Śrī Balabhadra-stotra-kavaca
(The Prayer and Armor of Lord Balarāma)

Garga-saṁhitā
(Chapter 12, Text 1-11)

दुर्योधन उवाच
गोपीभ्यां कवचं दत्तं गर्गाचार्येन धीमता
सर्व-रक्षा-करं दिव्यं देहि मह्यं महा-मुने

duryodhana uvāca
gopībhyāṁ kavacaṁ dattaṁ
gargācāryena dhīmatā
sarva-rakṣā-karaṁ divyaṁ
dehi mahyaṁ mahā-mune

duryodhana uvāca—Duryodhana said; gopībhyām—to the gopīs; kavacam—the armor; dattam—given; gargācāryena—by Garga Muni; dhīmatā—intelligent; sarva-rakṣa-karam—giving all protection; divyam—transcendental; dehi—please give; mahyam—to me; mahā-mune—O great sage.

Duryodhana said: O great sage, please give me the transcendental Balarāma-kavaca, which wise Garga Muni gave to the gopīs, and which gives all protection. (8.12.1)

श्री-प्राड्विपाक उवाच
स्नात्वा जले क्षौम-धरह् कुशासनह्
पवित्र-पाणिह् कृत-मन्त्र-मर्जनह्
स्मृत्वाथ नत्वा बलम् अच्युताग्रजं
सन्धारयेद् धर्म-समाहितो भवेत्

śrī-prāḍvipāka uvāca
snātvā jale kṣauma-dharah kuśāsanah
pavitra-pāṇih kṛta-mantra-marjanah
smṛtvātha natvā balam acyutāgrajaṁ
sandhārayed dharma-samāhito bhavet

śrī-prāḍvipāka uvāca—Śrī Prāḍvipāka Muni said; snātvā—bathing; jale—in water; kṣauma-dharah—wearing clean cotton garments; kuśāsanah—sitting on a kuśa grass mat; pavitra-pāṇih—clean hands; kṛta-mantra-marjanah—purified by mantra; smṛtvā—meditating; atha—then; natvā—bowing; balam—to Lord Balarāma; acyutāgrajam—the elder brother of Lord Kṛṣṇa; sandhārayet—should meditate; dharma-samāhitah—concentrating; bhavet—should be.

Śrī Prāḍvipāka Muni said: After bathing and dressing in clean cotton garments, a person should sit on a kuśa-grass mat, purify his hands with mantras (acamana), bow down, and with fixed intelligence meditate on Lord Kṛṣṇa's elder brother, Lord Balarāma. (8.12.2)

गोलोक-धामाधिपतिह् परेश्वरह्
परेषु मां पातु पवित्र-कीर्तनः
भू-मण्डलं सर्षपवद् विलक्ष्यते
यन्-मूर्ध्नि मां पातु स भूमि-मण्डले

goloka-dhāmādhipatih pareśvarah
pareṣu māṁ pātu pavitra-kīrtanaḥ
bhū-maṇḍalaṁ sarṣapavad vilakṣyate
yan-mūrdhni māṁ pātu sa bhūmi-maṇḍale

goloka-dhāmādhipatih—the master of the realm of Goloka; pareśvarah—the supreme controller; pareṣu—among all controllers; mām—me; pātu—may protect; pavitra—pure; kīrtanah—glories; bhū-maṇḍalam—the circle of the earth; sarṣapavat—like a mustard seed; vilakṣyate—is characterized; yan-mūrdhni—on whose head; mām—me; pātu—may protect; sa—he; bhūmi-maṇḍale—in the circle of the earth.

May Lord Balarāma, who is the master of Goloka, who is the supreme controller of all controllers, and whose fame is spotless, protect me. May Lord Balarāma, who on His head holds the earth as if it were a single mustard seed, protect me in this world. (8.12.3)

सेनासु मां रक्षतु सीर-पाणिर्
युद्धे सदा रक्षतु मां हली च
दुर्गेषु चाव्यान् मुसली सदा मां
वनेषु सङ्कर्षण आदि-देवह्

senāsu māṁ rakṣatu sīra-pāṇir
yuddhe sadā rakṣatu māṁ halī ca
durgeṣu cāvyān musalī sadā māṁ
vaneṣu saṅkarṣaṇa ādi-devah

senāsu—among armies; mām—me; rakṣatu—may protect; sīra-pāṇih—who holds a plow in His hand; yuddhe—in battle; sadā—always; rakṣatu—may protect; mām—me; halī—holding a plow; ca—and; durgeṣu—in fortresses; ca—and; avyāt—may protect; musalī—holding a club; sadā—always; mām—me; vaneṣu—in forests; saṅkarṣaṇa—Lord Balarāma; ādi-devah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

May Lord Balarāma protect me when I am surrounded by many armies. May Lord Balarāma, who holds a plow, always protect me in battle. May Lord Balarāma, who holds a club, always protect me in many fortresses. May Lord Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead protect me in the forest. (8.12.4)

कलिन्दजा-वेग-हरो जलेषु
नीलाम्बरो रक्षतु मां सदाग्नौ
वायौ च रामो ऽवतु खे बलश् च
महार्णवे ऽनन्त-वपुह् सदा माम्

kalindajā-vega-haro jaleṣu
nīlāmbaro rakṣatu māṁ sadāgnau
vāyau ca rāmo 'vatu khe balaś ca
mahārṇave 'nanta-vapuh sadā mām

kalindajā—of the Yamunā; vega—the power; harah—removing; jaleṣu—in water; nīlāmbarah—dressed in blue garments; rakṣatu—may protect; mām—me; sadā—always; agnau—in fire; vāyau—in wind; ca—and; rāmah—Lord Balarāma; avatu—may protect; khe—in the sky; balah—Lord Balarāma; ca—and; mahārṇave—in the great ocean; ananta-vapuh—whose form has no end; sadā—always; mām—me.

May Lord Balarāma, who wears blue garments and who stopped the Yamunā, always protect me in fire. May Lord Balarāma protect me in the wind. May Lord Balarāma protect me in the sky. May Lord Balarāma, who is Lord Ananta Himself, always protect me in the great ocean. (8.12.5)

श्री-वासुदेवो ऽवतु पर्वतेषु
सहस्र-शीर्षा च महा-विवादे
रोगेषु मां रक्षतु रौहिणेयो
मां काम-पालो ऽवतु व विपत्सु

śrī-vāsudevo 'vatu parvateṣu
sahasra-śīrṣā ca mahā-vivāde
rogeṣu māṁ rakṣatu rauhiṇeyo
māṁ kāma-pālo 'vatu va vipatsu

śrī-vāsudevah—the son of Vasudeva; avatu—may protect; parvateṣu—in the mountains; sahasra-śīrṣā—who has a thousand heads; ca—and; mahā-vivāde—in great disputes; rogeṣu—in diseases; mām—me; rakṣatu—may protect; rauhiṇeyah—the son of Rohiṇī; mām—me; kāma-pālah—the fulfiller of desires; avatu—may protect; vā—or; vipatsu—in calamities.

May Lord Balarāma, who is Vasudeva's son, protect me on mountains. May Lord Balarāma, who has a thousand heads, protect me in great disputes. May Lord Balarāma, who is Rohiṇī's son, protect me from diseases. May Lord Balarāma, who fulfills desires, protect me from catastrophes. (8.12.6)

कामात् सदा रक्षतु धेनुकारिह्
क्रोधात् सदा मां द्विविद-प्रहारी
लोभात् सदा रक्षतु बल्वलारिर्
मोहात् सदा मां किल मागधारिह्

kāmāt sadā rakṣatu dhenukārih
krodhāt sadā māṁ dvivida-prahārī
lobhāt sadā rakṣatu balvalārir
mohāt sadā māṁ kila māgadhārih

kāmāt—from lust; sadā—always; rakṣatu—may protect; dhenukārih—the enemy of Dhenuka; krodhāt—from anger; sadā—always; mām—me; dvivida-prahārī—the killer of Dvivida; lobhāt—from greed; sadā—always; rakṣatu—may protect; balvalārih—the enemy of Balvala; mohāt—from illusion; sadā—always; mām—me; kila—indeed; māgadhārih—the enemy of Jarāsandha.

May Lord Balarāma, who is the enemy of Dhenukāsura, always protect me from lust. May Lord Balarāma, who killed Dvivida, always protect me from anger. May Lord Balarāma, who is the enemy of Balvala, always protect me from greed. May Lord Balarāma, who is the enemy of Jarāsandha, always protect me from illusion. (8.12.7)

प्रातह् सदा रक्षतु वृष्णि-धुर्यह्
प्राह्ने सदा मां मथुरा-पुरेन्द्रह्
मध्यन्दिने गोप-सखह् प्रपातु
स्वरात् पराह्ने ऽवतु मां सदैव

prātah sadā rakṣatu vṛṣṇi-dhuryah
prāhne sadā māṁ mathurā-purendrah
madhyandine gopa-sakhah prapātu
svarāt parāhne 'vatu māṁ sadaiva

prātah—at sunrise; sadā—always; rakṣatu—may protect; vṛṣṇi-dhuryah—the greatst of the Vṛṣṇis; prāhne—in the morning; sadā—always; mām—me; mathurā-purendrah—the king of Mathurā City; madhyandine—at noon; gopa-sakhah—the friend of the gopas; prapātu—may protect; svarāṭ—independent; parāhne—in the afternoon; avatu—may protect; mām—me; sadā—always; eva—indeed.

May Lord Balarāma, who is the best of the Vṛṣṇis, always protect me at sunrise. May Lord Balarāma, who is the king of Mathurā City, always protect me in the morning. May Lord Balarāma, who is the friend of the gopas, always protect me at midday. May Lord Balarāma, who is supremely independent, always protect me in the afternoon. (8.12.8)

सायं फणीन्द्रो ऽवतु मां सदैव
परात् परो रक्षतु मां प्रदोषे
पूर्णे निशीथे च दुरन्त-वीर्यह्
प्रत्यूष-काले ऽवतु मां सदैव

sāyaṁ phaṇīndro 'vatu māṁ sadaiva
parāt paro rakṣatu māṁ pradoṣe
pūrṇe niśīthe ca duranta-vīryah
pratyūṣa-kāle 'vatu māṁ sadaiva

sāyam—at sunset; phaṇīndrah—the king of serpents; avatu—may protect; mām—me; sadā—always; eva—indeed; parāt—than the greatest; parah—greater; rakṣatu—may protect; mām—me; pradoṣe—in the evening; pūrṇe—full; niśīthe—in the middle of the night; ca—and; duranta-vīryah—whose power is invicible; pratyūṣa-kāle—at the next sunrise; avatu—may protect; mām—me; sadā—always; eva—indeed.

May Lord Balarāma, who is the king of serpents, always protect me at sunset. May Lord Balarāma, who is greater than the greatest, always protect me in the evening. May Lord Balarāma, whose power is invicible, always protect me in the middle of the night. May Lord Balarāma always protect me at every sunrise. (8.12.9)

विदिक्षु मां रक्षतु रेवती-पतिर्
दीक्षु प्रलम्बारिर् अधो यदूद्वहह्
ऊर्ध्वं सदा मां बलभद्र आरात्
तथा समन्ताद् बलदेव एव हि

vidikṣu māṁ rakṣatu revatī-patir
dīkṣu pralambārir adho yadūdvahah
ūrdhvaṁ sadā māṁ balabhadra ārāt
tathā samantād baladeva eva hi

vidikṣu—in the directions; mām—me; rakṣatu—may protect; revatī-patih—the husband of Revatī; dīkṣu—in the directions; pralambārih—the enemy of Pralamba; adhah—below; yadūdvahah—the best of the Yādavas; ūrdhvam—above; sadā—alwys; mām—me; balabhadra—Balarāma; ārāt—near and far; tathā—so; samantāt—everywhere; baladeva—Lord Balarāma; eva—indeed; hi—indeed.

May Lord Balarāma, who is the master of Revatī, protect me from every direction. May Lord Balarāma, who is the enemy of Pralamba, protect me from every direction. May Lord Balarāma, who is the best of the Yādavas, protect me from below. May Lord Balarāma always protect me from above. May Lord Balarāma protect me from near and far. May Lord Balarāma protect me everywhere. (8.12.10)

अन्तह् सदाव्यात् पुरुषोत्तमो बहिर्
नागेन्द्र-लीलो ऽवतु मां महा-बलह्
सदान्तरात्मा च वसन् हरिह् स्वयं
प्रपातु पूर्णह् परमेश्वरो महान्

antah sadāvyāt puruṣottamo bahir
nāgendra-līlo 'vatu māṁ mahā-balah
sadāntarātmā ca vasan harih svayaṁ
prapātu pūrṇah parameśvaro mahān

antah—within; sadā—always; avyāt—may protect; puruṣottamah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bahih—without; nāgendra-līlah—who enjoys pastimes as the king of serpents; avatu—may protect; mām—me; mahā-balah—very powerful; sadā—always; antarātmā—within the heart; ca—and; vasan—residing; harih—Lord Hari; svayam—personally; prapātu—may protect; pūrṇah—perfect and complete; parameśvarah—the supreme controller; mahān—great.

May Lord Balarāma, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, always protect me from within. May powerful Lord Balarāma, who enjoys pastimes as the king of serpents, protect me from without. May Lord Balarāma, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul residing in everyone's heart, always protect me. (8.12.11)

 

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Lord Balarāma - Baladeva