Devi Mahatmyam Devi Kavacham
Devi Mahatmyam Devi Kavacham
Devi Mahatmyam Devi Kavacham
devI mAhAtmyaM devi kavacham
OM namashchaNDikAyai
nyAsaH
asya shrI chaNDI kavachasya | brahmA RRiShiH | anuShTup ChandaH |
chAmuNDA devatA | aNganyAsokta mAtaro bIjam | navAvaraNo mantrashaktiH | digbandha devatAH tatvam | shrI jagadambA prItyarthe saptashatI pAThANgatvena jape viniyogaH ||
OM namashchaNDikAyai
mArkaNDeya uvAcha |
OM yadguhyaM paramaM loke sarvarakShAkaraM nRRiNAm |
yanna kasyachidAkhyAtaM tanme brUhi pitAmaha || 1 ||
brahmovAcha |
asti guhyatamaM vipra sarvabhUtopakArakam |
devyAstu kavachaM puNyaM tachChRRiNuShva mahAmune || 2 ||
prathamaM shailaputrI cha dvitIyaM brahmachAriNI |
tRRitIyaM chandraghaNTeti kUShmANDeti chaturthakam || 3 ||
pa~nchamaM skandamAteti ShaShThaM kAtyAyanIti cha |
saptamaM kAlarAtrIti mahAgaurIti chAShTamam || 4 ||
navamaM siddhidAtrI cha navadurgAH prakIrtitAH |
uktAnyetAni nAmAni brahmaNaiva mahAtmanA || 5 ||
agninA dahyamAnastu shatrumadhye gato raNe |
viShame durgame chaiva bhayArtAH sharaNaM gatAH || 6 ||
na teShAM jAyate kinchidashubhaM raNasaNkaTe |
nApadaM tasya pashyAmi shokaduHkhabhayaM na hi || 7 ||
yaistu bhaktyA smRRitA nUnaM teShAM vRRiddhiH prajAyate |
ye tvAM smaranti deveshi rakShase tAnnasaMshayaH || 8 ||
pretasaMsthA tu chAmuNDA vArAhI mahiShAsanA |
aindrI gajasamArUDhA vaiShNavI garuDAsanA || 9 ||
mAheshvarI vRRiShArUDhA kaumArI shikhivAhanA |
lakShmIH padmAsanA devI padmahastA haripriyA || 10 ||
shvetarUpadharA devI IshvarI vRRiShavAhanA |
brAhmI haMsasamArUDhA sarvAbharaNabhUShitA || 11 ||
ityetA mAtaraH sarvAH sarvayogasamanvitAH |
nAnAbharaNAshobhADhyA nAnAratnopashobhitAH || 12 ||
dRRishyante rathamArUDhA devyaH krodhasamAkulAH |
sha~NkhaM chakraM gadAM shaktiM halaM cha musalAyudham || 13 ||
kheTakaM tomaraM chaiva parashuM pAshameva cha |
kuntAyudhaM trishUlaM cha shAr~NgamAyudhamuttamam || 14 ||
daityAnAM dehanAshAya bhaktAnAmabhayAya cha |
dhArayantyAyudhAnItthaM devAnAM cha hitAya vai || 15 ||
namaste.astu mahAraudre mahAghoraparAkrame |
mahAbale mahotsAhe mahAbhayavinAshini || 16 ||
trAhi mAM devi duShprekShye shatrUNAM bhayavardhini |
prAchyAM rakShatu mAmaindrI AgneyyAmagnidevatA || 17 ||
dakShiNe.avatu vArAhI nairRRityAM khaDgadhAriNI |
pratIchyAM vAruNI rakShedvAyavyAM mRRigavAhinI || 18 ||
udIchyAM pAtu kaumArI aishAnyAM shUladhAriNI |
UrdhvaM brahmANI me rakShedadhastAdvaiShNavI tathA || 19 ||
evaM dasha disho rakShechchAmuNDA shavavAhanA |
jayA me chAgrataH pAtu vijayA pAtu pRRiShThataH || 20 ||
ajitA vAmapArshve tu dakShiNe chAparAjitA |
shikhAmudyotinI rakShedumA mUrdhni vyavasthitA || 21 ||
mAlAdharI lalATe cha bhruvau rakShedyashasvinI |
trinetrA cha bhruvormadhye yamaghaNTA cha nAsike || 22 ||
sha~NkhinI chakShuShormadhye shrotrayordvAravAsinI |
kapolau kAlikA rakShetkarNamUle tu shA~NkarI || 23 ||
nAsikAyAM sugandhA cha uttaroShThe cha charchikA |
adhare chAmRRitakalA jihvAyAM cha sarasvatI || 24 ||
dantAn rakShatu kaumArI kaNThadeshe tu chaNDikA |
ghaNTikAM chitraghaNTA cha mahAmAyA cha tAluke || 25 ||
kAmAkShI chibukaM rakShedvAchaM me sarvama~NgalA |
grIvAyAM bhadrakAlI cha pRRiShThavaMshe dhanurdharI || 26 ||
nIlagrIvA bahiH kaNThe nalikAM nalakUbarI |
skandhayoH khaDginI rakShedbAhU me vajradhAriNI || 27 ||
hastayordaNDinI rakShedambikA chA~NgulIShu cha |
nakhA~nChUleshvarI rakShetkukShau rakShetkuleshvarI || 28 ||
stanau rakShenmahAdevI manaHshokavinAshinI |
hRRidaye lalitA devI udare shUladhAriNI || 29 ||
nAbhau cha kAminI rakShedguhyaM guhyeshvarI tathA |
pUtanA kAmikA meDhraM gude mahiShavAhinI || 30 ||
kaTyAM bhagavatI rakShejjAnunI vindhyavAsinI |
ja~Nghe mahAbalA rakShetsarvakAmapradAyinI || 31 ||
gulphayornArasiMhI cha pAdapRRiShThe tu taijasI |
pAdA~NgulIShu shrI rakShetpAdAdhastalavAsinI || 32 ||
nakhAn daMShTrakarAlI cha keshAMshchaivordhvakeshinI |
romakUpeShu kaumArI tvachaM vAgIshvarI tathA || 33 ||
raktamajjAvasAmAMsAnyasthimedAMsi pArvatI |
antrANi kAlarAtrishcha pittaM cha mukuTeshvarI || 34 ||
padmAvatI padmakoshe kaphe chUDAmaNistathA |
jvAlAmukhI nakhajvAlAmabhedyA sarvasandhiShu || 35 ||
shukraM brahmANi! me rakShechChAyAM ChatreshvarI tathA |
aha~NkAraM mano buddhiM rakShenme dharmadhAriNI || 36 ||
prANApAnau tathA vyAnamudAnaM cha samAnakam |
vajrahastA cha me rakShetprANaM kalyANashobhanA || 37 ||
rase rUpe cha gandhe cha shabde sparshe cha yoginI |
sattvaM rajastamashchaiva rakShennArAyaNI sadA || 38 ||
AyU rakShatu vArAhI dharmaM rakShatu vaiShNavI |
yashaH kIrtiM cha lakShmIM cha dhanaM vidyAM cha chakriNI || 39 ||
gotramindrANi! me rakShetpashUnme rakSha chaNDike |
putrAn rakShenmahAlakShmIrbhAryAM rakShatu bhairavI || 40 ||
panthAnaM supathA rakShenmArgaM kShemakarI tathA |
rAjadvAre mahAlakShmIrvijayA sarvataH sthitA || 41 ||
rakShAhInaM tu yat-sthAnaM varjitaM kavachena tu |
tatsarvaM rakSha me devi! jayantI pApanAshinI || 42 ||
padamekaM na gachChettu yadIchChechChubhamAtmanaH |
kavachenAvRRito nityaM yatra yatraiva gachChati || 43 ||
tatra tatrArthalAbhashcha vijayaH sArvakAmikaH |
yaM yaM chintayate kAmaM taM taM prApnoti nishchitam || 44 ||
paramaishvaryamatulaM prApsyate bhUtale pumAn |
nirbhayo jAyate martyaH sa~NgrAmeShvaparAjitaH || 45 ||
trailokye tu bhavetpUjyaH kavachenAvRRitaH pumAn |
idaM tu devyAH kavachaM devAnAmapi durlabham || 46 ||
yaH paThetprayato nityaM trisandhyaM shraddhayAnvitaH |
daivIkalA bhavettasya trailokyeShvaparAjitaH | 47 ||
jIvedvarShashataM sAgramapamRRityuvivarjitaH |
nashyanti vyAdhayaH sarve lUtAvisphoTakAdayaH || 48 ||
sthAvaraM ja~NgamaM chaiva kRRitrimaM chaiva yadviSham |
abhichArANi sarvANi mantrayantrANi bhUtale || 49 ||
bhUcharAH khecharAshchaiva julajAshchopadeshikAH |
sahajA kulajA mAlA DAkinI shAkinI tathA || 50 ||
antarikShacharA ghorA DAkinyashcha mahAbalAH |
grahabhUtapishAchAshcha yakShagandharvarAkShasAH || 51 ||
brahmarAkShasavetAlAH kUShmANDA bhairavAdayaH |
nashyanti darshanAttasya kavache hRRidi saMsthite || 52 ||
mAnonnatirbhavedrAj~nastejovRRiddhikaraM param |
yashasA vardhate so.api kIrtimaNDitabhUtale || 53 ||
japetsaptashatIM chaNDIM kRRitvA tu kavachaM purA |
yAvadbhUmaNDalaM dhatte sashailavanakAnanam || 54 ||
tAvattiShThati medinyAM santatiH putrapautrikI |
dehAnte paramaM sthAnaM yatsurairapi durlabham || 55 ||
prApnoti puruSho nityaM mahAmAyAprasAdataH |
labhate paramaM rUpaM shivena saha modate || 56 ||
|| iti vArAhapurANe hariharabrahma virachitaM devyAH kavachaM sampUrNam ||
About This Stotram
Overview
The Devi Kavacham is a 55-verse Sanskrit protective hymn (kavacham) that forms part of the ancillary texts of the Devi Mahatmyam in the Markandeya Purana. The text enumerates the different forms of the goddess who guard each part of the devotee's body, creating a comprehensive divine armor. It is a standard component of the full Chandipatha (Devi Mahatmyam recitation) and belongs to the Shakta Puranic tradition.
What are the benefits of chanting Devi Mahatmyam Devi Kavacham?
- The kavacham explicitly assigns a form of the goddess to protect each body part, functioning as a systematic prayer for physical protection.
- Recitation before the main Saptasati text is traditional, and is held to make the overall practice more effective.
- Chanting invokes Durga's omnipresent protective aspect, covering threats from multiple directions and sources.
- The text is used as a standalone protective prayer outside of the full Chandipatha context.
- Regular recitation is associated with courage, removal of obstacles, and spiritual fortification.
When is the best time to recite this?
Morning and evening recitations during Navaratri are the most common occasions. In the full Chandipatha sequence, the Kavacham is recited alongside the Argala Stotram and Kilaka Stotram before the thirteen chapters of the Saptasati. It can also be recited independently at any time for protection.
What is the historical and traditional background?
The Devi Kavacham belongs to the Markandeya Purana and is part of the preparatory texts (angas) of the Devi Mahatmyam. The Markandeya Purana is generally dated between the 4th and 6th centuries CE. Within the text, the origin of the Kavacham is attributed to Brahma, who revealed it to the sage Markandeya. The kavacham genre, in which divine names or forms are systematically assigned to protect specific body parts, is a well-established form within both Puranic and Tantric literature. The authorship of the Devi Mahatmyam as a whole is not attributed to a single identified individual.
Available scripts
This text is available in 14 scripts: devanagari, tamil, telugu, kannada, malayalam, gujarati, bengali, iast, gurmukhi, oriya, assamese, sinhala, itrans, hk. Use the script selector above to switch between them.
Related Texts
- Devi Mahatmyam Argala Stotram — the other principal preparatory text recited before the Saptasati in the Chandipatha sequence.
- Devi Mahatmyam Durga Saptasati Chapter 1 — the first chapter of the main text that follows the preparatory stotrams.
- Lalita Sahasranama Kavacham — a related kavacham from the Sri Vidya tradition that uses a similar structure of assigning goddess names to body parts.