The Narayana-Kavacha, By : Govinda Smile

The Narayana-Kavacha

Taken from Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.8.1-42

TEXTS 1-2

sri-rajovacha

yaya guptah sahasrakshaha

savahan ripu-sainikan

tri-lokya bubhuje shriyam

bhagavams tan  mamakhyahi

varma narayanatmakam

yathatatayinah shatrun

yena gupto 'jayan mridhe

King Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami: My lord, kindly explain the Visnu mantra armor that protected King Indra and enabled him to conquer his enemies, along with their carriers, and enjoy the opulence of the three worlds. Please explain to me that Narayana armor, by which King Indra achieved success in battle, conquering the enemies who were endeavoring to kill him.

TEXT 3

shri-badarayanir uvacha

vritah purohitas tvashtro

mahendrayanuprecchate

narayanakhyam varmaha

tad ihaika-manah shrinu

Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: King Indra, the leader of the demigods, inquired about the armor known as Narayana-kavaca from Visvarupa, who was engaged by the demigods as their priest. Please hear Visvarupa's reply with great attention.

TEXTS 4–6

shri-vishvarüpa uvächa

dhautanghri-panir achamya

sapavitra udan-mukhah

krita-svanga-kara-nyaso

manträbhyäm vag-yatah shucih

narayana-param varma

sannahyed bhaya agate

padayor janunor ürvor

udare hridy athorasi

mukhe shirasy änupürvyäd

omkaradini vinyaset

om namo näräyanäyeti

viparyayam athäpi vä

TRANSLATION

Visvarupa said: If some form of fear arrives, one should first wash his hands and legs clean and then perform acamana by chanting this mantra: om apavitrah pavitro va sarvavastham gato 'pi va. yah smaret pundarikaksam sa bahyabhyantarah sucih. sri-visnu sri-visnu sri-visnu. Then one should touch kusa grass and sit gravely and silently, facing north. When completely purified, one should touch the mantra composed of eight syllables to the eight parts of his body and touch the mantra composed of twelve syllables to his hands. Thus, in the following manner, he should bind himself with the Narayana coat of armor. First, while chanting the mantra composed of eight syllables [om namo narayanaya], beginning with the pranava, the syllable om, one should touch his hands to eight parts of his body, starting with the two feet and progressing systematically to the knees, thighs, abdomen, heart, chest, mouth and head. Then one should chant the mantra in reverse, beginning from the last syllable [ya], while touching the parts of his body in the reverse order. These two processes are known as utpatti-nyasa and samhara-nyasa respectively.

TEXT 7

kara-nyäsam tatah kuryäd

dvädashäkshara-vidyayä

pranavädi-ya-käräntam

anguly-angushtha-parvasu

TRANSLATION

Then one should chant the mantra composed of twelve syllables [om namo bhagavate vasudevaya]. Preceding each syllable by the omkara, one should place the syllables of the mantra on the tips of his fingers, beginning with the index finger of the right hand and concluding with the index finger of the left. The four remaining syllables should be placed on the joints of the thumbs.

TEXTS 8–10

nyased dhridaya omkaram

vi-karam anu murdhani

sha-karam tu bhruvor madhye

na-karam shikhaya nyaset

ve-käram netrayor yunjyan

na-käram sarva-sandhishu

ma-karam astram uddishya

mantra-murtir bhaved budhah

savisargam phad-antam tat

sarva-dikshu vinirdishet

om vishnave nama iti

TRANSLATION

One must then chant the mantra of six syllables [om visnave namah]. One should place the syllable "om" on his heart, the syllable "vi" on the top of his head, the syllable "sa" between his eyebrows, the syllable "na" on his tuft of hair [sikha], and the syllable "ve" between his eyes. The chanter of the mantra should then place the syllable "na" on all the joints of his body and meditate on the syllable "ma" as being a weapon. He should thus become the perfect personification of the mantra. Thereafter, adding visarga to the final syllable "ma," he should chant the mantra "mah astraya phat" in all directions, beginning from the east. In this way, all directions will be bound by the protective armor of the mantra.

TEXT 11

ätmänam paramam dhyäyed

dhyeyam shat-shaktibhir yutam

vidyä-tejas-tapo-mürtim

imam mantram udäharet

TRANSLATION

After finishing this chanting, one should think himself qualitatively one with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full in six opulences and is worthy to be meditated upon. Then one should chant the following protective prayer to Lord Narayana, the Narayana-kavaca.

TEXT 12

om harir vidadhyän mama sarva-rakshäm

nyastänghri-padmah patagendra-prishthe

darari-carmasi-gadeshu-cäpa-

päshän dadhäno ’shta-guno ’sta-bähuh

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Lord, who sits on the back of the bird Garuda, touching him with His lotus feet, holds eight weapons--the conchshell, disc, shield, sword, club, arrows, bow and ropes. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead protect me at all times with His eight arms. He is all-powerful because He fully possesses the eight mystic powers [anima, laghima, etc.].

TEXT 13

jaleshu mäm rakshatu matsya-mürtir

yädo-ganebhyo varunasya päshät

sthaleshu mäyävatu-vämano ’vyät

trivikramah khe ’vatu vishvarüpah

TRANSLATION

May the Lord, who assumes the body of a great fish, protect me in the water from the fierce animals that are associates of the demigod Varuna. By expanding His illusory energy, the Lord assumed the form of the dwarf Vamana. May Vamana protect me on the land. Since the gigantic form of the Lord, Visvarupa, conquers the three worlds, may He protect me in the sky.

TEXT 14

durgeshv atavy-äji-mukhädishu prabhuh

päyän nrishimho ’sura-yüthapärih

vimunchato yasya mahätta-häsam

disho vinedur nyapatamsh cha garbhäha

TRANSLATION

May Lord Nrsimhadeva, who appeared as the enemy of Hiranyakasipu, protect me in all directions. His loud laughing vibrated in all directions and caused the pregnant wives of the asuras to have miscarriages. May that Lord be kind enough to protect me in difficult places like the forest and battlefront.

TEXT 15

rakshatv asau mädhvani yajna-kalpah

sva-damshtrayonnita-dharo varähah

rämo ’dri-küteshv atha vipraväse

salakshmano ’vyäd bharatägrajo ’smän

TRANSLATION

The Supreme indestructible Lord is ascertained through the performance of ritualistic sacrifices and is therefore known as Yajnesvara. In His incarnation as Lord Boar, He raised the planet earth from the water at the bottom of the universe and kept it on His pointed tusks. May that Lord protect me from rogues on the street. May Parasurama protect me on the tops of mountains, and may the elder brother of Bharata, Lord Ramacandra, along with His brother Laksmana, protect me in foreign countries.

TEXT 16

mäm ugra-dharmäd akhilät pramädän

näräyanah pätu narash cha häsät

dattas tv ayogäd atha yoga-näthah

päyäd guneshah kapilah karma-bandhät

TRANSLATION

May Lord Narayana protect me from unnecessarily following false religious systems and falling from my duties due to madness. May the Lord in His appearance as Nara protect me from unnecessary pride. May Lord Dattatreya, the master of all mystic power, protect me from falling while performing bhakti-yoga, and may Lord Kapila, the master of all good qualities, protect me from the material bondage of fruitive activities.

TEXT 17

sanat-kumäro ’vatu kämadeväd

dhayashirshä mäm pathi deva-helanät

devarshi-varyah purushärchanäntarät

kürmo harir mäm nirayäd asheshät

TRANSLATION

May Sanat-kumara protect me from lusty desires. As I begin some auspicious activity, may Lord Hayagriva protect me from being an offender by neglecting to offer respectful obeisances to the Supreme Lord. May Devarsi Narada protect me from committing offenses in worshiping the Deity, and may Lord Kurma, the tortoise, protect me from falling to the unlimited hellish planets.

TEXT 18

dhanvantarir bhagavän pätv apathyäd

dvandväd bhayäd rshabho nirjitätmä

yajnash cha lokäd avatäj janäntäd

balo ganät krodha-vashäd ahindrah

TRANSLATION

May the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as Dhanvantari relieve me from undesirable eatables and protect me from physical illness. May Lord Rsabhadeva, who conquered His inner and outer senses, protect me from fear produced by the duality of heat and cold. May Yajna protect me from defamation and harm from the populace, and may Lord Balarama as Sesa protect me from envious serpents.

TEXT 19

dvaipäyano bhagavän aprabodhäd

buddhas tu päshanda-gana-pramädät

kalkih kaleh käla-malät prapätu

dharmävanäyoru-kritävatäraha

TRANSLATION

May the Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as Vyasadeva protect me from all kinds of ignorance resulting from the absence of Vedic knowledge. May Lord Buddhadeva protect me from activities opposed to Vedic principles and from laziness that causes one to madly forget the Vedic principles of knowledge and ritualistic action. May Kalkideva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appeared as an incarnation to protect religious principles, protect me from the dirt of the age of Kali.

TEXT 20

mäm keshavo gadayä prätar avyäd

govinda äsangavam ätta-venuh

näräyaëah prähna udätta-shaktir

madhyan-dine vishnur arindra-pänihi

TRANSLATION

May Lord Kesava protect me with His club in the first portion of the day, and may Govinda, who is always engaged in playing His flute, protect me in the second portion of the day. May Lord Narayana, who is equipped with all potencies, protect me in the third part of the day, and may Lord Visnu, who carries a disc to kill His enemies, protect me in the fourth part of the day.

TEXT 21

devo ’parähne madhu-hogradhanvä

säyam tri-dhämävatu mädhavo mäm

doshe hrishikesha utärdha-rätre

nishitha eko ’vatu padmanäbhah

TRANSLATION

May Lord Madhusudana, who carries a bow very fearful for the demons, protect me during the fifth part of the day. In the evening, may Lord Madhava, appearing as Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara, protect me, and in the beginning of night may Lord Hrsikesa protect me. At the dead of night [in the second and third parts of night] may Lord Padmanabha alone protect me.

TEXT 22

shrivatsa-dhämäpara-rätra ishah

pratyüsha isho ’si-dharo janärdanah

dämodaro ’vyäd anusandhyam prabhäte

vishveshvaro bhagavän käla-mürtihi

TRANSLATION

May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who bears the Srivatsa on His chest, protect me after midnight until the sky becomes pinkish. May Lord Janardana, who carries a sword in His hand, protect me at the end of night [during the last four ghatikas of night]. May Lord Damodara protect me in the early morning, and may Lord Visvesvara protect me during the junctions of day and night.

TEXT 23

cakram yugäntänala-tigma-nemi

bhramat samantäd bhagavat-prayuktam

dandagdhi dandagdhy ari-sainyam äshu

kaksam yathä väta-sakho hutäshaha

TRANSLATION

Set into motion by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and wandering in all the four directions, the disc of the Supreme Lord has sharp edges as destructive as the fire of devastation at the end of the millennium. As a blazing fire burns dry grass to ashes with the assistance of the breeze, may that Sudarsana cakra burn our enemies to ashes.

TEXT 24

gade ’shani-sparshana-visphulinge

nishpindhi nishpindhy ajita-priyäsi

kushmända-vainäyaka-yaksha-raksho-

bhüta-grahämsh cürmaya cürmayärin

TRANSLATION

O club in the hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you produce sparks of fire as powerful as thunderbolts, and you are extremely dear to the Lord. I am also His servant. Therefore kindly help me pound to pieces the evil living beings known as Kusmandas, Vainayakas, Yaksas, Raksasas, Bhutas and Grahas. Please pulverize them.

TEXT 25

tvam yätudhäna-pramatha-preta-mätri-

pishächa-vipragraha-ghora-drishtin

darendra vidrävaya krishna-pürito

bhima-svano ’rer hridayäni kampayan

TRANSLATION

O best of conchshells, O Pancajanya in the hands of the Lord, you are always filled with the breath of Lord Krsna. Therefore you create a fearful sound vibration that causes trembling in the hearts of enemies like the Raksasas, pramatha ghosts, Pretas, Matas, Pisacas and brahmana ghosts with fearful eyes.

TEXT 26

tvam tigma-dhäräsi-varäri-sainyam

isha-prayukto mama chindhi chindhi

chakshumshi charman chata-chandra chädaya

dvishäm aghonäm hara päpa-cakshushäm

TRANSLATION

O king of sharp-edged swords, you are engaged by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Please cut the soldiers of my enemies to pieces. Please cut them to pieces! O shield marked with a hundred brilliant moonlike circles, please cover the eyes of the sinful enemies. Pluck out their sinful eyes.

TEXTS 27–28

yan no bhayam grahebhyo ’bhüt

ketubhyo nribhya eva cha

sarishpebhyo damshtribhyo

bhütebhyo ’mhobhya eva cha

sarväny etäni bhagavan-

näma-rüpänukirtanät

prayäntu sankshayam sadyo

ye nah shreyah-pratipakäh

TRANSLATION

May the glorification of the transcendental name, form, qualities and paraphernalia of the Supreme Personality of Godhead protect us from the influence of bad planets, meteors, envious human beings, serpents, scorpions, and animals like tigers and wolves. May it protect us from ghosts and the material elements like earth, water, fire and air, and may it also protect us from lightning and our past sins. We are always afraid of these hindrances to our auspicious life. Therefore, may they all be completely destroyed by the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.

TEXT 29

garudo bhagavän stotra-

stobhash chandomayah prabhuù

rakshatv ashesha-kricchrebhyo

vishvaksenah sva-nämabhih

TRANSLATION

Lord Garuda, the carrier of Lord Visnu, is the most worshipable lord, for he is as powerful as the Supreme Lord Himself. He is the personified Vedas and is worshiped by selected verses. May he protect us from all dangerous conditions, and may Lord Visvaksena, the Personality of Godhead, also protect us from all dangers by His holy names.

TEXT 30

sarväpadbhyo harer näma-

rüpa-yänäyudhäni nah

buddhindriya-manah-pränän

päntu pärshada-bhüshanäha

TRANSLATION

May the Supreme Personality of Godhead's holy names, His transcendental forms, His carriers and all the weapons decorating Him as personal associates protect our intelligence, senses, mind and life air from all dangers.

TEXT 31

yathä hi bhagavän eva

vastutah sad asac cha yat

satyenänena nah sarve

yäntu näsham upadraväha

TRANSLATION

The subtle and gross cosmic manifestation is material, but nevertheless it is nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He is ultimately the cause of all causes. Cause and effect are factually one because the cause is present in the effect. Therefore the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can destroy all our dangers by any of His potent parts.

TEXTS 32–33

yathaikätmyänubhävänäm

vikalpa-rahitah svayam

bhüshanäyudha-lingäkhyä

dhatte shaktih sva-mäyayä

tenaiva satya-mänena

sarva-jno bhagavän harih

pätu sarvaih svarüpair nah

sadä sarvatra sarva-gah

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the living entities, the material energy, the spiritual energy and the entire creation are all individual substances. In the ultimate analysis, however, together they constitute the supreme one, the Personality of Godhead. Therefore those who are advanced in spiritual knowledge see unity in diversity. For such advanced persons, the Lord's bodily decorations, His name, His fame, His attributes and forms and the weapons in His hand are manifestations of the strength of His potency. According to their elevated spiritual understanding, the omniscient Lord, who manifests various forms, is present everywhere. May He always protect us everywhere from all calamities.

TEXT 34

vidikshu dikshürdhvam adhah samantäd

antar bahir bhagavän närasimhah

prahäpayal loka-bhayam svanena

sva-tejasä grasta-samasta-tejäh

TRANSLATION

Prahlada Maharaja loudly chanted the holy name of Lord Nrsimhadeva. May Lord Nrsimhadeva, roaring for His devotee Prahlada Maharaja, protect us from all fear of dangers created by stalwart leaders in all directions through poison, weapons, water, fire, air and so on. May the Lord cover their influence by His own transcendental influence. May Nrsimhadeva protect us in all directions and in all corners, above, below, within and without.

TEXT 35

maghavann idam äkhyätam

varma näräyanätmakam

vijeshyase ’njasä yena

damshito ’sura-yüthapän

TRANSLATION

Visvarupa continued: O Indra, this mystic armor related to Lord Narayana has been described by me to you. By putting on this protective covering, you will certainly be able to conquer the leaders of the demons.

TEXT 36

etad dhärayamänas tu

yam yam pashyati chakshushä

padä vä samsprishet sadyah

sädhvasät sa vimucyate

TRANSLATION

If one employs this armor, whomever he sees with his eyes or touches with his feet is immediately freed from all the above-mentioned dangers.

TEXT 37

na kutashcid bhayam tasya

vidyäm dhärayato bhavet

räja-dasyu-grahädibhyo

vyädhy-ädibhyash cha karhicit

TRANSLATION

This prayer, Narayana-kavaca, constitutes subtle knowledge transcendentally connected with Narayana. One who employs this prayer is never disturbed or put in danger by the government, by plunderers, by evil demons or by any type of disease.
 

TEXT 38
 

imäm vidyäm purä kashcit

kaushiko dhärayan dvijah

yoga-dhäranayä svängam

jahau sa maru-dhanvani
 

TRANSLATION

O King of heaven, a brahmana named Kausika formerly used this armor when he purposely gave up his body in the desert by mystic power.

 

TEXT 39
 

tasyopari vimänena

gandharva-patir ekadä

yayau citrarathah stribhir

vrito yatra dvija-kshayah
 

TRANSLATION

Surrounded by many beautiful women, Citraratha, the King of Gandharvaloka, was once passing in his airplane over the brahmana's body at the spot where the brahmana had died.
 

TEXT 40
 

gaganän nyapatat sadyah

savimäno hy aväk-shiräh

sa välikhilya-vacanäd

asthiny ädäya vismitah

präsya präci-sarasvatyäm

snätvä dhäma svam anvagät

TRANSLATION

Suddenly Citraratha was forced to fall from the sky headfirst with his airplane. Struck with wonder, he was ordered by the great sages named the Valikhilyas to throw the brahmana's bones in the nearby River Sarasvati. He had to do this and bathe in the river before returning to his own abode.

TEXT 41

shri-shuka uvächa

ya idam shrinuyät käle

yo dhärayati chädritah

tam namasyanti bhütäni

muchyate sarvato bhayät

TRANSLATION

Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear Maharaja Pariksit, one who employs this armor or hears about it with faith and veneration when afraid because of any conditions in the material world is immediately freed from all dangers and is worshiped by all living entities.

TEXT 42

etäm vidyäm adhigato

vishvarüpäc chatakratuh

trailokya-lakshmim bubhuje

vinirjitya mridhe ’surän

TRANSLATION

King Indra, who performed one hundred sacrifices, received this prayer of protection from Visvarupa. After conquering the demons, he enjoyed all the opulences of the three worlds.