43

पदमेकं न गच्छेत्तु यदीच्छेच्छुभमात्मनः ।
कवचेनावृतो नित्यं यत्र यत्रैव गच्छति ॥

One who wishes himself well should not take a single step without this armour. Wherever a person goes, always covered by the armour,

Verse 44

तत्र तत्रार्थलाभश्च विजयः सार्वकामिकः ।
यं यं चिन्तयते कामं तं तं प्राप्नोति निश्चितम् ।
परमैश्वर्यमतुलं प्राप्स्यते भूतले पुमान् ॥

there he gains his aims and victory that fulfils every wish. The verse says that whatever desire he thinks of he surely obtains, and he gains incomparable supreme prosperity on earth.

Verse 45

निर्भयो जायते मर्त्यः संग्रामेष्वपराजितः ।
त्रैलोक्ये तु भवेत्पूज्यः कवचेनावृतः पुमान् ॥

The verse says that a mortal covered by this armour becomes fearless, is not defeated in battles and is honoured in the three worlds.

Verse 46

इदं तु देव्याः कवचं देवानामपि दुर्लभम् ।
यः पठेत्प्रयतो नित्यं त्रिसन्ध्यं श्रद्धयान्वितः ॥

This armour of the Goddess is hard to obtain even for the gods. Whoever recites it daily with care and faith at the three junctions of the day -

Verse 47

दैवी कला भवेत्तस्य त्रैलोक्येष्वपराजितः ।
जीवेद् वर्षशतं साग्रमपमृत्युविवर्जितः ॥

- the verse says he gains a divine grace, is undefeated in the three worlds, and lives a full hundred years and more, free from untimely death.

Verse 48

नश्यन्ति व्याधयः सर्वे लूताविस्फोटकादयः ।
स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव कृत्रिमं चापि यद्विषम् ॥

The verse says that all diseases, such as spider-bite rashes and boils, are destroyed, along with poison of any kind, from plants, from creatures or prepared by people.

Verse 49

अभिचाराणि सर्वाणि मन्त्रयन्त्राणि भूतले ।
भूचराः खेचराश्चैव जलजाश्चोपदेशिकाः ॥

All hostile rites and spells and charms on earth, beings that move on land, in the sky and in the water, and those sent by instruction,

Verse 50

सहजा कुलजा माला डाकिनी शाकिनी तथा ।
अन्तरिक्षचरा घोरा डाकिन्यश्च महाबलाः ॥

spirits born with one or arising in the family, the Mala, Dakini and Shakini spirits, and the fierce and mighty Dakinis that move in the air,

Verse 51

ग्रहभूतपिशाचाश्च यक्षगन्धर्वराक्षसाः ।
ब्रह्मराक्षसवेतालाः कूष्माण्डा भैरवादयः ॥

planetary afflictions, ghosts, pishachas, yakshas, gandharvas, rakshasas, brahma-rakshasas, vetalas, kushmandas, bhairavas and the like -

Verse 52

नश्यन्ति दर्शनात्तस्य कवचे हृदि संस्थिते ।
मानोन्नतिर्भवेद् राज्ञस्तेजोवृद्धिकरं परम् ॥

- the verse says they all perish at the very sight of one who holds this armour in his heart. It brings honour from the king and greatly increases one's radiance.

Verse 53

यशसा वर्धते सोऽपि कीर्तिमण्डितभूतले ।
जपेत्सप्तशतीं चण्डीं कृत्वा तु कवचं पुरा ॥

He grows in fame on an earth adorned with his renown. One should recite the Saptashati to Chandi after first reciting this armour.

Verse 54

यावद्भूमण्डलं धत्ते सशैलवनकाननम् ।
तावत्तिष्ठति मेदिन्यां संततिः पुत्रपौत्रिकी ॥

The verse says that as long as the earth stands with its mountains, woods and forests, so long his line of sons and grandsons endures on earth.

Verse 55

देहान्ते परमं स्थानं यत्सुरैरपि दुर्लभम् ।
प्राप्नोति पुरुषो नित्यं महामायाप्रसादतः ॥

At the end of the body, by the grace of Mahamaya, the person attains the supreme abode that is hard to reach even for the gods.

Verse 56

लभते परमं रूपं शिवेन सह मोदते ॥

He attains the supreme form and rejoices together with Shiva.

The syllable people get wrong

In verse 3 kūṣmāṇḍeti names the fourth Durga, Kūṣmāṇḍā, and the same word returns in verse 51 as kūṣmāṇḍā, a class of spirit the armour wards off. Say it KOOSH-maan-daa, with long ū and ā, a retroflex ṣ, and ṇḍ spoken with the tongue curled back, not a short 'kush-man-da'.

When the Devi Kavacham is chanted

Weekday. Friday

Festival. Navaratri, before the Chandi Patha

Questions

No. Durga Kavacham, Durga Kavach, Chandi Kavacham and Devyah Kavacham are names for the same Sanskrit hymn. Telugu, Kannada and Tamil books print the same Sanskrit words in their own scripts, so the sounds do not change, only the letters. An English version is a translation of the meaning; the recited text remains the Sanskrit given on this page, here following the Gita Press reading.
The armour itself ends at verse 42, where Jayanti is asked to cover any place the list has missed. Verses 43 to 56 describe its fruit. The verses say that one covered by it is not defeated in battle, that poisons, rashes and hostile spells lose their hold, and that spirits of land, air and water perish at the sight of one who holds it in the heart. Verse 53 adds the instruction to recite the Saptashati after the Kavacham, and verse 56 closes with rejoicing alongside Shiva.
Brahma's answer opens with them. Before any guardian is assigned, verses 3 to 5 give the nine names in order: Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri, closing with 'these are proclaimed as the nine Durgas'. This passage is the list followed when one form of the Goddess is worshipped on each night of Navaratri. The nine do not reappear in the body-armour section, where other names such as Chamunda, Varahi and Kaumari take the posts.
Two recensions circulate. The Gita Press form, given here, has 56 verses after the salutation to Chandika, with a three-line verse 44 and a single half-verse to close. The other recension carries the Varaha Purana colophon and differs in about twenty-five readings: verse 8 has siddhih, success, where Gita Press has vrddhih, prosperity, and verse 20 asks Jaya and Vijaya to stand rather than to protect.
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