Shani Vajrapanjara Kavacham
Shani Vajrapanjara Kavacham
zani vajrapaJjara kavacam
nIlAmbaro nIlavapuH kirITI
gRdhrasthitAstrakaro dhanuSmAn |
caturbhujaH sUryasutaH prasannaH
sadA mamasyAdvaradaH prazAntaH ||
brahmA uvAca |
zRNudhvaM RSayaH sarve zani pIDAharaM mahat |
kavacaM zanirAjasya saurairidamanuttamam ||
kavacaM devatAvAsaM vajra paJjara saMGgakam |
zanaizcara prItikaraM sarvasaubhAgyadAyakam ||
atha zrI zani vajra paJjara kavacam |
OM zrI zanaizcaraH pAtu phAlaM me sUryanandanaH | [bhAlaM]
netre chAyAtmajaH pAtu pAtu karNau yamAnujaH || 1 ||
nAsAM vaivasvataH pAtu mukhaM me bhAskaraH sadA |
snigdhakaNThazca me kaNThaM bhujau pAtu mahAbhujaH || 2 ||
skandhau pAtu zanizcaiva karau pAtu zubhapradaH |
vakSaH pAtu yamabhrAtA kukSiM pAtvasitastathA || 3 ||
nAbhiM grahapatiH pAtu mandaH pAtu kaTiM tathA |
UrU mamAntakaH pAtu yamo jAnuyugaM tathA || 4 ||
pAdau mandagatiH pAtu sarvAGgaM pAtu pippalaH |
aGgopAGgAni sarvANi rakSen me sUryanandanaH || 5 ||
phalazrutiH
ityetatkavacaM divyaM paThetsUryasutasya yaH |
na tasya jAyate pIDA prIto bhavati sUryajaH ||
vyayajanmadvitIyastho mRtyusthAnagatopivA |
kalatrastho gatovApi suprItastu sadA zaniH ||
aSTamastho sUryasute vyaye janmadvitIyage |
kavacaM paThate nityaM na pIDA jAyate kvacit ||
ityetatkavacaM divyaM saureryannirmitaM purA |
dvAdazASTamajanmasthadoSAnnAzayate sadA |
janmalagnasthitAn doSAn sarvAnnAzayate prabhuH ||
iti zrI brahmANDapurANe brahmanAradasaMvAde zanivajrapaJjara kavacaM sampUrNam ||
About This Stotram
Overview
The Shani Vajrapanjara Kavacham is a 5-verse Sanskrit kavacham dedicated to Lord Shani, invoking his protective presence as a "diamond cage" (vajrapanjara) around the devotee. The text belongs to the kavacham sub-genre of Sanskrit devotional literature — hymns structured as a body-armor of divine names — and is associated with Shaiva and graha-worship traditions.
What are the benefits of chanting Shani Vajrapanjara Kavacham?
- Protection from Shani's adverse effects during Sade Sati and Ashtama Shani
- Invocation of Shani's benevolent form as a bestower of boons
- Promotion of happiness and good fortune
- General spiritual and material protection
When is the best time to recite this?
Saturday (Shaniwar) is the most auspicious day for Shani-related practices, and this kavacham is recommended for recitation on that day. It may also be recited during Shani's adverse transit periods or as part of a regular Shani puja.
What is the historical and traditional background?
The Shani Vajrapanjara Kavacham has not been definitively traced to a single canonical scripture, though introductory verses associate it with Brahma presenting the hymn to the assembled sages — a common framing device in Puranic and post-Puranic kavacham literature. The kavacham genre appears extensively in texts such as the Skanda Purana and various Tantric compilations from the early medieval period onward. The text has been transmitted through devotional collections dedicated to Lord Shani.
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
- Shani Stotram Dasaratha Krutam — a stotram attributed to King Dasharatha that addresses the same propitiatory purpose toward Lord Shani
- Shani Chalisa — a Hindi Chalisa recited for protection from Shani's malefic planetary influence