
Original text
॥ अथ श्रीदेव्याः कवचम् ॥ ॐ अस्य श्रीचण्डीकवचस्य ब्रह्मा ऋषिः, अनुष्टुप् छन्दः, चामुण्डा देवता, अङ्गन्यासोक्तमातरो बीजम्, दिग्बन्धदेवतास्तत्त्वम्, श्रीजगदम्बाप्रीत्यर्थे सप्तशतीपाठाङ्गत्वेन जपे विनियोगः । ॐ नमश्चण्डिकायै ॥ मार्कण्डेय उवाच ॐ यद्गुह्यं परमं लोके सर्वरक्षाकरं नृणाम् । यन्न कस्यचिदाख्यातं तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१॥ ब्रह्मोवाच अस्ति गुह्यतमं विप्र सर्वभूतोपकारकम् । देव्यास्तु कवचं पुण्यं तच्छृणुष्व महामुने ॥२॥ प्रथमं शैलपुत्री च द्वितीयं ब्रह्मचारिणी । तृतीयं चन्द्रघण्टेति कूष्माण्डेति चतुर्थकम् ॥३॥ पञ्चमं स्कन्दमातेति षष्ठं कात्यायनीति च । सप्तमं कालरात्रीति महागौरीति चाष्टमम् ॥४॥ नवमं सिद्धिदात्री च नवदुर्गाः प्रकीर्तिताः । उक्तान्येतानि नामानि ब्रह्मणैव महात्मना ॥५॥ अग्निना दह्यमानस्तु शत्रुमध्ये गतो रणे । विषमे दुर्गमे चैव भयार्ताः शरणं गताः ॥६॥ न तेषां जायते किंचिदशुभं रणसंकटे । नापदं तस्य पश्यामि शोकदुःखभयं न हि ॥७॥ यैस्तु भक्त्या स्मृता नूनं तेषां वृद्धिः प्रजायते । ये त्वां स्मरन्ति देवेशि रक्षसे तान्न संशयः ॥८॥ प्रेतसंस्था तु चामुण्डा वाराही महिषासना । ऐन्द्री गजसमारूढा वैष्णवी गरुडासना ॥९॥ माहेश्वरी वृषारूढा कौमारी शिखिवाहना । लक्ष्मीः पद्मासना देवी पद्महस्ता हरिप्रिया ॥१०॥ श्वेतरूपधरा देवी ईश्वरी वृषवाहना । ब्राह्मी हंससमारूढा सर्वाभरणभूषिता ॥११॥ इत्येता मातरः सर्वाः सर्वयोगसमन्विताः । नानाभरणशोभाढ्या नानारत्नोपशोभिताः ॥१२॥ दृश्यन्ते रथमारुढा देव्यः क्रोधसमाकुलाः । शङ्खं चक्रं गदां शक्तिं हलं च मुसलायुधम् ॥१३॥ खेटकं तोमरं चैव परशुं पाशमेव च । कुन्तायुधं त्रिशूलं च शार्ङ्गमायुधमुत्तमम् ॥१४॥ दैत्यानां देहनाशाय भक्तानामभयाय च । धारयन्त्यायुधानीत्थं देवानां च हिताय वै ॥१५॥ नमस्तेऽस्तु महारौद्रे महाघोरपराक्रमे । महाबले महोत्साहे महाभयविनाशिनि ॥१६॥ त्राहि मां देवि दुष्प्रेक्ष्ये शत्रूणां भयवर्धिनि । प्राच्यां रक्षतु मामैन्द्री आग्नेय्यामग्निदेवता ॥१७॥ दक्षिणेऽवतु वाराही नैर्ऋत्यां खड्गधारिणी । प्रतीच्यां वारुणी रक्षेद् वायव्यां मृगवाहिनी ॥१८॥ उदीच्यां पातु कौमारी ऐशान्यां शूलधारिणी । ऊर्ध्वं ब्रह्माणि मे रक्षेदधस्ताद् वैष्णवी तथा ॥१९॥ एवं दश दिशो रक्षेच्चामुण्डा शववाहना । जया मे चाग्रतः पातु विजया पातु पृष्ठतः ॥२०॥ अजिता वामपार्श्वे तु दक्षिणे चापराजिता । शिखामुद्योतिनी रक्षेदुमा मूर्ध्नि व्यवस्थिता ॥२१॥ मालाधरी ललाटे च भ्रुवौ रक्षेद् यशस्विनी । त्रिनेत्रा च भ्रुवोर्मध्ये यमघण्टा च नासिके ॥२२॥ शङ्खिनी चक्षुषोर्मध्ये श्रोत्रयोर्द्वारवासिनी । कपोलौ कालिका रक्षेत्कर्णमूले तु शांकरी ॥२३॥ नासिकायां सुगन्धा च उत्तरोष्ठे च चर्चिका । अधरे चामृतकला जिह्वायां च सरस्वती ॥२४॥ दन्तान् रक्षतु कौमारी कण्ठदेशे तु चण्डिका । घण्टिकां चित्रघण्टा च महामाया च तालुके ॥२५॥ कामाक्षी चिबुकं रक्षेद् वाचं मे सर्वमङ्गला । ग्रीवायां भद्रकाली च पृष्ठवंशे धनुर्धरी ॥२६॥ नीलग्रीवा बहिःकण्ठे नलिकां नलकूबरी । स्कन्धयोः खड्गिनी रक्षेद् बाहू मे वज्रधारिणी ॥२७॥ हस्तयोर्दण्डिनी रक्षेदम्बिका चाङ्गुलीषु च । नखाञ्छूलेश्वरी रक्षेत्कुक्षौ रक्षेत्कुलेश्वरी ॥२८॥ स्तनौ रक्षेन्महादेवी मनः शोकविनाशिनी । हृदये ललिता देवी उदरे शूलधारिणी ॥२९॥ नाभौ च कामिनी रक्षेद् गुह्यं गुह्येश्वरी तथा । पूतना कामिका मेढ्रं गुदे महिषवाहिनी ॥३०॥ कट्यां भगवती रक्षेज्जानुनी विन्ध्यवासिनी । जङ्घे महाबला रक्षेत्सर्वकामप्रदायिनी ॥३१॥ गुल्फयोर्नारसिंही च पादपृष्ठे तु तैजसी । पादाङ्गुलीषु श्री रक्षेत्पादाधस्तलवासिनी ॥३२॥ नखान् दंष्ट्राकराली च केशांश्चैवोर्ध्वकेशिनी । रोमकूपेषु कौबेरी त्वचं वागीश्वरी तथा ॥३३॥ रक्तमज्जावसामांसान्यस्थिमेदांसि पार्वती । अन्त्राणि कालरात्रिश्च पित्तं च मुकुटेश्वरी ॥३४॥ पद्मावती पद्मकोशे कफे चूडामणिस्तथा । ज्वालामुखी नखज्वालामभेद्या सर्वसंधिषु ॥३५॥ शुक्रं ब्रह्माणि मे रक्षेच्छायां छत्रेश्वरी तथा । अहंकारं मनो बुद्धिं रक्षेन्मे धर्मधारिणी ॥३६॥ प्राणापानौ तथा व्यानमुदानं च समानकम् । वज्रहस्ता च मे रक्षेत्प्राणं कल्याणशोभना ॥३७॥ रसे रूपे च गन्धे च शब्दे स्पर्शे च योगिनी । सत्त्वं रजस्तमश्चैव रक्षेन्नारायणी सदा ॥३८॥ आयू रक्षतु वाराही धर्मं रक्षतु वैष्णवी । यशः कीर्तिं च लक्ष्मीं च धनं विद्यां च चक्रिणी ॥३९॥ गोत्रमिन्द्राणि मे रक्षेत्पशून्मे रक्ष चण्डिके । पुत्रान् रक्षेन्महालक्ष्मीर्भार्यां रक्षतु भैरवी ॥४०॥ पन्थानं सुपथा रक्षेन्मार्गं क्षेमकरी तथा । राजद्वारे महालक्ष्मीर्विजया सर्वतः स्थिता ॥४१॥ रक्षाहीनं तु यत्स्थानं वर्जितं कवचेन तु । तत्सर्वं रक्ष मे देवि जयन्ती पापनाशिनी ॥४२॥ पदमेकं न गच्छेत्तु यदीच्छेच्छुभमात्मनः । कवचेनावृतो नित्यं यत्र यत्रैव गच्छति ॥४३॥ तत्र तत्रार्थलाभश्च विजयः सार्वकामिकः । यं यं चिन्तयते कामं तं तं प्राप्नोति निश्चितम् । परमैश्वर्यमतुलं प्राप्स्यते भूतले पुमान् ॥४४॥ निर्भयो जायते मर्त्यः संग्रामेष्वपराजितः । त्रैलोक्ये तु भवेत्पूज्यः कवचेनावृतः पुमान् ॥४५॥ इदं तु देव्याः कवचं देवानामपि दुर्लभम् । यः पठेत्प्रयतो नित्यं त्रिसन्ध्यं श्रद्धयान्वितः ॥४६॥ दैवी कला भवेत्तस्य त्रैलोक्येष्वपराजितः । जीवेद् वर्षशतं साग्रमपमृत्युविवर्जितः ॥४७॥ नश्यन्ति व्याधयः सर्वे लूताविस्फोटकादयः । स्थावरं जङ्गमं चैव कृत्रिमं चापि यद्विषम् ॥४८॥ अभिचाराणि सर्वाणि मन्त्रयन्त्राणि भूतले । भूचराः खेचराश्चैव जलजाश्चोपदेशिकाः ॥४९॥ सहजा कुलजा माला डाकिनी शाकिनी तथा । अन्तरिक्षचरा घोरा डाकिन्यश्च महाबलाः ॥५०॥ ग्रहभूतपिशाचाश्च यक्षगन्धर्वराक्षसाः । ब्रह्मराक्षसवेतालाः कूष्माण्डा भैरवादयः ॥५१॥ नश्यन्ति दर्शनात्तस्य कवचे हृदि संस्थिते । मानोन्नतिर्भवेद् राज्ञस्तेजोवृद्धिकरं परम् ॥५२॥ यशसा वर्धते सोऽपि कीर्तिमण्डितभूतले । जपेत्सप्तशतीं चण्डीं कृत्वा तु कवचं पुरा ॥५३॥ यावद्भूमण्डलं धत्ते सशैलवनकाननम् । तावत्तिष्ठति मेदिन्यां संततिः पुत्रपौत्रिकी ॥५४॥ देहान्ते परमं स्थानं यत्सुरैरपि दुर्लभम् । प्राप्नोति पुरुषो नित्यं महामायाप्रसादतः ॥५५॥ लभते परमं रूपं शिवेन सह मोदते ॥ ॐ ॥५६॥ ॥ इति देव्याः कवचं सम्पूर्णम् ॥
Transliteration
Atha Shri Devyah Kavacham Om asya shrichandikavachasya brahma rishih, anushtup chhandah Chamunda devata, anganyasoktamataro bijam, digbandhadevatastattvam Shrijagadambaprityarthe saptashatipathangatvena jape viniyogah Om namashchandikayai Markandeya uvacha Om yadguhyam paramam loke sarvarakshakaram nrinam Yanna kasyachidakhyatam tanme bruhi pitamaha ||1|| Brahmovacha Asti guhyatamam vipra sarvabhutopakarakam Devyastu kavacham punyam tachchhrinushva mahamune ||2|| Prathamam shailaputri cha dvitiyam brahmacharini Tritiyam chandraghanteti kushmandeti chaturthakam ||3|| Panchamam skandamateti shashtham katyayaniti cha Saptamam kalaratriti mahagauriti chashtamam ||4|| Navamam siddhidatri cha navadurgah prakirtitah Uktanyetani namani brahmanaiva mahatmana ||5|| Agnina dahyamanastu shatrumadhye gato rane Vishame durgame chaiva bhayartah sharanam gatah ||6|| Na tesham jayate kimchidashubham ranasamkate Napadam tasya pashyami shokaduhkhabhayam na hi ||7|| Yaistu bhaktya smrita nunam tesham vriddhih prajayate Ye tvam smaranti deveshi rakshase tanna samshayah ||8|| Pretasamstha tu chamunda varahi mahishasana Aindri gajasamarudha vaishnavi garudasana ||9|| Maheshvari vrisharudha kaumari shikhivahana Lakshmih padmasana devi padmahasta haripriya ||10|| Shvetarupadhara devi ishvari vrishavahana Brahmi hamsasamarudha sarvabharanabhushita ||11|| Ityeta matarah sarvah sarvayogasamanvitah Nanabharanashobhadhya nanaratnopashobhitah ||12|| Drishyante rathamarudha devyah krodhasamakulah Shankham chakram gadam shaktim halam cha musalayudham ||13|| Khetakam tomaram chaiva parashum pashameva cha Kuntayudham trishulam cha sharngamayudhamuttamam ||14|| Daityanam dehanashaya bhaktanamabhayaya cha Dharayantyayudhanittham devanam cha hitaya vai ||15|| Namastestu maharaudre mahaghoraparakrame Mahabale mahotsahe mahabhayavinashini ||16|| Trahi mam devi dushprekshye shatrunam bhayavardhini Prachyam rakshatu mamaindri agneyyamagnidevata ||17|| Dakshinevatu varahi nairrityam khadgadharini Pratichyam varuni rakshed vayavyam mrigavahini ||18|| Udichyam patu kaumari aishanyam shuladharini Urdhvam brahmani me rakshedadhastad vaishnavi tatha ||19|| Evam dasha disho rakshechchamunda shavavahana Jaya me chagratah patu vijaya patu prishthatah ||20|| Ajita vamaparshve tu dakshine chaparajita Shikhamudyotini raksheduma murdhni vyavasthita ||21|| Maladhari lalate cha bhruvau rakshed yashasvini Trinetra cha bhruvormadhye yamaghanta cha nasike ||22|| Shankhini chakshushormadhye shrotrayordvaravasini Kapolau kalika rakshetkarnamule tu shamkari ||23|| Nasikayam sugandha cha uttaroshthe cha charchika Adhare chamritakala jihvayam cha sarasvati ||24|| Dantan rakshatu kaumari kanthadeshe tu chandika Ghantikam chitraghanta cha mahamaya cha taluke ||25|| Kamakshi chibukam rakshed vacham me sarvamangala Grivayam bhadrakali cha prishthavamshe dhanurdhari ||26|| Nilagriva bahihkanthe nalikam nalakubari Skandhayoh khadgini rakshed bahu me vajradharini ||27|| Hastayordandini rakshedambika changulishu cha Nakhanchhuleshvari rakshetkukshau rakshetkuleshvari ||28|| Stanau rakshenmahadevi manah shokavinashini Hridaye lalita devi udare shuladharini ||29|| Nabhau cha kamini rakshed guhyam guhyeshvari tatha Putana kamika medhram gude mahishavahini ||30|| Katyam bhagavati rakshejjanuni vindhyavasini Janghe mahabala rakshetsarvakamapradayini ||31|| Gulphayornarasimhi cha padaprishthe tu taijasi Padangulishu shri rakshetpadadhastalavasini ||32|| Nakhan damshtrakarali cha keshamshchaivordhvakeshini Romakupeshu kauberi tvacham vagishvari tatha ||33|| Raktamajjavasamamsanyasthimedamsi parvati Antrani kalaratrishcha pittam cha mukuteshvari ||34|| Padmavati padmakoshe kaphe chudamanistatha Jvalamukhi nakhajvalamabhedya sarvasamdhishu ||35|| Shukram brahmani me rakshechchhayam chhatreshvari tatha Ahamkaram mano buddhim rakshenme dharmadharini ||36|| Pranapanau tatha vyanamudanam cha samanakam Vajrahasta cha me rakshetpranam kalyanashobhana ||37|| Rase rupe cha gandhe cha shabde sparshe cha yogini Sattvam rajastamashchaiva rakshennarayani sada ||38|| Ayu rakshatu varahi dharmam rakshatu vaishnavi Yashah kirtim cha lakshmim cha dhanam vidyam cha chakrini ||39|| Gotramindrani me rakshetpashunme raksha chandike Putran rakshenmahalakshmirbharyam rakshatu bhairavi ||40|| Panthanam supatha rakshenmargam kshemakari tatha Rajadvare mahalakshmirvijaya sarvatah sthita ||41|| Rakshahinam tu yatsthanam varjitam kavachena tu Tatsarvam raksha me devi jayanti papanashini ||42|| Padamekam na gachchhettu yadichchhechchhubhamatmanah Kavachenavrito nityam yatra yatraiva gachchhati ||43|| Tatra tatrarthalabhashcha vijayah sarvakamikah Yam yam chintayate kamam tam tam prapnoti nishchitam Paramaishvaryamatulam prapsyate bhutale puman ||44|| Nirbhayo jayate martyah samgrameshvaparajitah Trailokye tu bhavetpujyah kavachenavritah puman ||45|| Idam tu devyah kavacham devanamapi durlabham Yah pathetprayato nityam trisandhyam shraddhayanvitah ||46|| Daivi kala bhavettasya trailokyeshvaparajitah Jived varshashatam sagramapamrityuvivarjitah ||47|| Nashyanti vyadhayah sarve lutavisphotakadayah Sthavaram jangamam chaiva kritrimam chapi yadvisham ||48|| Abhicharani sarvani mantrayantrani bhutale Bhucharah khecharashchaiva jalajashchopadeshikah ||49|| Sahaja kulaja mala dakini shakini tatha Antarikshachara ghora dakinyashcha mahabalah ||50|| Grahabhutapishachashcha yakshagandharvarakshasah Brahmarakshasavetalah kushmanda bhairavadayah ||51|| Nashyanti darshanattasya kavache hridi samsthite Manonnatirbhaved rajnastejovriddhikaram param ||52|| Yashasa vardhate sopi kirtimanditabhutale Japetsaptashatim chandim kritva tu kavacham pura ||53|| Yavadbhumandalam dhatte sashailavanakananam Tavattishthati medinyam samtatih putrapautriki ||54|| Dehante paramam sthanam yatsurairapi durlabham Prapnoti purusho nityam mahamayaprasadatah ||55|| Labhate paramam rupam shivena saha modate. Om ||56|| Iti Devyah Kavacham Sampurnam
Where the Kavach comes from
The Durga Kavach — properly the Devi Kavacham, "the Goddess's armour" — is one of the preparatory hymns recited before the Durga Saptashati (Chandi Path), the 700-verse account of the Devi's battles. Its own opening says so: the viniyoga dedicates the recitation to Jagadamba "as a limb of the Saptashati reading," and verse 53 instructs that one should first put on the Kavach and then recite the Saptashati. It is framed as a secret passed between sages: Markandeya asks Brahma for something "most hidden in the world, that gives every kind of protection to people, and that has never been told to anyone," and Brahma answers that it is this Kavach of the Devi (verses 1–2).
What the verses actually do
The Kavach is built like a suit of armour being fastened on, piece by piece.
- The nine names (verses 3–5). It opens with the nine forms of Durga — Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. This is the passage the nine nights of Navratri are named after.
- The promise (6–8). Those who take refuge in her while burning in fire, surrounded by enemies in battle, or trapped somewhere perilous meet with nothing inauspicious; those who remember her with devotion prosper.
- The army of Mothers (9–15). The Matrikas appear on their mounts — Chamunda on a corpse, Varahi on a buffalo, Aindri on an elephant, Vaishnavi on Garuda, Maheshwari on a bull, Kaumari on a peacock, Brahmi on a swan, with Lakshmi seated on a lotus — riding chariots, fierce with anger, carrying conch, discus, mace, spear, plough, pestle, shield, axe, noose, trident and bow, "for the destruction of demons and the fearlessness of devotees."
- The ten directions (17–20). Aindri guards the east, Agni the south-east, Varahi the south, Khadgadharini the south-west, Varuni the west, Mrigavahini the north-west, Kaumari the north, Shuladharini the north-east, Brahmani above and Vaishnavi below; Chamunda guards all ten. Jaya stands in front, Vijaya behind, Ajita to the left and Aparajita to the right.
- Head to foot (21–35). The longest section places a named form of the Goddess on each part of the body — Uma on the crown, Maladhari on the forehead, Yashasvini on the brows, Trinetra between them, Saraswati on the tongue, Chandika at the throat, and so on down through the shoulders, heart, navel, knees and ankles to the soles of the feet, then the nails, hair, pores, skin, blood, marrow, bone, and every joint.
- Beyond the body (36–41). It then protects what is not physical: ego, mind and intellect; the five pranas; the five senses; the three gunas; and then one's life-span, dharma, reputation, wealth, learning, family, children, spouse, livestock, the road one travels, and one's standing before rulers.
- The gap-filler (42). Any place the Kavach has left unguarded is handed to Jayanti, the destroyer of sin — so that nothing is left out.
Benefits the text itself names
Verses 43–56 are the phala-shruti. They say that one should not take even a single step without this armour if one wishes oneself well; that wherever the wearer goes there is gain and victory; that one becomes fearless and unconquered; and that whoever recites it daily with faith at the three junctions of the day lives a full hundred years, free of untimely death (46–47). Illnesses, poisons, hostile rites and every kind of spirit and graha "are destroyed at the sight" of one who holds the Kavach in the heart (48–52), one's lineage endures as long as the earth stands (54), and at the end one reaches the supreme abode by Mahamaya's grace and rejoices with Shiva (55–56).
Read devotionally, the practical effect is simpler: reciting it is a long, deliberate act of placing every part of yourself — body, mind, family, work, travel — under the Mother's care, and most people who keep the practice describe it first as a steadying of fear.
How to recite it
- When: Daily through both Navratris is the most common practice, and always before a Durga Saptashati path. The text itself recommends the three sandhyas (dawn, noon, dusk); once in the morning is the usual household practice.
- Preparation: Bathe, sit on a clean asana facing east or north, and light a ghee or oil lamp before an image of Durga. Keep a little water, a flower and some kumkum or akshat for offering.
- Sankalpa and viniyoga: Take a little water in the right palm, state your name and intention, and read the viniyoga ("Om asya Shri Chandi Kavachasya…") before releasing the water. Then say "Om namash chandikayai."
- The recitation: Read all 56 verses without breaking off in the middle. It is written in the simple anushtup metre, so a steady, unhurried pace — around 12–15 minutes for most people — works better than speed. If your Sanskrit is still shaky, keep the transliteration beside you and read slowly; clear pronunciation matters more than pace.
- After: Many people follow it with the Argala and Kilaka stotras and the Saptashati; on a simple day, close with the Durga Chalisa or an aarti and a prayer for forgiveness of any mistakes.
Why people do it
People turn to the Kavach at the same moments it describes: before a journey, during illness in the family, in a period of fear or conflict, before a major undertaking, and above all during Navratri, when the nine names in its opening verses are the goddesses being worshipped night by night. It is also recited on Dussehra, which closes the autumn Navratri. The idea behind it is that devotion should cover a person completely — not only the obvious dangers, but the mind, the breath, the senses and the people one loves.
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