Devi Kavach (Devīkavaca)

p1

asya śrīcaṇḍīkavacasya brahmā ṛṣiḥ

Of this holy Caṇḍīkavaca, Brahmā is the seer,

p2

anuṣṭupchandaḥ

the metre is anuṣṭubh,

p3

cāmuṇḍā devatā

the deity is Cāmuṇḍā,

p4

aṅganyāsoktamātaro bījam

the seed-syllables are the Mothers mentioned in the nyāsa of the limbs,

p5

digbandhadevatāstattvam

the principle is the deities of the bounding of the quarters,

p6

śrījagadambāprītyarthe jape viniyogaḥ

the application in recitation is for the pleasure of the holy Mother of the World.

p7

oṃ namaścaṇḍikāyai

Oṃ, homage to Caṇḍikā.

p8

mārkaṇḍeya uvāca

Mārkaṇḍeya said:

p9

oṃ

1

yadguhyaṃ paramaṃ loke sarvarakṣākaraṃ nṛṇām
yanna kasyacidākhyātaṃ tanme brūhi pitāmaha

What is the supreme secret in the world, that affords every protection to men,
which has not been told to anyone—tell me that, Grandfather.

2

brahmovāca
asti guhyatamaṃ vipra sarvabhūtopakārakam
devyāstu kavacaṃ puṇyaṃ tacchṛṇuṣva mahāmune

Brahmā said:
There is a most secret [hymn], O brahmin, that benefits all beings,
the holy armor of the Goddess; hear that, O great sage.

3

prathamaṃ śailaputrī ca dvitīyaṃ brahmacāriṇī
tṛtīyaṃ candraghaṇṭeti kūṣmāṇḍeti caturthakam

First is Śailaputrī, and second is Brahmacāriṇī;
third is Candraghaṇṭā, and Kūṣmāṇḍā is the fourth;

4

pañcamaṃ skandamāteti ṣaṣṭhaṃ kātyāyanīti ca
saptamaṃ kālarātrīti mahāgaurīti cāṣṭamam

fifth is Skandamātā, and sixth is Kātyāyanī;
seventh is Kālarātrī, and Mahāgaurī is the eighth;

5

navamaṃ siddhidātrī ca navadurgāḥ prakīrtitāḥ
uktānyetāni nāmāni brahmaṇaiva mahātmanā

and ninth is Siddhidātrī: these are renowned as the nine Durgās.
These names were declared by the great-souled Brahmā himself.

6

agninā dahyamānastu śatrumadhye gato raṇe
viṣame durgame caiva bhayārtāḥ śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ

Even when burning with fire, or trapped amid enemies in battle,
or in a dangerous and impassable place, those who, afflicted with fear, have taken refuge [in her],

7

na teṣāṃ jāyate kiṃcidaśubhaṃ raṇasaṃkaṭe
nāpadaṃ tasyapaśyāmi śokaduḥkhabhayaṃ na hi

no misfortune whatever befalls them in the crisis of battle;
I see no calamity for such a one, no grief, sorrow, or fear at all.

8

yaistu bhaktyā smṛtā nūnaṃ teṣāṃ vṛddhiḥ prajāyate
ye tvāṃ smaranti deveśi rakṣase tāṃ na saṃśayaḥ

Indeed, for those who remember [her] with devotion, prosperity arises;
those who remember you, O Ruler of the gods, you protect them without a doubt.

9

pretasaṃsthā tu cāmuṇḍā vārāhī mahiṣāsanā
atha devyāḥ kavacam
aindrī gajasamārūḍhā vaiṣṇavī garuḍāsanā

Now the armor of the Goddess:
Cāmuṇḍā sits upon a corpse, Vārāhī sits upon a buffalo,
Aindrī is mounted on an elephant, and Vaiṣṇavī sits upon Garuḍa;

10

māheśvarī vṛṣārūḍhā kaumārī śikhivāhanā
lakṣmīḥ padmāsanā devī padmahastā haripriyā

Māheśvarī rides a bull, Kaumārī has a peacock for her mount,
Lakṣmī, the Goddess beloved of Hari, sits upon a lotus with a lotus in her hand;

11

śvetarūpadharā devī īśvarī vṛṣavāhanā
brāhmī haṃsasamārūḍhā sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā

the Goddess Īśvarī, riding a bull, wears a white form,
and Brāhmī, mounted on a swan, is adorned with every ornament.

12

ityetā mātaraḥ sarvāḥ sarvayogasamanvitāḥ
nānābharaṇaśobhāḍhyā nānāratnopaśobhitāḥ

Thus all these Mothers, endowed with every yogic power,
rich in the splendour of various ornaments, adorned with various jewels,

13

dṛśyante rathamārūḍhā devyaḥ krodhasamākulāḥ
śaṅkhaṃ cakraṃ gadāṃ śaktiṃ halaṃ ca musalāyudham

are seen mounted on chariots, the goddesses overcome with wrath,
[wielding] the conch, the discus, the mace, the spear, the plough, and the pestle as a weapon,

14

kheṭakaṃ tomaraṃ caiva paraśuṃ pāśameva ca
kuntāyudhaṃ triśūlaṃ ca śārṅgamāyudhamuttamam

the shield and the javelin, the axe and the noose,
the lance-weapon, the trident, and the excellent bow Śārṅga;

15

daityānāṃ dehanāśāya bhaktānāmabhayāya ca
dhārayantyāyudhānītthaṃ devānāṃ ca hitāya vai

for destroying the bodies of the daityas, and for the fearlessness of devotees,
and indeed for the welfare of the gods, they bear these weapons.

16

namaste'stu mahāraudre mahāghoraparākrame
mahābale mahotsāhe mahābhayavināśini

Homage be to you, O greatly terrifying one, O you of exceedingly dreadful prowess,
O greatly powerful one, O you of great zeal, O destroyer of great fear!

17

trāhi māṃ devi duṣprekṣye śatrūṇāṃ bhayavardhini
prācyāṃ rakṣatu māmaindrī āgneyyāmagnidevatā

Protect me, O Goddess, difficult to gaze upon, increaser of the dread of foes!
May Aindrī protect me in the east, and the fire-deity in the south-east;

18

dakṣiṇe'vatu vārāhī nairṛtyāṃ khaḍgadhāriṇī
pratīcyāṃ vāruṇī rakṣed vāyavyāṃ mṛgavāhinī

may Vārāhī guard in the south, and the sword-bearer in the south-west;
may Vāruṇī protect in the west, and she who rides a deer in the north-west;

19

udīcyāṃ pātu kaumārī aiśānyāṃ śūladhāriṇī
ūrdhvaṃ brahmāṇi me rakṣedadhastād vaiṣṇavī tathā

may Kaumārī guard in the north, and the trident-bearer in the north-east;
may Brahmāṇī protect me above, and likewise Vaiṣṇavī below.

20

evaṃ daśa diśo rakṣeccāmuṇḍā śavavāhanā
jayā me cāgrataḥ pātu vijayā pātu pṛṣṭhataḥ

Thus may Cāmuṇḍā, whose mount is a corpse, protect the ten directions.
May Jayā protect me in front, and may Vijayā protect me behind;

21

ajitā vāmapārśve tu dakṣiṇe cāparājitā
śikhāmudyotinī rakṣedumā mūrdhni vyavasthitā

Ajitā on the left side, and Aparājitā on the right.
May Udyotinī protect the topknot, and Umā, stationed on the crown of the head,

22

mālādharī lalāṭe ca bhruvau rakṣed yaśasvinī
trinetrā ca bhruvormadhye yamaghaṇṭā ca nāsike

Mālādharī on the forehead, and the renowned [goddess] protect the eyebrows;
and Trinetrā between the eyebrows, and Yamaghaṇṭā the nostrils;

23

śaṅkhinī cakṣuṣormadhye śrotrayordvāravāsinī
kapolau kālikā rakṣetkarṇamūle tu śāṃkarī

Śaṅkhinī between the eyes, Dvāravāsinī the ears;
may Kālikā protect the cheeks, and Śāṅkarī the roots of the ears;

24

nāsikāyāṃ sugandhā ca uttaroṣṭhe ca carcikā
adhare cāmṛtakalā jihvāyāṃ ca sarasvatī

Sugandhā in the nose, and Carcikā on the upper lip;
Amṛtakalā on the lower lip, and Sarasvatī on the tongue.

25

dantān rakṣatu kaumārī kaṇṭhadeśe tu caṇḍikā
ghaṇṭikāṃ citraghaṇṭā ca mahāmāyā ca tāluke

May Kaumārī protect the teeth, and Caṇḍikā in the region of the throat;
Citraghaṇṭā the uvula, and Mahāmāyā the palate.

26

kāmākṣī cibukaṃ rakṣed vācaṃ me sarvamaṅgalā
grīvāyāṃ bhadrakālī ca pṛṣṭhavaṃśe dhanurdharī

May Kāmākṣī protect the chin, and Sarvamaṅgalā my speech;
Bhadrakālī on the neck, and Dhanurdharī on the spine;

27

nīlagrīvā bahiḥkaṇṭhe nalikāṃ nalakūbarī
skandhayoḥ khaḍginī rakṣed bāhū me vajradhāriṇī

Nīlagrīvā on the outer throat, Nalakūbarī the windpipe;
may Khaḍginī protect the shoulders, and the vajra-bearer my arms;

28

hastayordaṇḍinī rakṣedambikā cāṅgulīṣu ca
nakhāñchūleśvarī rakṣetkukṣau rakṣetkuleśvarī

may Daṇḍinī protect the hands, and Ambikā the fingers;
may Śūleśvarī protect the nails, and Kuleśvarī the abdomen;

29

stanau rakṣenmahādevī manaḥ śokavināśinī
hṛdaye lalitā devī udare śūladhāriṇī

may Mahādevī protect the breasts, and Śokavināśinī the mind;
Lalitā Devī in the heart, the trident-bearer in the belly;

30

nābhau ca kāminī rakṣed guhyaṃ guhyeśvarī tathā
pūtanā kāmikā meḍhṃ gude mahiṣavāhinī

and may Kāminī protect the navel, and likewise Guhyeśvarī the secret parts;
Pūtanā Kāmikā the penis, and the buffalo-rider the anus;

31

kaṭyāṃ bhagavatī rakṣejjānunī vindhyavāsinī
jaṅghe mahābalā rakṣetsarvakāmapradāyinī

may Bhagavatī protect the waist, and Vindhyavāsinī the knees;
may the greatly powerful bestower of all desires protect the shanks;

32

gulphayornārasiṃhī ca pādapṛṣṭhe tu taijasī
pādāṅgulīṣu śrī rakṣetpādādhastalavāsinī

Nārasiṃhī the ankles, and Taijasī the instep;
may Śrī protect the toes, and she who dwells beneath the soles the bottoms of the feet;

33

nakhān daṃṣṭrākarālī ca keśāṃścaivordhvakeśinī
romakūpeṣu kauberī tvacaṃ vāgīśvarī tathā

Daṃṣṭrākarālī the nails, and Urdhvakeśinī the hair;
Kauberī the pores of the skin, and Vāgīśvarī the skin;

34

raktamajjāvasāmāṃsānyasthimedāṃsi pārvatī
antrāṇi kālarātriśca pittaṃ ca mukuṭeśvarī

Pārvatī [protect] the blood, marrow, fat, flesh, bones, and adipose tissue;
Kālarātrī the intestines, and Mukuṭeśvarī the bile;

35

padmāvatī padmakośe kaphe cūḍāmaṇistathā
jvālāmukhī nakhajvālāmabhedyā sarvasaṃdhiṣu

Padmāvatī in the lotus of the heart, and Cūḍāmaṇi in the phlegm;
Jvālāmukhī the brilliance of the nails, and Abhedyā in all the joints.

36

śukraṃ brahmāṇī me rakṣecchāyāṃ chatreśvarī tathā
ahaṃkāraṃ mano buddhiṃ rakṣenme dharmadhāriṇī

May Brahmāṇī protect my semen, and Chatreśvarī my shadow;
may Dharmadhāriṇī protect my ego, mind, and intellect;

37

prāṇāpānau tathā vyānamudānaṃ ca samānakam
vajrahastā ca me rakṣetprāṇaṃ kalyāṇaśobhanā

the prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna, and samāna breaths—
may she with the vajra in hand protect them, and Kalyāṇaśobhanā protect my life-breath;

38

rase rūpe ca gandhe ca śabde sparśe ca yoginī
sattvaṃ rajastamaścaiva rakṣennārāyaṇī sadā

Yoginī in taste, form, smell, sound, and touch;
may Nārāyaṇī always protect sattva, rajas, and tamas.

39

āyū rakṣatu vārāhī dharmaṃ rakṣatu vaiṣṇavī
yaśaḥ kīrtiṃ ca lakṣmīṃ ca dhanaṃ vidyāñca cakriṇī

May Vārāhī protect longevity, may Vaiṣṇavī protect righteousness,
and may Cakriṇī protect fame, renown, fortune, wealth, and learning.

40

gotramindrāṇī me rakṣetpaśūnme rakṣa caṇḍike
putrān rakṣenmahālakṣmīrbhāryāṃ rakṣatu bhairavī

May Indrāṇī protect my lineage; protect my cattle, O Caṇḍikā;
may Mahālakṣmī protect my sons, and Bhairavī protect my wife.

41

panthānaṃ supathā rakṣenmārgaṃ kṣemakarī tathā
rājadvāre mahālakṣmīrvijayā sarvataḥ sthitā

May Supathā protect the way, and Kṣemakarī the path;
Mahālakṣmī at the king’s gate, and Vijayā standing everywhere.

42

rakṣāhīnaṃ tu yatsthānaṃ varjitaṃ kavacena tu
tatsarvaṃ rakṣa me devi jayantī pāpanāśinī

Whatever place is devoid of protection and omitted by the armor,
protect all that for me, O Goddess Jayantī, destroyer of sins!

43

padamekaṃ na gacchettu yadīcchecchubhamātmanaḥ
kavacenāvṛto nityaṃ yatra yatraiva gacchati

One should not take a single step if one desires one's own welfare;
covered always by the armor, wherever indeed one goes,

44

tatra tatrārthalābhaśca vijayaḥ sārvakāmikaḥ
yaṃ yaṃ cintayate kāmaṃ taṃ taṃ prāpnoti niścitam
paramaiśvaryamatulaṃ prāpsyate bhūtale pumān

there and then there is gain of wealth and victory fulfilling every desire;
whatever wish one contemplates, that one attains for certain;
a man will attain supreme and incomparable sovereignty on earth.

45

nirbhayo jāyate martyaḥ saṃgrāmeṣvaparājitaḥ
trailokye tu bhavetpūjyaḥ kavacenāvṛtaḥ pumān

A mortal becomes fearless, undefeated in battles;
covered with the armor, a man becomes worthy of worship in the three worlds.

46

idaṃ tu devyāḥ kavacaṃ devānāmapi durlabham
yaḥpaṭhetprayato nityaṃ trisandhyaṃ śraddhayānvitaḥ

This armor of the Goddess is difficult to obtain even for the gods;
whoever, being restrained, recites it daily at the three junctures of the day, endowed with faith,

47

daivī kalā bhavettasya trailokyeṣvaparājitaḥ
jīved varṣaśataṃ sāgramapamṛtyuvivarjitaḥ

a divine portion comes to him, and he is undefeated in the three worlds;
he lives a full hundred years, free from untimely death.

48

naśyanti vyādhayaḥ sarve lūtāvisphoṭakādayaḥ
sthāvaraṃ jaṅgamaṃ caiva kṛtrimaṃ cāpi yadviṣam

All illnesses perish, such as spider-bites and eruptions,
and whatever poison there is, stationary, moving, or artificial.

49

abhicārāṇi sarvāṇi mantrayantrāṇi bhūtale
bhūcarāḥ khecarāścaiva jalajāścopadeśikāḥ

All malevolent sorceries, mantras and yantras on the earth, / and [beings] moving on earth, flying in the sky, born in water, or communicating instructions;

50

sahajā kulajā mālā ḍākinī śākinī tathā
antarikṣacarā ghorā ḍākinyaśca mahābalāḥ

The Sahajā, Kulajā, Mālā, Ḍākinīs, and likewise Śākinīs, / and the dreadful, immensely powerful Ḍākinīs roaming in the atmosphere;

51

grahabhūtapiśācāśca yakṣagandharvarākṣasāḥ
brahmarākṣasavetālāḥ kūṣmāṇḍā bhairavādayaḥ

Grahapossessors, bhūtas, piśācas, yakṣas, gandharvas, rākṣasas, / brahmarākṣasas, vetālas, kūṣmāṇḍas, bhairavas, and others—

52

naśyanti darśanāttasya kavace hṛdi saṃsthite
mānonnatirbhaved rājñastejovṛddhikaraṃ param

They perish merely at the sight of him when the kavaca is established in his heart. / From the king there is elevation of honor; it brings the supreme increase of splendor.

53

yaśasā vardhate so'pi kīrtimaṇḍitabhūtale
japetsaptaśatīṃ caṇḍīṃ kṛtvā tu kavacaṃ purā

He also increases in renown upon the earth adorned with fame. / One should recite the Caṇḍī Saptaśatī having first performed the kavaca.

54

yāvadbhūmaṇḍalaṃ dhatte saśailavanakānanam
tāvattiṣṭhati medinyāṃ saṃtatiḥ putrapautrikī

As long as the circle of the earth bears mountains, woods, and forests, / so long does his lineage of sons and grandsons endure upon the earth.

55

dehānte paramaṃ sthānaṃ yatsurairapi durlabham
prāpnoti puruṣo nityaṃ mahāmāyāprasādataḥ

At the end of the body, a person eternally attains the supreme abode, / which is difficult even for the gods to reach, through the grace of Mahāmāyā.

56

labhate paramaṃ rūpaṃ śivena saha modate

He obtains the supreme form, and rejoices together with Śiva.

56.p1

iti devyāḥ kavacam
oṃ

Thus [ends] the Armor of the Goddess.