Gayatri Kavacham
Gayatri Kavacham
Gayatri Kavacham
gAyatrI kavacham
nArada uvAcha
svAmin sarvajagannAdha saMshayo.asti mama prabho
chatuShaShTi kalAbhij~na pAtakA dyogavidvara
muchyate kena puNyena brahmarUpaH kathaM bhavet
dehashcha devatArUpo mantra rUpo visheShataH
karmata chChrotu michChAmi nyAsaM cha vidhipUrvakam
RRiShi shChando.adhi daiva~ncha dhyAnaM cha vidhiva tprabho
nArAyaNa uvAcha
asytekaM paramaM guhyaM gAyatrI kavachaM tathA
paThanA ddhAraNA nmartya ssarvapApaiH pramuchyate
sarvA~NkAmAnavApnoti devI rUpashcha jAyate
gAyattrI kavachasyAsya brahmaviShNumaheshvarAH
RRiShayo RRigyajussAmAtharva chChandAMsi nArada
brahmarUpA devatoktA gAyatrI paramA kalA
tadbIjaM bharga ityeShA shakti ruktA manIShibhiH
kIlaka~ncha dhiyaH proktaM mokShArdhe viniyojanam
chaturbhirhRRidayaM proktaM tribhi rvarNai shshira ssmRRitam
chaturbhissyAchChikhA pashchAttribhistu kavachaM ssmutam
chaturbhi rnetra muddhiShTaM chaturbhissyAttadasrtakam
atha dhyAnaM pravakShyAmi sAdhakAbhIShTadAyakam
muktA vidruma hemanIla dhavala chChAyairmukhai strIkShaNaiH
yuktAmindu nibaddha ratna makuTAM tatvArdha varNAtmikAm |
gAyattrIM varadAbhayAM kushakashAshshubhraM kapAlaM gadAM
sha~NkhaM chakra mathAravinda yugalaM hastairvahantIM bhaje ||
gAyattrI pUrvataH pAtu sAvitrI pAtu dakShiNe
brahma sandhyAtu me pashchAduttarAyAM sarasvatI
pArvatI me dishaM rAkShe tpAvakIM jalashAyinI
yAtUdhAnIM dishaM rakShe dyAtudhAnabhaya~NkarI
pAvamAnIM dishaM rakShetpavamAna vilAsinI
dishaM raudrI~ncha me pAtu rudrANI rudra rUpiNI
UrdhvaM brahmANI me rakShe dadhastA dvaiShNavI tathA
evaM dasha disho rakShe tsarvA~NgaM bhuvaneshvarI
tatpadaM pAtu me pAdau ja~Nghe me savituHpadam
vareNyaM kaTi deshetu nAbhiM bharga stathaivacha
devasya me taddhRRidayaM dhImahIti cha gallayoH
dhiyaH padaM cha me netre yaH padaM me lalATakam
naH padaM pAtu me mUrdhni shikhAyAM me prachodayAt
tatpadaM pAtu mUrdhAnaM sakAraH pAtu phAlakam
chakShuShItu vikArArNo tukArastu kapolayoH
nAsApuTaM vakArArNo rakArastu mukhe tathA
NikAra Urdhva moShThantu yakArastvadharoShThakam
Asyamadhye bhakArArNo gokAra shchubuke tathA
dekAraH kaNTha deshetu vakAra sskandha deshakam
syakAro dakShiNaM hastaM dhIkAro vAma hastakam
makAro hRRidayaM rakSheddhikAra udare tathA
dhikAro nAbhi deshetu yokArastu kaTiM tathA
guhyaM rakShatu yokAra UrU dvau naH padAkSharam
prakAro jAnunI rakShe chChokAro ja~Ngha deshakam
dakAraM gulpha deshetu yAkAraH padayugmakam
takAra vyanjanaM chaiva sarvANge me sadAvatu
idantu kavachaM divyaM bAdhA shata vinAshanam
chatuShShaShTi kalA vidyAdAyakaM mokShakArakam
muchyate sarva pApebhyaH paraM brahmAdhigachChati
paThanA chChravaNA dvApi go sahasra phalaM labhet
shrI devIbhAgavatAntargata gAyattrI kavachaM 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