oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Nārāyaṇa-kavaca The Protective Shield of Lord Nārāyaṇa

Nārāyaṇa-kavaca
(The Protective Shield of Viṣṇu Mantra)

Protective Prayer to Lord Nārāyaṇa

King Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: My lord, kindly explain the Viṣṇu mantra armor that protected King Indra and enabled him to conquer his enemies, along with their carriers, and enjoy the opulence of the three worlds. Please explain to me that Nārāyaṇa armor, by which King Indra achieved success in battle, conquering the enemies who were endeavoring to kill him. (SB/6/8/1-2)

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: King Indra, the leader of the demigods, inquired about the armor known as Nārāyaṇa-kavaca from Viśvarūpa, who was engaged by the demigods as their priest. Please hear Viśvarūpa's reply with great attention. (SB 6.8.3)

After finishing this chanting, one should think himself qualitatively one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full in six opulences and is worthy to be meditated upon. Then one should chant the following protective prayer to Lord Nārāyaṇa, the Nārāyaṇa-kavaca. (SB/6/8/11)

 

॥ श्रीनारायण कवचम् ॥
|| Śrī Nārāyaṇa-kavacam ||

(The mystic armor of Nārāyaṇa)
The Protective Shield of Viṣṇu Mantra

Spoken by priest Viśvarūpa to king Indra
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.8.12-34)

narayana-kavaca.mp3 


TEXT 12

ॐ हरिर्विदध्यान्मम सर्वरक्षां न्यस्ताङ्घ्रिपद्मः पतगेन्द्रपृष्ठे।
दरारिचर्मासिगदेषुचापाशान् दधानोस्ष्टगुणोस्ष्टबाहुः ॥१२॥

oṁ harir vidadhyān mama sarva-rakṣāṁ
nyastāṅghri-padmaḥ patagendra-pṛṣṭhe
darāri-carmāsi-gadeṣu-cāpa-
pāśān dadhāno ’ṣṭa-guṇo ’ṣṭa-bāhuḥ

The Supreme Lord, who sits on the back of the bird Garuḍa, touching him with His lotus feet, holds eight weapons—the conchshell, disc, shield, sword, club, arrows, bow and ropes. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead protect me at all times with His eight arms. He is all-powerful because He fully possesses the eight mystic powers [aṇimā, laghimā, etc.].

TEXT 13
जलेषु मां रक्षतु मत्स्यमूर्तिर्यादोगणेभ्यो वरूणस्य पाशात्।
स्थलेषु मायावटुवामनोस्व्यात् त्रिविक्रमः खेऽवतु विश्वरूपः ॥13॥

jaleṣu māṁ rakṣatu matsya-mūrtir
yādo-gaṇebhyo varuṇasya pāśāt
sthaleṣu māyāvaṭu-vāmano ’vyāt
trivikramaḥ khe ’vatu viśvarūpaḥ

May the Lord, who assumes the body of a great fish, protect me in the water from the fierce animals that are associates of the demigod Varuṇa. By expanding His illusory energy, the Lord assumed the form of the dwarf Vāmana. May Vāmana protect me on the land. Since the gigantic form of the Lord, Viśvarūpa, conquers the three worlds, may He protect me in the sky.

TEXT 14
दुर्गेष्वटव्याजिमुखादिषु प्रभुः पायान्नृसिंहोऽसुरयुथपारिः।
विमुञ्चतो यस्य महाट्टहासं दिशो विनेदुर्न्यपतंश्च गर्भाः ॥14॥

durgeṣv aṭavy-āji-mukhādiṣu prabhuḥ
pāyān nṛsiṁho ’sura-yūthapāriḥ
vimuñcato yasya mahāṭṭa-hāsaṁ
diśo vinedur nyapataṁś ca garbhāḥ

May Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, who appeared as the enemy of Hiraṇyakaśipu, protect me in all directions. His loud laughing vibrated in all directions and caused the pregnant wives of the asuras to have miscarriages. May that Lord be kind enough to protect me in difficult places like the forest and battlefront.

TEXT 15
रक्षत्वसौ माध्वनि यज्ञकल्पः स्वदंष्ट्रयोन्नीतधरो वराहः।
रामोऽद्रिकूटेष्वथ विप्रवासे सलक्ष्मणोस्व्याद् भरताग्रजोस्स्मान् ॥15॥

rakṣatv asau mādhvani yajña-kalpaḥ
sva-daṁṣṭrayonnīta-dharo varāhaḥ
rāmo ’dri-kūṭeṣv atha vipravāse
salakṣmaṇo ’vyād bharatāgrajo ’smān

The Supreme indestructible Lord is ascertained through the performance of ritualistic sacrifices and is therefore known as Yajñeśvara. In His incarnation as Lord Boar, He raised the planet earth from the water at the bottom of the universe and kept it on His pointed tusks. May that Lord protect me from rogues on the street. May Paraśurāma protect me on the tops of mountains, and may the elder brother of Bharata, Lord Rāmacandra, along with His brother Lakṣmaṇa, protect me in foreign countries.

TEXT 16
मामुग्रधर्मादखिलात् प्रमादान्नारायणः पातु नरश्च हासात्।
दत्तस्त्वयोगादथ योगनाथः पायाद् गुणेशः कपिलः कर्मबन्धात् ॥16॥

mām ugra-dharmād akhilāt pramādān
nārāyaṇaḥ pātu naraś ca hāsāt
dattas tv ayogād atha yoga-nāthaḥ
pāyād guṇeśaḥ kapilaḥ karma-bandhāt

May Lord Nārāyaṇa protect me from unnecessarily following false religious systems and falling from my duties due to madness. May the Lord in His appearance as Nara protect me from unnecessary pride. May Lord Dattātreya, the master of all mystic power, protect me from falling while performing bhakti-yoga, and may Lord Kapila, the master of all good qualities, protect me from the material bondage of fruitive activities.

TEXT 17
सनत्कुमारो वतु कामदेवाद्धयशीर्षा मां पथि देवहेलनात्।
देवर्षिवर्यः पुरूषार्चनान्तरात् कूर्मो हरिर्मां निरयादशेषात् ॥17॥

sanat-kumāro ’vatu kāmadevād
dhayaśīrṣā māṁ pathi deva-helanāt
devarṣi-varyaḥ puruṣārcanāntarāt
kūrmo harir māṁ nirayād aśeṣāt

May Sanat-kumāra protect me from lusty desires. As I begin some auspicious activity, may Lord Hayagrīva protect me from being an offender by neglecting to offer respectful obeisances to the Supreme Lord. May Devarṣi Nārada protect me from committing offenses in worshiping the Deity, and may Lord Kūrma, the tortoise, protect me from falling to the unlimited hellish planets.

TEXT 18
धन्वन्तरिर्भगवान् पात्वपथ्याद् द्वन्द्वाद् भयादृषभो निर्जितात्मा।
यज्ञश्च लोकादवताज्जनान्ताद् बलो गणात् क्रोधवशादहीन्द्रः ॥18॥

dhanvantarir bhagavān pātv apathyād
dvandvād bhayād ṛṣabho nirjitātmā
yajñaś ca lokād avatāj janāntād
balo gaṇāt krodha-vaśād ahīndraḥ

May the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as Dhanvantari relieve me from undesirable eatables and protect me from physical illness. May Lord Ṛṣabhadeva, who conquered His inner and outer senses, protect me from fear produced by the duality of heat and cold. May Yajña protect me from defamation and harm from the populace, and may Lord Balarāma as Śeṣa protect me from envious serpents.

TEXT 19
द्वैपायनो भगवानप्रबोधाद् बुद्धस्तु पाखण्डगणात् प्रमादात्।
कल्किः कले कालमलात् प्रपातु धर्मावनायोरूकृतावतारः ॥19॥

dvaipāyano bhagavān aprabodhād
buddhas tu pāṣaṇḍa-gaṇa-pramādāt
kalkiḥ kaleḥ kāla-malāt prapātu
dharmāvanāyoru-kṛtāvatāraḥ

May the Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as Vyāsadeva protect me from all kinds of ignorance resulting from the absence of Vedic knowledge. May Lord Buddhadeva protect me from activities opposed to Vedic principles and from laziness that causes one to madly forget the Vedic principles of knowledge and ritualistic action. May Kalkideva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appeared as an incarnation to protect religious principles, protect me from the dirt of the age of Kali.

TEXT 20
मां केशवो गदया प्रातरव्याद् गोविन्द आसङ्गवमात्तवेणुः।
नारायण प्राह्ण उदात्तशक्तिर्मध्यन्दिने विष्णुररीन्द्रपाणिः ॥20॥

māṁ keśavo gadayā prātar avyād
govinda āsaṅgavam ātta-veṇuḥ
nārāyaṇaḥ prāhṇa udātta-śaktir
madhyan-dine viṣṇur arīndra-pāṇiḥ

May Lord Keśava protect me with His club in the first portion of the day, and may Govinda, who is always engaged in playing His flute, protect me in the second portion of the day. May Lord Nārāyaṇa, who is equipped with all potencies, protect me in the third part of the day, and may Lord Viṣṇu, who carries a disc to kill His enemies, protect me in the fourth part of the day.

TEXT 21
देवोस्पराह्णे मधुहोग्रधन्वा सायं त्रिधामावतु माधवो माम्।
दोषे हृषीकेश उतार्धरात्रे निशीथ एकोस्वतु पद्मनाभः ॥21॥

devo ’parāhṇe madhu-hogradhanvā
sāyaṁ tri-dhāmāvatu mādhavo mām
doṣe hṛṣīkeśa utārdha-rātre
niśītha eko ’vatu padmanābhaḥ

May Lord Madhusūdana, who carries a bow very fearful for the demons, protect me during the fifth part of the day. In the evening, may Lord Mādhava, appearing as Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara, protect me, and in the beginning of night may Lord Hṛṣīkeśa protect me. At the dead of night [in the second and third parts of night] may Lord Padmanābha alone protect me.

TEXT 22
श्रीवत्सधामापररात्र ईशः प्रत्यूष ईशोऽसिधरो जनार्दनः।
दामोदरोऽव्यादनुसन्ध्यं प्रभाते विश्वेश्वरो भगवान् कालमूर्तिः ॥22॥

śrīvatsa-dhāmāpara-rātra īśaḥ
pratyūṣa īśo ’si-dharo janārdanaḥ
dāmodaro ’vyād anusandhyaṁ prabhāte
viśveśvaro bhagavān kāla-mūrtiḥ

May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who bears the Śrīvatsa on His chest, protect me after midnight until the sky becomes pinkish. May Lord Janārdana, who carries a sword in His hand, protect me at the end of night [during the last four ghaṭikās of night]. May Lord Dāmodara protect me in the early morning, and may Lord Viśveśvara protect me during the junctions of day and night.

TEXT 23
चक्रं युगान्तानलतिग्मनेमि भ्रमत् समन्ताद् भगवत्प्रयुक्तम्।
दन्दग्धि दन्दग्ध्यरिसैन्यमासु कक्षं यथा वातसखो हुताशः ॥23॥

cakraṁ yugāntānala-tigma-nemi
bhramat samantād bhagavat-prayuktam
dandagdhi dandagdhy ari-sainyam āśu
kakṣaṁ yathā vāta-sakho hutāśaḥ

Set into motion by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and wandering in all the four directions, the disc of the Supreme Lord has sharp edges as destructive as the fire of devastation at the end of the millennium. As a blazing fire burns dry grass to ashes with the assistance of the breeze, may that Sudarśana cakra burn our enemies to ashes.

TEXT 24
गदेऽशनिस्पर्शनविस्फुलिङ्गे निष्पिण्ढि निष्पिण्ढ्यजितप्रियासि।
कूष्माण्डवैनायकयक्षरक्षोभूतग्रहांश्चूर्णय चूर्णयारीन् ॥24॥

gade ’śani-sparśana-visphuliṅge
niṣpiṇḍhi niṣpiṇḍhy ajita-priyāsi
kuṣmāṇḍa-vaināyaka-yakṣa-rakṣo-
bhūta-grahāṁś cūrṇaya cūrṇayārīn

O club in the hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you produce sparks of fire as powerful as thunderbolts, and you are extremely dear to the Lord. I am also His servant. Therefore kindly help me pound to pieces the evil living beings known as Kuṣmāṇḍas, Vaināyakas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Bhūtas and Grahas. Please pulverize them.

TEXT 25
त्वं यातुधानप्रमथप्रेतमातृपिशाचविप्रग्रहघोरदृष्टीन्।
दरेन्द्र विद्रावय कृष्णपूरितो भीमस्वनोऽरेर्हृदयानि कम्पयन् ॥25॥

tvaṁ yātudhāna-pramatha-preta-mātṛ-
piśāca-vipragraha-ghora-dṛṣṭīn
darendra vidrāvaya kṛṣṇa-pūrito
bhīma-svano ’rer hṛdayāni kampayan

O best of conchshells, O Pāñcajanya in the hands of the Lord, you are always filled with the breath of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you create a fearful sound vibration that causes trembling in the hearts of enemies like the Rākṣasas, pramatha ghosts, Pretas, Mātās, Piśācas and brāhmaṇa ghosts with fearful eyes.

TEXT 26
त्वं तिग्मधारासिवरारिसैन्यमीशप्रयुक्तो मम छिन्धि छिन्धि।
चर्मञ्छतचन्द्र छादय द्विषामघोनां हर पापचक्षुषाम् ॥26॥

tvaṁ tigma-dhārāsi-varāri-sainyam
īśa-prayukto mama chindhi chindhi
cakṣūṁṣi carmañ chata-candra chādaya
dviṣām aghonāṁ hara pāpa-cakṣuṣām

O king of sharp-edged swords, you are engaged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Please cut the soldiers of my enemies to pieces. Please cut them to pieces! O shield marked with a hundred brilliant moonlike circles, please cover the eyes of the sinful enemies. Pluck out their sinful eyes.

TEXTS 27–28
यन्नो भयं ग्रहेभ्यो भूत् केतुभ्यो नृभ्य एव च।
सरीसृपेभ्यो दंष्ट्रिभ्यो भूतेभ्योंऽहोभ्य एव वा ॥27॥
सर्वाण्येतानि भगन्नामरूपास्त्रकीर्तनात्।
प्रयान्तु सङ्क्षयं सद्यो ये नः श्रेयः प्रतीपकाः ॥28॥

yan no bhayaṁ grahebhyo ’bhūt
ketubhyo nṛbhya eva ca
sarīsṛpebhyo daṁṣṭribhyo
bhūtebhyo ’ṁhobhya eva ca

sarvāṇy etāni bhagavan-
nāma-rūpānukīrtanāt
prayāntu saṅkṣayaṁ sadyo
ye naḥ śreyaḥ-pratīpakāḥ

May the glorification of the transcendental name, form, qualities and paraphernalia of the Supreme Personality of Godhead protect us from the influence of bad planets, meteors, envious human beings, serpents, scorpions, and animals like tigers and wolves. May it protect us from ghosts and the material elements like earth, water, fire and air, and may it also protect us from lightning and our past sins. We are always afraid of these hindrances to our auspicious life. Therefore, may they all be completely destroyed by the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

TEXT 29
गरूड्क्षो भगवान् स्तोत्रस्तोभश्छन्दोमयः प्रभुः।
रक्षत्वशेषकृच्छ्रेभ्यो विष्वक्सेनः स्वनामभिः ॥29॥

garuḍo bhagavān stotra-
stobhaś chandomayaḥ prabhuḥ
rakṣatv aśeṣa-kṛcchrebhyo
viṣvaksenaḥ sva-nāmabhiḥ

Lord Garuḍa, the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, is the most worshipable lord, for he is as powerful as the Supreme Lord Himself. He is the personified Vedas and is worshiped by selected verses. May he protect us from all dangerous conditions, and may Lord Viṣvaksena, the Personality of Godhead, also protect us from all dangers by His holy names.

 

TEXT 30
सर्वापद्भ्यो हरेर्नामरूपयानायुधानि नः।
बुद्धिन्द्रियमनः प्राणान् पान्तु पार्षदभूषणाः ॥30॥

sarvāpadbhyo harer nāma-
rūpa-yānāyudhāni naḥ
buddhīndriya-manaḥ-prāṇān
pāntu pārṣada-bhūṣaṇāḥ

May the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s holy names, His transcendental forms, His carriers and all the weapons decorating Him as personal associates protect our intelligence, senses, mind and life air from all dangers.

TEXT 31
यथा हि भगवानेव वस्तुतः सद्सच्च यत्।
सत्यनानेन नः सर्वे यान्तु नाशमुपाद्रवाः ॥31॥

yathā hi bhagavān eva
vastutaḥ sad asac ca yat
satyenānena naḥ sarve
yāntu nāśam upadravāḥ

The subtle and gross cosmic manifestation is material, but nevertheless it is nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is ultimately the cause of all causes. Cause and effect are factually one because the cause is present in the effect. Therefore the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can destroy all our dangers by any of His potent parts.

TEXTS 32–33
यथैकात्म्यानुभावानां विकल्परहितः स्वयम्।
भूषणायुद्धलिङ्गाख्या धत्ते शक्तीः स्वमायया ॥32॥
तेनैव सत्यमानेन सर्वज्ञो भगवान् हरिः।
पातु सर्वैः स्वरूपैर्नः सदा सर्वत्र सर्वगः ॥33

yathaikātmyānubhāvānāṁ
vikalpa-rahitaḥ svayam
bhūṣaṇāyudha-liṅgākhyā
dhatte śaktīḥ sva-māyayā

tenaiva satya-mānena
sarva-jño bhagavān hariḥ
pātu sarvaiḥ svarūpair naḥ
sadā sarvatra sarva-gaḥ

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the living entities, the material energy, the spiritual energy and the entire creation are all individual substances. In the ultimate analysis, however, together they constitute the supreme one, the Personality of Godhead. Therefore those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge see unity in diversity. For such advanced persons, the Lord’s bodily decorations, His name, His fame, His attributes and forms and the weapons in His hand are manifestations of the strength of His potency. According to their elevated spiritual understanding, the omniscient Lord, who manifests various forms, is present everywhere. May He always protect us everywhere from all calamities.

TEXT 34
विदिक्षु दिक्षूर्ध्वमधः समन्तादन्तर्बहिर्भगवान् नारसिंहः।
प्रहापयंल्लोकभयं स्वनेन ग्रस्तसमस्ततेजाः ॥34॥

vidikṣu dikṣūrdhvam adhaḥ samantād
antar bahir bhagavān nārasiṁhaḥ
prahāpayaḹ loka-bhayaṁ svanena
sva-tejasā grasta-samasta-tejāḥ

Prahlāda Mahārāja loudly chanted the holy name of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. May Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, roaring for His devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja, protect us from all fear of dangers created by stalwart leaders in all directions through poison, weapons, water, fire, air and so on. May the Lord cover their influence by His own transcendental influence. May Nṛsiṁhadeva protect us in all directions and in all corners, above, below, within and without.

--o)0(o--

फलश्रुति
Phala-śruti
The Results of hearing/ chanting these prayers
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.8.35-42)

TEXT 35
मघवन्निदमाख्यातं वर्म नारयणात्मकम्।
विजेष्यस्यञ्जसा येन दंशितोऽसुरयूथपान् ॥35॥

maghavann idam ākhyātaṁ
varma nārāyaṇātmakam
vijeṣyase ’ñjasā yena
daṁśito ’sura-yūthapān

Viśvarūpa continued: O Indra, this mystic armor related to Lord Nārāyaṇa has been described by me to you. By putting on this protective covering, you will certainly be able to conquer the leaders of the demons.

TEXT 36
एतद् धारयमाणस्तु यं यं पश्यति चक्षुषा।
पदा वा संस्पृशेत् सद्यः साध्वसात् स विमुच्यते ॥36॥

etad dhārayamāṇas tu
yaṁ yaṁ paśyati cakṣuṣā
padā vā saṁspṛśet sadyaḥ
sādhvasāt sa vimucyate

If one employs this armor, whomever he sees with his eyes or touches with his feet is immediately freed from all the above-mentioned dangers.

TEXT 37
न कुतश्चित भयं तस्य विद्यां धारयतो भवेत्।
राजदस्युग्रहादिभ्यो व्याघ्रादिभ्यश्च कर्हिचित् ॥37॥

na kutaścid bhayaṁ tasya
vidyāṁ dhārayato bhavet
rāja-dasyu-grahādibhyo
vyādhy-ādibhyaś ca karhicit

This prayer, Nārāyaṇa-kavaca, constitutes subtle knowledge transcendentally connected with Nārāyaṇa. One who employs this prayer is never disturbed or put in danger by the government, by plunderers, by evil demons or by any type of disease.

TEXT 38
इमां विद्यां पुरा कश्चित् कौशिको धारयन् द्विजः।
योगधारणया स्वाङ्गं जहौ स मरूधन्वनि ॥38॥

imāṁ vidyāṁ purā kaścit
kauśiko dhārayan dvijaḥ
yoga-dhāraṇayā svāṅgaṁ
jahau sa maru-dhanvani

O King of heaven, a brāhmaṇa named Kauśika formerly used this armor when he purposely gave up his body in the desert by mystic power.

TEXT 41
॥श्रीशुक उवाच॥
य इदं शृणुयात् काले यो धारयति चादृतः।
तं नमस्यन्ति भूतानि मुच्यते सर्वतो भयात् ॥41॥

śrī-śuka uvāca
ya idaṁ śṛṇuyāt kāle
yo dhārayati cādṛtaḥ
taṁ namasyanti bhūtāni
mucyate sarvato bhayāt

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear Mahārāja Parīkṣit, one who employs this armor or hears about it with faith and veneration when afraid because of any conditions in the material world is immediately freed from all dangers and is worshiped by all living entities.

TEXT 42
एतां विद्यामधिगतो विश्वरूपाच्छतक्रतुः।
त्रैलोक्यलक्ष्मीं बुभुजे विनिर्जित्यऽमृधेसुरान् ॥42॥

etāṁ vidyām adhigato
viśvarūpāc chatakratuḥ
trailokya-lakṣmīṁ bubhuje
vinirjitya mṛdhe ’surān

King Indra, who performed one hundred sacrifices, received this prayer of protection from Viśvarūpa. After conquering the demons, he enjoyed all the opulences of the three worlds.

॥इति श्रीनारायणकवचं सम्पूर्णम्॥
(श्रीमद् भागवतम् ६.८.१२-३४)

|| iti śrīnārāyaṇakavacaṁ sampūrṇam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.8.12-34)

Thus ends the Hymn Śrī-Nārāyaṇa-kavacaṁ
composed in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.8.12-34

--o)0(o--

 

YouTube Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyvLp6orSrY

Audio MP3
Narayana-Kavacham1.mp3
Narayana-Kavacham2.mp3

Download PDF
narayana-kavaca.pdf