Gayatri Kavacham
Gayatri Kavacham
gAyatrI kavacam
nArada uvAca
svAmin sarvajagannAdha saMzayo'sti mama prabho
catuSaSTi kalAbhijJa pAtakA dyogavidvara
mucyate kena puNyena brahmarUpaH kathaM bhavet
dehazca devatArUpo mantra rUpo vizeSataH
karmata cchrotu micchAmi nyAsaM ca vidhipUrvakam
RSi zchando'dhi daivaJca dhyAnaM ca vidhiva tprabho
nArAyaNa uvAca
asytekaM paramaM guhyaM gAyatrI kavacaM tathA
paThanA ddhAraNA nmartya ssarvapApaiH pramucyate
sarvAGkAmAnavApnoti devI rUpazca jAyate
gAyattrI kavacasyAsya brahmaviSNumahezvarAH
RSayo RgyajussAmAtharva cchandAMsi nArada
brahmarUpA devatoktA gAyatrI paramA kalA
tadbIjaM bharga ityeSA zakti ruktA manISibhiH
kIlakaJca dhiyaH proktaM mokSArdhe viniyojanam
caturbhirhRdayaM proktaM tribhi rvarNai zzira ssmRtam
caturbhissyAcchikhA pazcAttribhistu kavacaM ssmutam
caturbhi rnetra muddhiSTaM caturbhissyAttadasrtakam
atha dhyAnaM pravakSyAmi sAdhakAbhISTadAyakam
muktA vidruma hemanIla dhavala cchAyairmukhai strIkSaNaiH
yuktAmindu nibaddha ratna makuTAM tatvArdha varNAtmikAm |
gAyattrIM varadAbhayAM kuzakazAzzubhraM kapAlaM gadAM
zaGkhaM cakra mathAravinda yugalaM hastairvahantIM bhaje ||
gAyattrI pUrvataH pAtu sAvitrI pAtu dakSiNe
brahma sandhyAtu me pazcAduttarAyAM sarasvatI
pArvatI me dizaM rAkSe tpAvakIM jalazAyinI
yAtUdhAnIM dizaM rakSe dyAtudhAnabhayaGkarI
pAvamAnIM dizaM rakSetpavamAna vilAsinI
dizaM raudrIJca me pAtu rudrANI rudra rUpiNI
UrdhvaM brahmANI me rakSe dadhastA dvaiSNavI tathA
evaM daza dizo rakSe tsarvAGgaM bhuvanezvarI
tatpadaM pAtu me pAdau jaGghe me savituHpadam
vareNyaM kaTi dezetu nAbhiM bharga stathaivaca
devasya me taddhRdayaM dhImahIti ca gallayoH
dhiyaH padaM ca me netre yaH padaM me lalATakam
naH padaM pAtu me mUrdhni zikhAyAM me pracodayAt
tatpadaM pAtu mUrdhAnaM sakAraH pAtu phAlakam
cakSuSItu vikArArNo tukArastu kapolayoH
nAsApuTaM vakArArNo rakArastu mukhe tathA
NikAra Urdhva moSThantu yakArastvadharoSThakam
Asyamadhye bhakArArNo gokAra zcubuke tathA
dekAraH kaNTha dezetu vakAra sskandha dezakam
syakAro dakSiNaM hastaM dhIkAro vAma hastakam
makAro hRdayaM rakSeddhikAra udare tathA
dhikAro nAbhi dezetu yokArastu kaTiM tathA
guhyaM rakSatu yokAra UrU dvau naH padAkSaram
prakAro jAnunI rakSe cchokAro jaGgha dezakam
dakAraM gulpha dezetu yAkAraH padayugmakam
takAra vyaJjanaM caiva sarvAGge me sadAvatu
idantu kavacaM divyaM bAdhA zata vinAzanam
catuSSaSTi kalA vidyAdAyakaM mokSakArakam
mucyate sarva pApebhyaH paraM brahmAdhigacchati
paThanA cchravaNA dvApi go sahasra phalaM labhet
zrI devIbhAgavatAntargata gAyattrI kavacaM sampUrNaM
About This Stotram
Overview
The Gayatri Kavacham is a Sanskrit protective hymn dedicated to Goddess Gayatri, the personification of the Gayatri Mantra and the essence of the Vedas in Hindu tradition. Presented as a dialogue between Narada and Narayana, the text belongs to the kavacham genre, which invokes divine protection against physical, mental, and spiritual dangers. It is associated with Puranic literature, likely the Narada Purana or a related Vaishnava source.
What are the benefits of chanting Gayatri Kavacham?
- Protection from sins and negative karma
- Spiritual purification and clarity
- Liberation from worldly suffering
- Divine protection through Gayatri's armor (kavacham)
When is the best time to recite this?
Morning and evening are the traditional times, particularly during Brahma Muhurta. It is also recited before important tasks, during periods of spiritual seeking, and as part of Gayatri upasana (worship) practice.
What is the historical and traditional background?
Kavacham texts are a major genre in Puranic and Tantric devotional literature. The dialogue format between Narada and Narayana is a standard literary device in Vaishnava Puranas such as the Narada Purana. The Gayatri Kavacham fits within this framework, with Narada asking about the secret (paramam guhyam) of the Gayatri Mantra and Narayana providing the kavacham as a response. The authorship is unknown, and the composition date falls within the Puranic era. The kavacham genre for various deities gained currency particularly during the medieval period.
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
- Ganesha Kavacham — a kavacham from the same genre dedicated to Lord Ganesha
- Gayatri Ashtottara Sata Namavali — the 108-name list used alongside this kavacham in Gayatri worship