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Mantra · The armour Gauri asks of a sage for her demon-slaying infant son

Ganesh Kavach

गौर्युवाच । एषोऽतिचपलो दैत्यान्बाल्येऽपि नाशयत्यहो । अग्रे किं कर्म कर्तेति न जाने मुनिसत्तम ॥

Also known as Ganesha Kavacham

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

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What the Ganesh Kavach is

The Ganesh Kavach is an armour of names from the Krida Khanda of the Ganesha Purana, the part also called the Uttara Khanda, spoken for Ganesha himself while he is a small child. It is requested for the god rather than taught to a devotee: Gauri asks a sage to protect her son, and the sage answers. The form printed has 27 verses. Two carry her request. A single dhyana then pictures Vinayaka in each of the four ages. Verses 3 to 10 go down the body, giving each part its own name of Ganesha, from the crown tuft to the feet and fingernails, and Verse 11 sets Dhumraketu over any place left unnamed. Verses 12 to 14 cover the directions and the hours. Verses 15 to 17 widen to spirits, memory and the household, down to goats, sheep, elephants and horses. Nine phala shruti verses report what the text says it gives and trace its teachers.

Gauri's infant and the demons at his cradle

According to the Krida Khanda, the child of this hymn is Gauri's own son in his Treta-age birth, and his first months read like a list of assaults. A vulture demon, Gridhrasura, carries him off in its beak and is choked in the air. Two demons disguised as mice fight beside his cradle and die under his flailing hands. Another comes as a cat at midday, seizes him, and is kicked dead. Balasura joins the sages' children as a playmate of the same age, grips him by the throat, and is crushed. The infant wins each time, and each time his mother is left more shaken. In the fifth month a sage who has heard of the boy comes to see him. Gauri washes his feet and takes the baby on her lap. The sage says the child shines to him as Brahman and names his forms through the four ages. Gauri answers as a mother: he is restless, the demons are many, so please tie something at his neck. The kavacham is the reply, opening with those same four forms as a meditation. The chanted form keeps her words but calls the sage only muni. When it ends, the Purana says, she takes the boy back from the sage and goes home.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiगौर्युवाच । एषोऽतिचपलो दैत्यान्बाल्येऽपि नाशयत्यहो । अग्रे किं कर्म कर्तेति न जाने मुनिसत्तम ॥

Tamilகௌர்யுவாச । ஏஷோதிசபலோ தைத்யாந்பால்யேபி நாஶயத்யஹோ । அக்ரே கிம் கர்ம கர்தேதி ந ஜாநே முநிஸத்தம ॥

Teluguగౌర్యువాచ । ఏషోఽతిచపలో దైత్యాన్బాల్యేఽపి నాశయత్యహో । అగ్రే కిం కర్మ కర్తేతి న జానే మునిసత్తమ ॥

Kannadaಗೌರ್ಯುವಾಚ । ಏಷೋಽತಿಚಪಲೋ ದೈತ್ಯಾನ್ಬಾಲ್ಯೇಽಪಿ ನಾಶಯತ್ಯಹೋ । ಅಗ್ರೇ ಕಿಂ ಕರ್ಮ ಕರ್ತೇತಿ ನ ಜಾನೇ ಮುನಿಸತ್ತಮ ॥

Malayalamഗൌര്യുവാച । ഏഷോഽതിചപലോ ദൈത്യാന്ബാല്യേഽപി നാശയത്യഹോ । അഗ്രേ കിം കര്മ കര്തേതി ന ജാനേ മുനിസത്തമ ॥

EnglishRoman transliterationgauryuvāca | eṣo'ticapalo daityānbālye'pi nāśayatyaho | agre kiṃ karma karteti na jāne munisattama ||

“Gauri said: This very restless child destroys demons even in his boyhood, how wondrous! What deed he will do next I do not know, O best of sages.”

गौर्युवाच: gauryuvāca — Gauri said
एषोऽतिचपलो: eṣo'ticapalo — this very restless one
दैत्यान्बाल्येऽपि: daityānbālye'pi — demons, even in boyhood
नाशयत्यहो: nāśayatyaho — destroys, how wondrous
अग्रे: agre — next, ahead
किं: kiṃ — what
कर्म: karma — deed
कर्तेति: karteti — he will do, thus
न: na — not
जाने: jāne — I know
मुनिसत्तम: munisattama — O best of sages

Ganesh Kavach lyrics in full

Twenty-seven verses, with Gauri and the sage marked where each begins to speak. The printed closing line is given at the end.

All 28 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Ganesh Kavach PDFAll 28 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

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Verse 1

गौर्युवाच ।
एषोऽतिचपलो दैत्यान्बाल्येऽपि नाशयत्यहो ।
अग्रे किं कर्म कर्तेति न जाने मुनिसत्तम ॥

Gauri said: This very restless child destroys demons even in his boyhood, how wondrous! What deed he will do next I do not know, O best of sages.

Verse 2

दैत्या नानाविधा दुष्टाः साधुदेवद्रुहः खलाः ।
अतोऽस्य कण्ठे किञ्चित्त्वं रक्षार्थं बद्धुमर्हसि ॥

The demons are of many kinds, wicked and vile, enemies of the good and of the gods. So please tie something around his neck for his protection.

Dhyanam 1

मुनिरुवाच ।
ध्यायेत्सिंहगतं विनायकममुं दिग्बाहुमाद्ये युगे त्रेतायां तु मयूरवाहनममुं षड्बाहुकं सिद्धिदम् ।
द्वापारे तु गजाननं युगभुजं रक्ताङ्गरागं विभुं तुर्ये तु द्विभुजं सिताङ्गरुचिरं सर्वार्थदं सर्वदा ॥

The sage said: Meditate on Vinayaka: in the first age riding a lion, with ten arms; in the Treta age riding a peacock, six-armed, the giver of success; in the Dvapara age elephant-faced, four-armed, the lord anointed with red; and in the fourth age two-armed, radiant with a white body, always the giver of every aim.

Verse 3

विनायकः शिखां पातु परमात्मा परात्परः ।
अतिसुन्दरकायस्तु मस्तकं सुमहोत्कटः ॥

May Vinayaka, the Supreme Self, higher than the highest, protect the crown tuft. May the very mighty Mahotkata, of most beautiful body, protect the head.

Verse 4

ललाटं कश्यपः पातु भ्रूयुगं तु महोदरः ।
नयने फालचन्द्रस्तु गजास्यस्त्वोष्ठपल्लवौ ॥

May Kashyapa protect the forehead and Mahodara, the great-bellied, the two brows. May Phalachandra, with the moon on his brow, protect the eyes, and the elephant-faced one the tender lips.

Verse 5

जिह्वां पातु गणक्रीडश्चिबुकं गिरिजासुतः ।
वाचं विनायकः पातु दन्तान् रक्षतु दुर्मुखः ॥

May Ganakrida, who sports among his hosts, protect the tongue, and the son of Girija the chin. May Vinayaka protect the speech, and Durmukha guard the teeth.

Verse 6

श्रवणौ पाशपाणिस्तु नासिकां चिन्तितार्थदः ।
गणेशस्तु मुखं कण्ठं पातु देवो गणञ्जयः ॥

May the one with the noose in his hand protect the ears, and the giver of what is wished for protect the nose. May Ganesha protect the face, and the god Ganamjaya the throat.

Verse 7

स्कन्धौ पातु गजस्कन्धः स्तनौ विघ्नविनाशनः ।
हृदयं गणनाथस्तु हेरम्बो जठरं महान् ॥

May the one with an elephant's shoulders protect the shoulders, and the destroyer of obstacles the chest. May Gananatha protect the heart, and the great Heramba the belly.

Verse 8

धराधरः पातु पार्श्वौ पृष्ठं विघ्नहरः शुभः ।
लिङ्गं गुह्यं सदा पातु वक्रतुण्डो महाबलः ॥

May Dharadhara, bearer of the earth, protect the two sides, and the auspicious remover of obstacles the back. May the mighty Vakratunda always protect the private parts.

Verse 9

गणक्रीडो जानुजङ्घे ऊरू मङ्गलमूर्तिमान् ।
एकदन्तो महाबुद्धिः पादौ गुल्फौ सदाऽवतु ॥

May Ganakrida protect the knees and shanks, and the one of auspicious form the thighs. May Ekadanta of great wisdom always protect the feet and ankles.

Verse 10

क्षिप्रप्रसादनो बाहू पाणी आशाप्रपूरकः ।
अङ्गुलीश्च नखान्पातु पद्महस्तोऽरिनाशनः ॥

May the one quickly pleased protect the arms, and the fulfiller of hopes the hands. May the lotus-handed destroyer of enemies protect the fingers and nails.

Verse 11

सर्वाङ्गानि मयूरेशो विश्वव्यापी सदाऽवतु ।
अनुक्तमपि यत्स्थानं धूम्रकेतुः सदाऽवतु ॥

May Mayuresha, who pervades the universe, always protect all the limbs. Whatever place has not been named, may Dhumraketu always protect that too.

Verse 12

आमोदस्त्वग्रतः पातु प्रमोदः पृष्ठतोऽवतु ।
प्राच्यां रक्षतु बुद्धीश आग्नेय्यां सिद्धिदायकः ॥

May Amoda protect in front and Pramoda behind. May the lord of intellect guard the east, and the giver of success the south-east.

Verse 13

दक्षिणस्यामुमापुत्रो नैरृत्यां तु गणेश्वरः ।
प्रतीच्यां विघ्नहर्ताऽव्याद्वायव्यां गजकर्णकः ॥

May the son of Uma guard the south, and Ganeshvara the south-west. May the remover of obstacles protect the west, and the elephant-eared one the north-west.

Verse 14

कौबेर्यां निधिपः पायादीशान्यामीशनन्दनः ।
दिवाऽव्यादेकदन्तस्तु रात्रौ सन्ध्यासु विघ्नहृत् ॥

May the keeper of treasures protect the north, and the son of Isha the north-east. May Ekadanta protect by day, and the remover of obstacles by night and at the twilights.

Verse 15

राक्षसासुरवेतालग्रहभूतपिशाचतः ।
पाशाङ्कुशधरः पातु रजःसत्त्वतमः स्मृतीः ॥

From rakshasas, asuras, vetalas, grahas, ghosts and pishachas, may the bearer of noose and goad protect; may he protect the memory and the qualities of rajas, sattva and tamas.

Verse 16

ज्ञानं धर्मं च लक्ष्मीं च लज्जां कीर्तिं तथा कुलम् ।
वपुर्धनं च धान्यं च गृहान्दारान्सुतान्सखीन् ॥

May he protect knowledge, dharma, prosperity, modesty, fame and family; the body, wealth and grain; the home, wife, sons and friends.

Verse 17

सर्वायुधधरः पौत्रान्मयूरेशोऽवतात्सदा ।
कपिलोऽजाविकं पातु गजाश्वान्विकटोऽवतु ॥

May Mayuresha, bearer of all weapons, always protect the grandsons. May Kapila protect the goats and sheep, and Vikata the elephants and horses.

Phala Shruti 1

भूर्जपत्रे लिखित्वेदं यः कण्ठे धारयेत्सुधीः ।
न भयं जायते तस्य यक्षरक्षःपिशाचतः ॥

The verse says that the wise person who writes this on birch bark and wears it at the neck has no fear of yakshas, rakshasas or pishachas.

Phala Shruti 2

त्रिसन्ध्यं जपते यस्तु वज्रसारतनुर्भवेत् ।
यात्राकाले पठेद्यस्तु निर्विघ्नेन फलं लभेत् ॥

The verse says that whoever recites this at the three twilights gains a body as hard as diamond, and whoever reads it when setting out on a journey gains the result without obstacle.

Phala Shruti 3

युद्धकाले पठेद्यस्तु विजयं चाप्नुयाद्द्रुतम् ।
मारणोच्चाटनाकर्षस्तम्भमोहनकर्मणि ॥

The verse says that whoever reads this at the time of battle quickly gains victory. For the rites of killing, driving away, attracting, paralysing and bewildering, the next verse gives the rule.

Phala Shruti 4

सप्तवारं जपेदेतद्दिनानामेकविंशतिम् ।
तत्तत्फलमवाप्नोति साधको नात्र संशयः ॥

One should recite this seven times a day for twenty-one days. The verse says the practitioner then gains each of those results, and that there is no doubt of it.

Phala Shruti 5

एकविंशतिवारं च पठेत्तावद्दिनानि यः ।
कारागृहगतं सद्यो राज्ञा वध्यं च मोचयेत् ॥

The verse says that whoever reads it twenty-one times for that many days at once frees one who is in prison or condemned to death by the king.

Phala Shruti 6

राजदर्शनवेलायां पठेदेतत्त्रिवारतः ।
स राजानं वशं नीत्वा प्रकृतीश्च सभां जयेत् ॥

One should read this three times at the hour of an audience with the king. The verse says that person wins the king over, and wins his subjects and the assembly as well.

Phala Shruti 7

इदं गणेशकवचं कश्यपेन समीरितम् ।
मुद्गलाय च तेनाथ माण्डव्याय महर्षये ॥

This armour of Ganesha was spoken by Kashyapa to Mudgala, and by him then to the great sage Mandavya.

Phala Shruti 8

मह्यं स प्राह कृपया कवचं सर्वसिद्धिदम् ।
न देयं भक्तिहीनाय देयं श्रद्धावते शुभम् ॥

In his kindness he told me this armour, which the verse calls the giver of every success. It must not be given to one without devotion; this auspicious text is to be given to one who has faith.

Phala Shruti 9

अनेनास्य कृता रक्षा न बाधाऽस्य भवेत्क्वचित् ।
राक्षसासुरवेतालदैत्यदानवसम्भवा ॥

With this his protection is made, and the verse says no harm will ever come to him, whether from rakshasas, asuras, vetalas, daityas or danavas.

Closing

इति श्रीगणेशपुराणे गणेशकवचं समाप्तम् ॥

Thus ends the Ganesha Kavacham of the Sri Ganesha Purana.

The syllable people get wrong

In Verse 13, nairṛtyāṃ (in the south-west) is often flattened to 'nairutyam'. It has three syllables, nair-ṛ-tyāṃ: a plain r closes the first, the short vowel ṛ, close to the 'ri' in 'rib', stands alone as the second, and the last ends in a long aa with a nasal hum.

When the Ganesh Kavach is chanted

Weekday. Tuesday

Questions

No author is named. It belongs to the anonymous Ganesha Purana, which scholars generally place in the late medieval period. Inside the text the sage gives a chain of teaching: the verses printed here say Kashyapa spoke it to Mudgala, who passed it to the great sage Mandavya, from whom the speaker received it. The fuller Purana text reverses the first two names, with Mudgala speaking it to Kashyapa.

It follows the Purana's scheme of one incarnation for each age: Vinayaka, ten-armed on a lion, in the first; six-armed on a peacock in the Treta age; four-armed, elephant-faced and anointed with red in the Dvapara age; two-armed in the fourth. The same scheme runs through the armour, where Mayuresha guards all the limbs and Dhumraketu, the Purana's form for the Kali age, guards whatever was left unnamed.

The last nine. They say that wearing the text written on birch bark removes fear of yakshas and pishachas, and that reading it on a journey, in battle or before a king brings success. Two of them also name harsh rites such as killing and bewildering; those lines are printed as transmitted and are not commended here. The closing verses say the armour should pass only to a person of faith.

Both are in circulation. Hata means slain, while gata means gone upon, so simhagatam gives the sense of mounted on a lion. The text here reads simhagatam because it matches mayuravahanam, riding a peacock, in the next age of the same verse, and because the fuller Purana text agrees. The Purana's first-age Vinayaka is also described elsewhere as riding a lion, which settles the picture.

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Ganesh Kavach

What the Ganesh Kavach is

Gauri's infant and the demons at his cradle

The mantra, in six scripts

Ganesh Kavach lyrics in full

The syllable people get wrong

When the Ganesh Kavach is chanted

Questions

Have your chart read before you decide

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