Today Thu 15 Oct TithiPanchami NakshatraJyeshtha PlaceColumbusUse my location Full Panchang & horoscope →

Rituals

All HomasAradhanaNadi AstrologyMantra Guides

Astrology

All Free ToolsVedic AstrologyToday's PanchangFree KundliDaily Horoscope

More

BlogAsk NirnayaContact

Your account

Sign inCart
Home › Mantras › Shiva Kavacham
Shiva Shiva Kavacham: the yogi Rishabha giving young Prince Bhadrayu the armour of Shiva with a conch and sword as Shiva watches above
The yogi Rishabha gives Prince Bhadrayu the armour of Shiva, with a conch and a sword
Mantra · Rishabha's armour for the exiled prince Bhadrayu, Skanda Purana

Shiva Kavacham

वज्रदंष्ट्रं त्रिनयनं कालकण्ठमरिन्दमम् । सहस्रकरमत्युग्रं वन्दे शम्भुमुमापतिम् ॥

Also known as Amogha Shiva Kavacham

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

Brahmashree ShivaayaA reading of your birth chartBook →

What the Shiva Kavacham is

The Shiva Kavacham, printed in many editions as the Amogha Shiva Kavacham, is the armour of Shiva that the yogi Rishabha teaches the young prince Bhadrayu in the twelfth chapter of the Brahmottara Khanda of the Skanda Purana. Three meditation verses come first: Shiva as Uma's fierce, dark-throated consort, the devotee marked with ash and rudraksha, and Rishabha's promise to reveal a secret of the Puranas. The armour proper runs to 27 verses. After an inner meditation on Shiva in the lotus of the heart, he is asked to guard against earth, water, fire and storm. Verses 9 to 13 post his five faces at east, south, west, north and overhead, verses 14 to 18 guard the body from crown to feet, and the rest cover each watch of day and night, every posture, roads, forests and enemy armies. A long prose mantra of salutations and commands follows, and sixteen closing verses finish the episode.

The poisoned prince Rishabha brought back

According to the Skanda Purana, Sumati, senior queen of King Vajrabahu of Dasharna, was secretly poisoned by her co-wives while she was carrying her child. Mother and son survived, but both were covered in sores no physician could heal, and the king, partial to his other wives, had his charioteer leave them deep in the forest. Sumati wandered until she reached a town of merchants, where its leading merchant, Padmakara, took her in, honoured her as his own mother and kept her in a private apartment. The boy still died of his wounds. As she grieved, the Shiva yogi Rishabha, whom she had once served, arrived, placed ash charged with Shiva's mantras in the child's mouth and restored his breath, then healed both of them with the same ash. He named the boy Bhadrayu and foretold that he would win back his lost kingdom. When the prince turned sixteen, Rishabha returned, gave him a long lesson on a ruler's conduct, and then taught this armour. The next chapter tells how Hemaratha, king of Magadha, seized Dasharna and captured Vajrabahu, and how Bhadrayu, carrying the sword and conch and protected by the armour, routed the invaders and freed the father who had cast him out. On Rishabha's advice he later married Kirtimalini, daughter of Simantini, whose Monday vow fills the earlier chapters of the same book.

The mantra, in six scripts

DevanagariSanskrit & Hindiवज्रदंष्ट्रं त्रिनयनं कालकण्ठमरिन्दमम् । सहस्रकरमत्युग्रं वन्दे शम्भुमुमापतिम् ॥
Tamilவஜ்ரதம்ஷ்ட்ரம் த்ரிநயநம் காலகண்டமரிந்தமம் । ஸஹஸ்ரகரமத்யுக்ரம் வந்தே ஶம்புமுமாபதிம் ॥
Teluguవజ్రదంష్ట్రం త్రినయనం కాలకణ్ఠమరిన్దమమ్ । సహస్రకరమత్యుగ్రం వన్దే శమ్భుముమాపతిమ్ ॥
Kannadaವಜ್ರದಂಷ್ಟ್ರಂ ತ್ರಿನಯನಂ ಕಾಲಕಣ್ಠಮರಿನ್ದಮಮ್ । ಸಹಸ್ರಕರಮತ್ಯುಗ್ರಂ ವನ್ದೇ ಶಮ್ಭುಮುಮಾಪತಿಮ್ ॥
Malayalamവജ്രദംഷ്ട്രം ത്രിനയനം കാലകണ്ഠമരിന്ദമമ് । സഹസ്രകരമത്യുഗ്രം വന്ദേ ശമ്ഭുമുമാപതിമ് ॥
EnglishRoman transliterationvajradaṃṣṭraṃ trinayanaṃ kālakaṇṭhamarindamam | sahasrakaramatyugraṃ vande śambhumumāpatim ||
“I bow to Shambhu, the consort of Uma, with adamantine fangs and three eyes, dark-throated, the subduer of foes, thousand-armed and exceedingly fierce.”
वज्रदंष्ट्रं
vajradaṃṣṭraṃ — with adamantine fangs
त्रिनयनं
trinayanaṃ — three-eyed
कालकण्ठमरिन्दमम्
kālakaṇṭhamarindamam — dark-throated, subduer of foes
सहस्रकरमत्युग्रं
sahasrakaramatyugraṃ — thousand-armed, exceedingly fierce
वन्दे
vande — I bow to
शम्भुमुमापतिम्
śambhumumāpatim — Shambhu, consort of Uma

Shiva Kavacham lyrics in full

Three meditation verses, the 27-verse armour, the three-part prose mantra and sixteen closing verses that end the Bhadrayu episode.

All 49 verses, in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and English, each with its meaning. Choose a script:

Download the Shiva Kavacham PDFAll 49 verses with their meanings, in Sanskrit. Free to print and keep.

Dhyanam 1

वज्रदंष्ट्रं त्रिनयनं कालकण्ठमरिन्दमम् ।
सहस्रकरमत्युग्रं वन्दे शम्भुमुमापतिम् ॥

I bow to Shambhu, the consort of Uma, with adamantine fangs and three eyes, dark-throated, the subduer of foes, thousand-armed and exceedingly fierce.

Dhyanam 2

रुद्राक्षकङ्कणलसत्करदण्डयुग्मः पालान्तरालसितभस्मधृतत्रिपुण्ड्रः ।
पञ्चाक्षरं परिपठन् वरमन्त्रराजं ध्यायन् सदा पशुपतिं शरणं व्रजेथाः ॥

With rudraksha bracelets shining on both forearms and the three lines of white ash drawn across the forehead, reciting the five-syllable king of mantras, meditate always on Pashupati and take refuge in him.

Dhyanam 3

अतः परं सर्वपुराणगुह्यं निःशेषपापौघहरं पवित्रम् ।
जयप्रदं सर्वविपत्प्रमोचनं वक्ष्यामि शैवं कवचं हिताय ते ॥

Next, for your good, I shall tell you the armour of Shiva: the secret of all the Puranas, pure, removing the whole flood of sins, granting victory and releasing from every calamity.

Verse 1

नमस्कृत्य महादेवं विश्वव्यापिनमीश्वरम् ।
वक्ष्ये शिवमयं वर्म सर्वरक्षाकरं नृणाम् ॥

Rishabha said: Bowing to Mahadeva, the Lord who pervades the universe, I shall describe the armour made of Shiva, which gives people protection in every way.

Verse 2

शुचौ देशे समासीनो यथावत्कल्पितासनः ।
जितेन्द्रियो जितप्राणश्चिन्तयेच्छिवमव्ययम् ॥

Seated in a clean place on a properly prepared seat, with the senses mastered and the breath controlled, one should meditate on the imperishable Shiva.

Verse 3

हृत्पुण्डरीकान्तरसन्निविष्टं स्वतेजसा व्याप्तनभोऽवकाशम् ।
अतीन्द्रियं सूक्ष्ममनन्तमाद्यं ध्यायेत्परानन्दमयं महेशम् ॥

One should meditate on Mahesha, seated within the lotus of the heart, who fills the expanse of the sky with his own radiance, beyond the senses, subtle, endless, the first, made of supreme bliss.

Verse 4

ध्यानावधूताखिलकर्मबन्धश्चिरं चिदानन्दनिमग्नचेताः ।
षडक्षरन्याससमाहितात्मा शैवेन कुर्यात्कवचेन रक्षाम् ॥

Having shaken off all the bonds of karma through meditation, the mind long immersed in the bliss of consciousness, and the self composed by placing the six syllables on the body, one should make protection with the armour of Shiva.

Verse 5

मां पातु देवोऽखिलदेवतात्मा संसारकूपे पतितं गभीरे ।
तन्नाम दिव्यं वरमन्त्रमूलं धुनोतु मे सर्वमघं हृदिस्थम् ॥

May the God who is the self of all the gods protect me, fallen into the deep well of worldly existence. May his divine name, the root of the finest mantras, shake off all the sin lodged in my heart.

Verse 6

सर्वत्र मां रक्षतु विश्वमूर्तिर्ज्योतिर्मयानन्दघनश्चिदात्मा ।
अणोरणीयानुरुशक्तिरेकः स ईश्वरः पातु भयादशेषात् ॥

May he whose form is the universe, made of light, dense with bliss, whose self is consciousness, guard me everywhere. May that Lord, the One, subtler than the atom yet of vast power, protect me from every fear.

Verse 7

यो भूस्वरूपेण बिभर्ति विश्वं पायात्स भूमेर्गिरिशोऽष्टमूर्तिः ।
योऽपां स्वरूपेण नृणां करोति सञ्जीवनं सोऽवतु मां जलेभ्यः ॥

May Girisha of the eight forms, who bears the world in the form of the earth, protect me from the earth. May he who in the form of the waters gives life to people protect me from the waters.

Verse 8

कल्पावसाने भुवनानि दग्ध्वा सर्वाणि यो नृत्यति भूरिलीलः ।
स कालरुद्रोऽवतु मां दवाग्नेर्वात्यादिभीतेरखिलाच्च तापात् ॥

May Kalarudra, who at the end of the aeon burns all the worlds and dances in boundless play, protect me from forest fire, from the terror of storms and the like, and from every torment.

Verse 9

प्रदीप्तविद्युत्कनकावभासो विद्यावराभीतिकुठारपाणिः ।
चतुर्मुखस्तत्पुरुषस्त्रिनेत्रः प्राच्यां स्थितं रक्षतु मामजस्रम् ॥

May Tatpurusha, four-faced and three-eyed, shining like blazing lightning and gold, holding the book of knowledge, the gestures of boon and fearlessness, and an axe, guard me ceaselessly in the east.

Verse 10

कुठारवेदाङ्कुशपाशशूलकपालढक्काक्षगुणान्दधानः ।
चतुर्मुखो नीलरुचिस्त्रिनेत्रः पायादघोरो दिशि दक्षिणस्याम् ॥

May Aghora, four-faced, dark blue in hue and three-eyed, holding an axe, the Veda, a goad, a noose, a trident, a skull, a drum and a rosary, protect me in the southern direction.

Verse 11

कुन्देन्दुशङ्खस्फटिकावभासो वेदाक्षमालावरदाभयाङ्कः ।
त्र्यक्षश्चतुर्वक्त्र उरुप्रभावः सद्योऽधिजातोऽवतु मां प्रतीच्याम् ॥

May Sadyojata, gleaming like jasmine, the moon, the conch and crystal, marked with the Veda, the rosary and the gestures of boon and fearlessness, three-eyed, four-faced and mighty, protect me in the west.

Verse 12

वराक्षमालाभयटङ्कहस्तः सरोजकिञ्जल्कसमानवर्णः ।
त्रिलोचनश्चारुचतुर्मुखो मां पायादुदीच्यां दिशि वामदेवः ॥

May Vamadeva, holding the boon gesture, a rosary, the gesture of fearlessness and a chisel, coloured like the filaments of a lotus, three-eyed and with four handsome faces, protect me in the northern direction.

Verse 13

वेदाभयेष्टाङ्कुशटङ्कपाशकपालढक्काक्षकशूलपाणिः ।
सितद्युतिः पञ्चमुखोऽवतान्मामीशान ऊर्ध्वं परमप्रकाशः ॥

May Ishana, white in lustre, five-faced, the supreme light, holding the Veda, the gestures of fearlessness and boon, a goad, a chisel, a noose, a skull, a drum, a rosary and a trident, protect me from above.

Verse 14

मूर्धानमव्यान्मम चन्द्रमौलिर्भालं ममाव्यादथ भालनेत्रः ।
नेत्रे ममाव्याद्भगनेत्रहारी नासां सदा रक्षतु विश्वनाथः ॥

May the moon-crested one protect my head, and the one with an eye on his forehead protect my forehead. May the one who took away Bhaga's eyes protect my eyes, and may Vishvanatha always guard my nose.

Verse 15

पायाच्छ्रुती मे श्रुतिगीतकीर्तिः कपोलमव्यात्सततं कपाली ।
वक्त्रं सदा रक्षतु पञ्चवक्त्रो जिह्वां सदा रक्षतु वेदजिह्वः ॥

May he whose fame the Vedas sing protect my ears, and may the skull-bearer always protect my cheeks. May the five-faced one always guard my mouth, and may he whose tongue is the Veda always guard my tongue.

Verse 16

कण्ठं गिरीशोऽवतु नीलकण्ठः पाणिद्वयं पातु पिनाकपाणिः ।
दोर्मूलमव्यान्मम धर्मबाहुर्वक्षःस्थलं दक्षमखान्तकोऽव्यात् ॥

May Girisha the blue-throated protect my throat, and may the bearer of the Pinaka bow protect my two hands. May he whose arms are dharma protect my shoulders, and may the destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice protect my chest.

Verse 17

ममोदरं पातु गिरीन्द्रधन्वा मध्यं ममाव्यान्मदनान्तकारी ।
हेरम्बतातो मम पातु नाभिं पायात्कटी धूर्जटिरीश्वरो मे ॥

May he whose bow is the king of mountains protect my belly, and the slayer of Madana protect my waist. May the father of Heramba (Ganesha) protect my navel, and may Lord Dhurjati protect my hips.

Verse 18

ऊरुद्वयं पातु कुबेरमित्रो जानुद्वयं मे जगदीश्वरोऽव्यात् ।
जङ्घायुगं पुङ्गवकेतुरव्यात्पादौ ममाव्यात्सुरवन्द्यपादः ॥

May the friend of Kubera protect my two thighs, and the Lord of the world protect my two knees. May he whose banner bears the bull protect my shins, and may he whose feet the gods worship protect my feet.

Verse 19

महेश्वरः पातु दिनादियामे मां मध्ययामेऽवतु वामदेवः ।
त्रियम्बकः पातु तृतीययामे वृषध्वजः पातु दिनान्त्ययामे ॥

May Maheshvara protect me in the first watch of the day and Vamadeva in the middle watch. May Tryambaka protect me in the third watch, and the bull-bannered one in the last watch of the day.

Verse 20

पायान्निशादौ शशिशेखरो मां गङ्गाधरो रक्षतु मां निशीथे ।
गौरीपतिः पातु निशावसाने मृत्युञ्जयो रक्षतु सर्वकालम् ॥

May the moon-crested one protect me at nightfall and the bearer of the Ganga guard me at midnight. May the husband of Gauri protect me at the end of the night, and may Mrityunjaya guard me at all times.

Verse 21

अन्तःस्थितं रक्षतु शङ्करो मां स्थाणुः सदा पातु बहिःस्थितं माम् ।
तदन्तरे पातु पतिः पशूनां सदाशिवो रक्षतु मां समन्तात् ॥

May Shankara guard me when I am indoors, and Sthanu always protect me when I am outside. May the Lord of beings protect me in between, and may Sadashiva guard me on every side.

Verse 22

तिष्ठन्तमव्याद्भुवनैकनाथः पायाद्व्रजन्तं प्रमथाधिनाथः ।
वेदान्तवेद्योऽवतु मां निषण्णं मामव्ययः पातु शिवः शयानम् ॥

May the sole Lord of the worlds protect me while I stand, and the lord of the Pramathas while I walk. May he who is known through the Vedanta protect me while I sit, and may the imperishable Shiva protect me while I lie down.

Verse 23

मार्गेषु मां रक्षतु नीलकण्ठः शैलादिदुर्गेषु पुरत्रयारिः ।
अरण्यवासादिमहाप्रवासे पायान्मृगव्याध उदारशक्तिः ॥

May Nilakantha guard me on the roads, and the enemy of the three cities in mountain passes and other hard places. On long journeys, such as a stay in the forest, may the mighty hunter of the deer protect me.

Verse 24

कल्पान्तकाटोपपटुप्रकोपः स्फुटाट्टहासोच्चलिताण्डकोशः ।
घोरारिसेनार्णवदुर्निवारमहाभयाद्रक्षतु वीरभद्रः ॥

May Virabhadra, whose fury is fierce like the upheaval at the end of the aeon and whose resounding laughter shakes the cosmic egg, guard me from the great, unstoppable terror of an ocean of fearsome enemy armies.

Verse 25

पत्त्यश्वमातङ्गघटावरूथसहस्रलक्षायुतकोटिभीषणम् ।
अक्षौहिणीनां शतमाततायिनां छिन्द्यान्मृडो घोरकुठारधारया ॥

May Mrida, with the edge of his terrible axe, cut down a hundred armies of assailants, fearsome with thousands, lakhs, myriads and crores of foot soldiers, horses, massed elephants and chariots.

Verse 26

निहन्तु दस्यून्प्रलयानलार्चिर्ज्वलत्त्रिशूलं त्रिपुरान्तकस्य ।
शार्दूलसिंहर्क्षवृकादिहिंस्रान्सन्त्रासयत्वीशधनुः पिनाकम् ॥

May the trident of the destroyer of Tripura, blazing with the flames of the fire of dissolution, strike down robbers. May the Lord's bow Pinaka terrify tigers, lions, bears, wolves and other beasts of prey.

Verse 27

दुःस्वप्नदुःशकुनदुर्गतिदौर्मनस्यदुर्भिक्षदुर्व्यसनदुःसहदुर्यशांसि ।
उत्पाततापविषभीतिमसद्ग्रहार्तिव्याधींश्च नाशयतु मे जगतामधीशः ॥

May the Lord of the worlds destroy for me bad dreams, ill omens, misfortune, despondency, famine, harmful habits, unbearable troubles and disgrace, and also calamities, torments, the fear of poison, affliction from malefic planets and diseases.

Mantra 1

ॐ नमो भगवते सदाशिवाय सकलतत्त्वात्मकाय सकलतत्त्वविहाराय सकललोकैककर्त्रे सकललोकैकभर्त्रे सकललोकैकहर्त्रे सकललोकैकगुरवे सकललोकैकसाक्षिणे सकलनिगमगुह्याय सकलवरप्रदाय सकलदुरितार्तिभञ्जनाय सकलजगदभयङ्कराय सकललोकैकशङ्कराय शशाङ्कशेखराय ।
शाश्वतनिजाभासाय निर्गुणाय निरुपमाय नीरूपाय निराभासाय निरामयाय निष्प्रपञ्चाय निष्कलङ्काय निर्द्वन्द्वाय निःसङ्गाय निर्मलाय निर्गमाय नित्यरूपविभवाय निरुपमविभवाय निराधाराय नित्यशुद्धबुद्धपरिपूर्णसच्चिदानन्दाद्वयाय परमशान्तप्रकाशतेजोरूपाय ॥

Om, salutation to Lord Sadashiva, the self of all principles, who moves through all principles; the one maker, sustainer, destroyer, teacher and witness of all worlds; the secret of all scriptures, giver of all boons, breaker of every sin and pain, who makes the whole world fearless, the one source of good for all worlds, the moon-crested. Salutation to him who shines eternally in himself, beyond qualities, beyond compare, formless, beyond appearance, free from disease, beyond the world of plurality, spotless, beyond pairs of opposites, unattached, pure, without origin, whose glory is eternal and incomparable, without support, the non-dual, ever pure, awakened and complete Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, whose form is the light of supreme peace.

Mantra 2

जयजय महारुद्र महारौद्र भद्रावतार दुःखदावदारण महाभैरव कालभैरव कल्पान्तभैरव कपालमालाधर खट्वाङ्गखड्गचर्मपाशाङ्कुशडमरुशूलचापबाणगदाशक्तिभिण्डिपालतोमरमुसलमुद्गरपट्टिशपरशुपरिघभुशुण्डीशतघ्नीचक्राद्यायुधभीषणकरसहस्र मुखदंष्ट्राकराल ।
विकटाट्टहासविस्फारितब्रह्माण्डमण्डल नागेन्द्रकुण्डल नागेन्द्रहार नागेन्द्रवलय नागेन्द्रचर्मधर मृत्युञ्जय त्र्यम्बक त्रिपुरान्तक विरूपाक्ष विश्वेश्वर विश्वरूप वृषभवाहन विषभूषण विश्वतोमुख सर्वतो रक्ष रक्ष मां ज्वलज्वल ॥

Victory, victory to you, great Rudra, most fierce, who came as Virabhadra, who tears apart the forest fire of sorrow; great Bhairava, Kala Bhairava, Bhairava of the aeon's end, wearer of a garland of skulls; whose thousand hands are terrible with the khatvanga staff, sword, shield, noose, goad, drum, trident, bow, arrows, mace, spear, javelin and every other weapon, whose mouth is dreadful with fangs. You whose wild laughter splits open the cosmic sphere, who wear the king of serpents as earring, necklace, bracelet and garment; conqueror of death, three-eyed one, destroyer of Tripura, odd-eyed one, Lord of the universe, whose form is the universe, rider of the bull, adorned with poison, facing every direction: protect me, protect me on all sides; blaze forth, blaze forth.

Mantra 3

महामृत्युभयमपमृत्युभयं नाशयनाशय रोगभयमुत्सादयोत्सादय विषसर्पभयं शमयशमय चोरभयं मारयमारय मम शत्रूनुच्चाटयोच्चाटय शूलेन विदारय विदारय कुठारेण भिन्धिभिन्धि खड्गेन छिन्धिछिन्धि खट्वाङ्गेन विपोथय विपोथय मुसलेन निष्पेषयनिष्पेषय बाणैः सन्ताडय सन्ताडय ।
रक्षांसि भीषयभीषय भूतानि विद्रावयविद्रावय कूष्माण्डवेतालमारीगणब्रह्मराक्षसान्सन्त्रासयसन्त्रासय मामभयं कुरुकुरु वित्रस्तं मामाश्वासयाश्वासय नरकभयान्मामुद्धारयोद्धारय सञ्जीवयसञ्जीवय क्षुत्तृड्भ्यां मामाप्याययाप्यायय दुःखातुरं मामानन्दयानन्दय शिवकवचेन मामाच्छादयाच्छादय त्र्यम्बक सदाशिव नमस्ते नमस्ते नमस्ते ॥

Destroy, destroy the fear of the great death and of untimely death; root out the fear of disease; quell the fear of poison and snakes; slay the fear of thieves; drive away my enemies; tear them with the trident, split them with the axe, cut them with the sword, crush them with the khatvanga and the pestle, strike them with arrows. Terrify the rakshasas, put the bhutas to flight, scare away the kushmandas, vetalas, hosts of plague spirits and brahmarakshasas; make me fearless, comfort me in my terror, lift me out of the fear of hell, revive me, nourish me in hunger and thirst, gladden me in sorrow, cover me with the armour of Shiva. O three-eyed Sadashiva, salutation to you, salutation, salutation.

Phala Shruti 1

इत्येतत्कवचं शैवं वरदं व्याहृतं मया ।
सर्वबाधाप्रशमनं रहस्यं सर्वदेहिनाम् ॥

Rishabha said: Thus I have spoken this boon-giving armour of Shiva, which calms every affliction and is a secret for all embodied beings.

Phala Shruti 2

यः सदा धारयेन्मर्त्यः शैवं कवचमुत्तमम् ।
न तस्य जायते क्वापि भयं शम्भोरनुग्रहात् ॥

The verse says that for a person who always wears this excellent armour of Shiva, no fear arises anywhere, by the grace of Shambhu.

Phala Shruti 3

क्षीणायुर्मृत्युमापन्नो महारोगहतोऽपि वा ।
सद्यः सुखमवाप्नोति दीर्घमायुश्च विन्दति ॥

The verse says that even one whose life is ebbing, who has come near death or is struck by a grave illness, at once finds ease and gains long life.

Phala Shruti 4

सर्वदारिद्र्यशमनं सौमङ्गल्यविवर्धनम् ।
यो धत्ते कवचं शैवं स देवैरपि पूज्यते ॥

The verse says that this armour of Shiva ends all poverty and increases auspiciousness, and that whoever wears it is honoured even by the gods.

Phala Shruti 5

महापातकसङ्घातैर्मुच्यते चोपपातकैः ।
देहान्ते शिवमाप्नोति शिववर्मानुभावतः ॥

The verse says that by the power of Shiva's armour one is freed from heaps of great sins and lesser sins, and at the end of the body attains Shiva.

Phala Shruti 6

त्वमपि श्रद्धया वत्स शैवं कवचमुत्तमम् ।
धारयस्व मया दत्तं सद्यः श्रेयो ह्यवाप्स्यसि ॥

You too, my child, wear with faith this excellent armour of Shiva that I have given you, and you will soon gain what is good.

Phala Shruti 7

इत्युक्त्वा ऋषभो योगी तस्मै पार्थिवसूनवे ।
ददौ शङ्खं महारावं खड्गं चारिनिषूदनम् ॥

Suta said: Having said this, the yogi Rishabha gave the prince a loud-sounding conch and a sword that destroys enemies.

Phala Shruti 8

पुनश्च भस्म संमन्त्र्य तदङ्गं सर्वतोऽस्पृशत् ।
गजानां षट्सहस्रस्य द्विगुणं च बलं ददौ ॥

Then, consecrating sacred ash with mantras, he touched the prince's body all over and gave him twice the strength of six thousand elephants.

Phala Shruti 9

भस्मप्रभावात्सम्प्राप्य बलैश्वर्यधृतिस्मृतीः ।
स राजपुत्रः शुशुभे शरदर्क इव श्रिया ॥

Having gained strength, sovereignty, steadiness and memory through the power of the ash, the prince shone with splendour like the autumn sun.

Phala Shruti 10

तमाह प्राञ्जलिं भूयः स योगी राजनन्दनम् ।
एष खड्गो मया दत्तस्तपोमन्त्रानुभावतः ॥

The yogi spoke again to the prince, who stood with folded hands: This sword I have given you through the power of austerity and mantra.

Phala Shruti 11

शितधारमिमं खड्गं यस्मै दर्शयसि स्फुटम् ।
स सद्यो म्रियते शत्रुः साक्षान्मृत्युरपि स्वयम् ॥

Any enemy to whom you openly show this sharp-edged sword dies at once, even if it were Death himself.

Phala Shruti 12

अस्य शङ्खस्य निह्रादं ये शृण्वन्ति तवाहिताः ।
ते मूर्च्छिताः पतिष्यन्ति न्यस्तशस्त्रा विचेतनाः ॥

Your foes who hear the blast of this conch will fall down fainting, senseless, their weapons dropped.

Phala Shruti 13

खड्गशङ्खाविमौ दिव्यौ परसैन्यविनाशिनौ ।
आत्मसैन्यस्वपक्षाणां शौर्यतेजोविवर्धनौ ॥

These two divine things, the sword and the conch, destroy the enemy's army and increase the valour and vigour of your own army and allies.

Phala Shruti 14

एतयोश्च प्रभावेन शैवेन कवचेन च ।
द्विषट्सहस्रनागानां बलेन महतापि च ॥

By the power of these two, by the armour of Shiva, and by the great strength of twice six thousand elephants,

Phala Shruti 15

भस्मधारणसामर्थ्याच्छत्रुसैन्यं विजेष्यसि ।
प्राप्य सिंहासनं पैत्र्यं गोप्तासि पृथिवीमिमाम् ॥

and by the power of wearing the sacred ash, you will conquer the enemy army; regaining your father's throne, you will protect this earth.

Phala Shruti 16

इति भद्रायुषं सम्यगनुशास्य समातृकम् ।
ताभ्यां सम्पूजितः सोऽथ योगी स्वैरगतिर्ययौ ॥

Having fully instructed Bhadrayu and his mother in this way, and being honoured by them both, the yogi then went on his way as he pleased.

The syllable people get wrong

Verse 17 names Shiva dhūrjaṭiḥ (धूर्जटिः), 'he of the heavy matted locks', and it is often read 'Dhur-jati' with a short u and a soft dental t. The ū is long and the ṭ is retroflex, tongue tip curled back: DHOOR-ja-tih, the final visarga a light breath.

When the Shiva Kavacham is chanted

Weekday. Monday

Questions

Amogha means 'unfailing', a word chanting editions add to the title for an armour that does not miss its mark. The Purana itself heads the chapter simply as the description of the Shiva Kavacha, and inside the verses Rishabha calls it shaivam kavacham and shivamayam varma, 'the armour made of Shiva'. Both names point to the same text; the longer one helps tell it apart from other kavachams addressed to Shiva.
Verses 9 to 13 assign Shiva's five faces to five directions. Tatpurusha, shining like lightning and gold, guards the east; Aghora, dark blue and holding axe, noose, skull and drum, the south; Sadyojata, white as jasmine and the moon, the west; Vamadeva, the colour of lotus filaments, the north; and five-faced Ishana, white and holding ten emblems, guards from above. Each verse paints a face's colour and what it holds before asking for protection.
Only the first six closing verses are Rishabha's own statement of what the armour does. Then the narrator Suta takes over and the verses go back to the story: Rishabha hands the prince a loud conch and an enemy-slaying sword, smears mantra-charged ash over his body, and the verse says he gained the strength of twelve thousand elephants. Chanting editions keep these ten narrative verses under the phala shruti heading, so the hymn ends with the yogi leaving mother and son.
No. The Brahmanda-vijaya Shiva Kavacham belongs to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, where Narayana teaches it to Narada, and its wording is entirely different. Even the Skanda Purana armour circulates in two forms. The South Indian chanting form names Rishabha Yogishvara as its seer and keeps the same verses with small variants, but its prose mantra is much longer and differently worded. The text here is the Purana form, whose armour begins namaskritya mahadevam.
Not sure a mantra is enough?

Have your chart read before you decide

Chanting is yours to do, and free. But which deity your situation calls for — and whether a mantra alone is the right response — depends on your chart. Sometimes it is; sometimes it is not.

Brahmashree Shivaaya
Chief Operating Officer & Head of Astrological & Spiritual Solutions
  • Over 30 years in the Guru–Sishya Parampara, from the age of five
  • He reads every chart himself — 60 minutes, one to one, never delegated
  • Charts are read only between sunrise and sunset, following tradition
Book a consultation Ask Nirnaya — free
+91 96295 55442 WhatsApp us support@astrobhava.com Closed now · Mon–Sat, 9:30–18:00 IST (0:00–8:30 EDT your time) — WhatsApp and email are answered the next working morning
Continue

Related

Ask Nirnaya

Nirnaya

AstroBhava’s automated guide

Nirnaya is AstroBhava’s automated guide. What you tell it — including birth details — is kept to recommend rites and is reviewed by our team to improve it. It does not predict. Conversations are anonymised 12 months after your last message; you can delete them sooner from your account. Privacy policy

Speak to someone at the ashram

Message the ashram on WhatsApp or by email. We answer Mon–Sat, 9:30–18:00 IST (0:00–8:30 EDT your time).

Message on WhatsAppsupport@astrobhava.com

WhatsApp opens in a new tab; nothing is sent from this page.