- October 5, 2025
Sri Narayana Kavacham is a powerful prayer that offers self-protection through the various aspects, weapons, and incarnations (Avatars) of Mahavishnu. It is found in the Eighth Chapter of the Sixth Skanda (Canto) of the Srimad Bhagavatam.
The greatness of this armour (Kavacham) was taught by Visvarupa, the son of Tvashta, to the Devas (celestial beings) who had lost their power after their preceptor, Brihaspati, departed. The Bhagavatam states that by using this Kavacham, Indra (known as Sahasraksha) effortlessly defeated the armies of the Asuras (demons) and regained the wealth of the three worlds (Trilokya Lakshmi).
Nyāsaḥ
Aṅganyāsaḥ
Ōṃ Ōṃ Pādayōḥ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Naṃ Jānunōḥ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Mōṃ Ūrvōḥ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Nāṃ Udarē Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Rāṃ Hṛdi Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Yaṃ Urasi Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Ṇāṃ Mukhē Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Yaṃ Śirasi Namaḥ ।
Karanyāsaḥ
Ōṃ Ōṃ Dakṣiṇatarjanyāṃ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Naṃ Dakṣiṇamadhyamāyāṃ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Mōṃ Dakṣiṇānāmikāyāṃ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Bhaṃ Dakṣiṇakaniṣṭhikāyāṃ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Gaṃ Vāmakaniṣṭhikāyāṃ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Vaṃ Vāmānikāyāṃ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Tēṃ Vāmamadhyamāyāṃ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Vāṃ Vāmatarjanyāṃ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Suṃ Dakṣiṇāṅguṣṭhōrdhvaparvaṇi Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Dēṃ Dakṣiṇāṅguṣṭhādhaḥ Parvaṇi Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Vāṃ Vāmāṅguṣṭhōrdhvaparvaṇi Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Yaṃ Vāmāṅguṣṭhādhaḥ Parvaṇi Namaḥ ।
Viṣṇuṣaḍakṣaranyāsaḥ
Ōṃ Ōṃ Hṛdayē Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Viṃ Mūrdhnai Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Ṣaṃ Bhrurvōrmadhyē Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Ṇaṃ Śikhāyāṃ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Vēṃ Nētrayōḥ Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Naṃ Sarvasandhiṣu Namaḥ ।
Ōṃ Maḥ Prāchyāṃ Astrāya Phaṭ ।
Ōṃ Maḥ Āgnēyyāṃ Astrāya Phaṭ ।
Ōṃ Maḥ Dakṣiṇasyāṃ Astrāya Phaṭ ।
Ōṃ Maḥ Naiṛtyē Astrāya Phaṭ ।
Ōṃ Maḥ Pratīchyāṃ Astrāya Phaṭ ।
Ōṃ Maḥ Vāyavyē Astrāya Phaṭ ।
Ōṃ Maḥ Udīchyāṃ Astrāya Phaṭ ।
Ōṃ Maḥ Aiśānyāṃ Astrāya Phaṭ ।
Ōṃ Maḥ Ūrdhvāyāṃ Astrāya Phaṭ ।
Ōṃ Maḥ Adharāyāṃ Astrāya Phaṭ ।
Śrī Hariḥ
Atha Śrīnārāyaṇakavacha
Rājōvācha
Yayā Guptaḥ Sahasrākṣaḥ Savāhān Ripusainikān ।
Krīḍanniva Vinirjitya Trilōkyā Bubhujē Śriyam ॥ 1 ॥
Bhagavaṃstanmamākhyāhi Varma Nārāyaṇātmakam ।
Yathā”tatāyinaḥ Śatrūn Yēna Guptō’jayanmṛdhē ॥ 2 ॥
Śrī Śuka Uvācha
Vṛtaḥ Purōhitastvāṣṭrō Mahēndrāyānupṛchchatē ।
Nārāyaṇākhyaṃ Varmāha Tadihaikamanāḥ Śṛṇu ॥ 3 ॥
Śrīviśvarūpa Uvācha
Dhautāṅghripāṇirāchamya Sapavitra Udaṅmukhaḥ ।
Kṛtasvāṅgakaranyāsō Mantrābhyāṃ Vāgyataḥ Śuchiḥ ॥ 4 ॥
Nārāyaṇamayaṃ Varma Sannahyēdbhaya Āgatē ।
Daivabhūtātmakarmabhyō Nārāyaṇamayaḥ Pumān ॥ 5 ॥
Pādayōrjānunōrūrvōrudarē Hṛdyathōrasi ।
Mukhē Śirasyānupūrvyādōṅkārādīni Vinyasēt ॥ 6 ॥
Ōṃ Namō Nārāyaṇāyēti Viparyayamathāpi Vā ।
Karanyāsaṃ Tataḥ Kuryāddvādaśākṣaravidyayā ॥ 7 ॥
Praṇavādiyakārāntamaṅgulyaṅguṣṭhaparvasu ।
Nyasēddhṛdaya Ōṅkāraṃ Vikāramanu Mūrdhani ॥ 8 ॥
Ṣakāraṃ Tu Bhruvōrmadhyē Ṇakāraṃ Śikhayā Nyasēt ।
Vēkāraṃ Nētrayōryuñjyānnakāraṃ Sarvasandhiṣu ॥ 9 ॥
Makāramastramuddiśya Mantramūrtirbhavēdbudhaḥ ।
Savisargaṃ Phaḍantaṃ Tatsarvadikṣu Vinirdiśēt ॥ 10 ॥
Ōṃ Viṣṇavē Namaḥ ॥
Ityātmānaṃ Paraṃ Dhyāyēddhyēyaṃ Ṣaṭchaktibhiryutam ।
Vidyātējastapōmūrtimimaṃ Mantramudāharēt ॥ 11 ॥
Ōṃ Harirvidadhyānmama Sarvarakṣāṃ
Nyastāṅghripadmaḥ Patagēndra Pṛṣṭhē ।
Darāricharmāsigadēṣuchāpa-
-pāśāndadhānō’ṣṭaguṇō’ṣṭabāhuḥ ॥ 12 ॥
Jalēṣu Māṃ Rakṣatu Matsyamūrti-
-ryādōgaṇēbhyō Varuṇasya Pāśāt ।
Sthalēṣu Māyāvaṭuvāmanō’vyā-
-ttrivikramaḥ Khē’vatu Viśvarūpaḥ ॥ 13 ॥
Durgēṣvaṭavyājimukhādiṣu Prabhuḥ
Pāyānnṛsiṃhō’surayūthapāriḥ ।
Vimuñchatō Yasya Mahāṭṭahāsaṃ
Diśō Vinēdurnyapataṃścha Garbhāḥ ॥ 14 ॥
Rakṣatvasau Mādhvani Yajñakalpaḥ
Svadaṃṣṭrayōnnītadharō Varāhaḥ ।
Rāmō’drikūṭēṣvatha Vipravāsē
Salakṣmaṇō’vyādbharatāgrajō’smān ॥ 15 ॥
Māmugradharmādakhilātpramādā-
-nnārāyaṇaḥ Pātu Naraścha Hāsāt ।
Dattastvayōgādatha Yōganāthaḥ
Pāyādguṇēśaḥ Kapilaḥ Karmabandhāt ॥ 16 ॥
Sanatkumārō’vatu Kāmadēvā-
-ddhayānanō Māṃ Pathi Dēvahēlanāt ।
Dēvarṣivaryaḥ Puruṣārchanāntarā-
-tkūrmō Harirmāṃ Nirayādaśēṣāt ॥ 17 ॥
Dhanvantarirbhagavānpātvapathyā-
-ddvandvādbhayādṛṣabhō Nirjitātmā ।
Yajñaścha Lōkādavatājjanāntā-
-dbalō Gaṇātkrōdhavaśādahīndraḥ ॥ 18 ॥
Dvaipāyanō Bhagavānaprabōdhā-
-dbuddhastu Pāṣaṇḍagaṇātpramādāt ।
Kalkiḥ Kalēḥ Kālamalātprapātu
Dharmāvanāyōrukṛtāvatāraḥ ॥ 19 ॥
Māṃ Kēśavō Gadayā Prātaravyā-
-dgōvinda Āsaṅgavamāttavēṇuḥ ।
Nārāyaṇaḥ Prāhṇa Udāttaśakti-
-rmadhyandinē Viṣṇurarīndrapāṇiḥ ॥ 20 ॥
Dēvō’parāhṇē Madhuhōgradhanvā
Sāyaṃ Tridhāmāvatu Mādhavō Mām ।
Dōṣē Hṛṣīkēśa Utārdharātrē
Niśītha Ēkō’vatu Padmanābhaḥ ॥ 21 ॥
Śrīvatsadhāmā’pararātra Īśaḥ
Pratyuṣa Īśō’sidharō Janārdanaḥ ।
Dāmōdarō’vyādanusandhyaṃ Prabhātē
Viśvēśvarō Bhagavānkālamūrtiḥ ॥ 22 ॥
Chakraṃ Yugāntānalatigmanēmi
Bhramatsamantādbhagavatprayuktam ।
Dandagdhi Dandagdhyarisainyamāśu
Kakṣaṃ Yathā Vātasakhō Hutāśaḥ ॥ 23 ॥
Gadē’śanisparśanavisphuliṅgē
Niṣpiṇḍhi Niṣpiṇḍhyajitapriyāsi ।
Kūṣmāṇḍavaināyakayakṣarakṣō
Bhūtagrahāṃśchūrṇaya Chūrṇayārīn ॥ 24 ॥
Tvaṃ Yātudhānapramathaprētamātṛ-
-piśāchavipragrahaghōradṛṣṭīn ।
Darēndra Vidrāvaya Kṛṣṇapūritō
Bhīmasvanō’rērhṛdayāni Kampayan ॥ 25 ॥
Tvaṃ Tigmadhārāsivarārisainya-
-mīśaprayuktō Mama Chindhi Chindhi ।
Chakṣūṃṣi Charman Śatachandra Chādaya
Dviṣāmaghōnāṃ Hara Pāpachakṣuṣām ॥ 26 ॥
Yannō Bhayaṃ Grahēbhyō’bhūtkētubhyō Nṛbhya Ēva Cha ।
Sarīsṛpēbhyō Daṃṣṭribhyō Bhūtēbhyō’ghēbhya Ēva Cha ॥ 27 ॥
Sarvāṇyētāni Bhagavannāmarūpāstrakīrtanāt ।
Prayāntu Saṅkṣayaṃ Sadyō Yē Naḥ Śrēyaḥpratīpakāḥ ॥ 28 ॥
Garuḍō Bhagavān Stōtrastōmaśchandōmayaḥ Prabhuḥ ।
Rakṣatvaśēṣakṛchchrēbhyō Viṣvaksēnaḥ Svanāmabhiḥ ॥ 29 ॥
Sarvāpadbhyō Harērnāmarūpayānāyudhāni Naḥ ।
Buddhīndriyamanaḥprāṇānpāntu Pārṣadabhūṣaṇāḥ ॥ 30 ॥
Yathā Hi Bhagavānēva Vastutaḥ Sadasachcha Yat ।
Satyēnānēna Naḥ Sarvē Yāntu Nāśamupadravāḥ ॥ 31 ॥
Yathaikātmyānubhāvānāṃ Vikalparahitaḥ Svayam ।
Bhūṣaṇāyudhaliṅgākhyā Dhattē Śaktīḥ Svamāyayā ॥ 32 ॥
Tēnaiva Satyamānēna Sarvajñō Bhagavān Hariḥ ।
Pātu Sarvaiḥ Svarūpairnaḥ Sadā Sarvatra Sarvagaḥ ॥ 33 ॥
Vidikṣu Dikṣūrdhvamadhaḥ Samantā-
-dantarbahirbhagavānnārasiṃhaḥ ।
Prahāpayaँllōkabhayaṃ Svanēna
Svatējasā Grastasamastatējāḥ ॥ 34 ॥
Maghavannidamākhyātaṃ Varma Nārāyaṇātmakam ।
Vijēṣyasyañjasā Yēna Daṃśitō’surayūthapān ॥ 35 ॥
Ētaddhārayamāṇastu Yaṃ Yaṃ Paśyati Chakṣuṣā ।
Padā Vā Saṃspṛśētsadyaḥ Sādhvasātsa Vimuchyatē ॥ 36 ॥
Na Kutaśchidbhayaṃ Tasya Vidyāṃ Dhārayatō Bhavēt ।
Rājadasyugrahādibhyō Vyādhyādibhyaścha Karhichit ॥ 37 ॥
Imāṃ Vidyāṃ Purā Kaśchitkauśikō Dhārayan Dvijaḥ ।
Yōgadhāraṇayā Svāṅgaṃ Jahau Sa Marudhanvani ॥ 38 ॥
Tasyōpari Vimānēna Gandharvapatirēkadā ।
Yayau Chitrarathaḥ Strībhirvṛtō Yatra Dvijakṣayaḥ ॥ 39 ॥
Gaganānnyapatatsadyaḥ Savimānō Hyavākchirāḥ ।
Sa Vālakhilyavachanādasthīnyādāya Vismitaḥ ।
Prāpya Prāchyāṃ Sarasvatyāṃ Snātvā Dhāma Svamanvagāt ॥ 40 ॥
Śrī Śuka Uvācha
Ya Idaṃ Śṛṇuyātkālē Yō Dhārayati Chādṛtaḥ ।
Taṃ Namasyanti Bhūtāni Muchyatē Sarvatō Bhayāt ॥ 41 ॥
Ētāṃ Vidyāmadhigatō Viśvarūpāchchatakratuḥ ।
Trailōkyalakṣmīṃ Bubhujē Vinirjitya Mṛdhē’surān ॥ 42 ॥
Iti Śrīmadbhāgavatē Mahāpurāṇē Ṣaṣṭhaskandhē Nārāyaṇavarmōpadēśō Nāmāṣṭamō’dhyāyaḥ ।
One who perceives (sees/experiences) this Kavacham, even if lying fallen on the ground, or simply recites it, will be freed from all kinds of fears.
He who bears this great knowledge will never experience any fear from kings, thieves, planetary influences (Grahas), dreadful diseases, or wild animals at any time. It was for this reason that Indra regained the wealth of the three worlds.
