The Nārāyaṇa-kavaca Shield

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto 6: Prescribed Duties for Mankind.

Chapter 8: The Nārāyaṇa-kavaca Shield.

Text 1 - Text 37

Text 1-2

śrī-rājovāca

yayā guptaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ

savāhān ripu-sainikān

krīḍann iva vinirjitya

tri-lokyā bubhuje śriyam

bhagavaṁs tan mamākhyāhi

 varma nārāyaṇātmakam

yathātatāyinaḥ śatrūn

 yena gupto ’jayan mṛdhe

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.

Text 3

śrī-bādarāyaṇir uvāca

vṛtaḥ purohitas tvāṣṭro

mahendrāyānupṛcchate

nārāyaṇākhyaṁ varmāha

tad ihaika-manāḥ śṛṇu

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.

Text 4-6

śrī-viśvarūpa uvāca

dhautāṅghri-pāṇir ācamya

sapavitra udaṅ-mukhaḥ

kṛta-svāṅga-kara-nyāso

mantrābhyāṁ vāg-yataḥ śuciḥ

nārāyaṇa-paraṁ varma

 sannahyed bhaya āgate

pādayor jānunor ūrvor

 udare hṛdy athorasi

mukhe śirasy ānupūrvyād

oṁkārādīni vinyaset

oṁ namo nārāyaṇāyeti

viparyayam athāpi vā

Viśvarūpa said: If some form of fear arrives, one should first wash his hands and legs clean and then perform ācamana by chanting this mantra: om apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthāṁ gato ’pi vā/ yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ sa bahyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ/ śrī-viṣṇu śrī-viṣṇu śrī-viṣṇu. Then one should touch kuśa grass and sit gravely and silently, facing north. When completely purified, one should touch the mantra composed of eight syllables to the eight parts of his body and touch the mantra composed of twelve syllables to his hands. Thus, in the following manner, he should bind himself with the Nārāyaṇa coat of armor. First, while chanting the mantra composed of eight syllables [oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya], beginning with the praṇava, the syllable om, one should touch his hands to eight parts of his body, starting with the two feet and progressing systematically to the knees, thighs, abdomen, heart, chest, mouth and head. Then one should chant the mantra in reverse, beginning from the last syllable [ya], while touching the parts of his body in the reverse order. These two processes are known as utpatti-nyāsa and saṁhāra-nyāsa respectively.

Text 7

kara-nyāsaṁ tataḥ kuryād

dvādaśākṣara-vidyayā

praṇavādi-ya-kārāntam

aṅguly-aṅguṣṭha-parvasu

Then one should chant the mantra composed of twelve syllables [oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya]. Preceding each syllable by the oṁkāra, one should place the syllables of the mantra on the tips of his fingers, beginning with the index finger of the right hand and concluding with the index finger of the left. The four remaining syllables should be placed on the joints of the thumbs.

Text 8-10

nyased dhṛdaya oṁkāraṁ

vi-kāram anu mūrdhani

ṣa-kāraṁ tu bhruvor madhye

ṇa-kāraṁ śikhayā nyaset

ve-kāraṁ netrayor yuñjyān

 na-kāraṁ sarva-sandhiṣu

ma-kāram astram uddiśya

 mantra-mūrtir bhaved budhaḥ

savisargaṁ phaḍ-antaṁ tat

sarva-dikṣu vinirdiśet

oṁ viṣṇave nama iti

One must then chant the mantra of six syllables [oṁ viṣṇave namaḥ]. One should place the syllable om on his heart, the syllable vi on the top of his head, the syllable sa between his eyebrows, the syllable na on his tuft of hair [śikhā], and the syllable ve between his eyes. The chanter of the mantra should then place the syllable na on all the joints of his body and meditate on the syllable ma as being a weapon. He should thus become the perfect personification of the mantra. Thereafter, adding visarga to the final syllable ma he should chant the mantra maḥ astrāya phaṭ in all directions, beginning from the east. In this way, all directions will be bound by the protective armor of the mantra.

Text 11

ātmānaṁ paramaṁ dhyāyed

dhyeyaṁ ṣaṭ-śaktibhir yutam

vidyā-tejas-tapo-mūrtim

imaṁ mantram udāharet

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.

Text 12

om harir vidadhyān mama sarva-rakṣāṁ

nyastāṅghri-padmaḥ patagendra-pṛṣṭhe

darāri-carmāsi-gadeṣu-cāpa-

pāśān dadhāno ’ṣṭa-guno ’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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Text 27-28

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

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

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

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.

Text 32-33

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

vidikṣu dikṣūrdhvam adhaḥ samantād

antar bahir bhagavān nārasiṁhaḥ

prahāpayaḻ 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.

Text 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

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

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.