Devi Kavach also known as Durga Kavach, Chandi Kavach or Sri Devyah Kavacham is a famous protective hymn of Goddess worship. It belongs to the recitation tradition of Devi Mahatmya/Durga Saptashati and prays for protection of body, directions, senses, mind, life, family, wealth, journey and various aspects of life from various forms of Goddess. Brahma describes this sacred shield of Goddess and further recalls Navadurga and the many matrika forms of Goddess.
Traditionally Devi Kavach, Argala Stotra and Keelak Stotra are considered to be among the important parts of Durga Saptashati recited before recitation.
Religious Belief: The benefits of Devi Kavach are linked to faith and traditional practice. They should not be taken as a scientific cure for a disease or problem or a guarantee of a definite outcome.
Importance of Devi Kavach
‘Kavach’ generally means protective cover or protective shield. In Devi Kavach, the devotee remembers the different forms of Goddess to protect different parts and areas of his body and life Raksha
Protection of mind, intellect and ego
Protection of five life forces
Protection of life, religion, fame and wealth
Protection of family and children
Protection of path and journey
Thus the basic meaning of Devi Kavach is prayed is—to surrender one’s entire existence to the shelter of Mother Goddess and to pray for her grace and protection.
॥ Shri devyah kavacham ॥
Vinioga
om asya shrichandikavachasya brama rishih,
anushtup chhandah, chaamunda devta,
anganyasoktamataro bijam, digbandhadevtastattvam,
shrijagadambaprityarthe saptashatipathangatven jape viniyogah.
Om Namah Chandikayai.
Simple Meaning of Vinioga
The sage of this Sri Chandi Kavach is Brahma, the verse is Anuṣṭup and Goddess Chamunda is its founding deity. The mother powers described in Anganyasa are considered to be its seeds. This Kavach is chanted for the pleasure of Goddess and as part of the recitation of Durga Saptashati.
Complete original Sanskrit recitation of Devi Kavach
Markandeya said:
om yadguhyam paramam loke sarvarakshakaram nrunam ।
yann kasyachidakhyatam tanme bruhi pitamah ॥1॥
॥ Brahma said:
Asti guhyatamam vipra sarvabhutopakarakam.
devyastu kavacham punyam tacchhanushva mahamune ॥2॥
Description of Navadurga
prathamam shailputri ch dvitiyam bramacharini.
trutiyam chandraghanteti kooshmandeti chaturthakam ॥3॥
panchamam skandamateti shashtham kaatyayaniti ch.
saptamam kalaratriti mahagauriti chashtamam ॥4॥
navamam siddhidatri ch navadurgah prakirtitah.
uktanyetani namani bramanaiv mahatmana ॥5॥
Shelter and Protection of the Goddess
agnina dahyamanastu shatrumadhye gato rane.
vishame durgame chaiv bhayaartah sharanam gatah ॥6॥
na tesham jayate kinchidashubham ranasankate.
napadam tasya pashyami shokaduhkhabhayam na hi ॥7॥
yaistu bhaktya smruta nunam tesham vruddhih prajayate.
ye tvaam smaranti deveshi rakshase tann sanshayah ॥8॥
Description of the Mother Powers
pretasanstha tu chaamunda varahi mahishasana.
aindri gajasamarudha vaishnavi garudasana ॥9॥
maheshvari vrusharudha kaumari shikhivahana.
lakshmih padmasana devi padmahasta haripriya ॥10॥
shvetarupdhara devi ishvari vrushavahana.
brahmi hansasamarudha sarvabharanabhushita ॥11॥
ityeta matarah sarvaah sarvayogasamanvitah.
nanabharanashobhadhya nanaratnopashobhitah ॥12॥
The weapons of the goddess
drshyante rathamarudha devyah krodhasamakulah.
shankham chakram gadam shaktim halam ch musalayudham. ॥13॥
khetakam tomaram chaiv parashum pashamev ch.
kuntayudham trishulam ch sharngamayudhamuttamam ॥14॥
daityanam dehanashay bhaktanambhayay ch.
dharayantyayudhanittham devanam ch hitay vai ॥15॥
Prayer for Protection from Goddess
namaste̕stu maharaudre mahaghorparakrame.
mahabale mahotsahe mahabhayavinashini ॥16॥
trahi maam devi dusprekshye shatrunam bhayavardhini.
prachyam rakshatu maamaindri aagneyyamagnidevta ॥17॥
dakshine̕vatu varahi naiarutyam khadgadharini.
pratichyam varuni rakshed vayavyam mrugavahini ॥18॥
udichyam patu kaumari aishanyam shuladharini.
urdhvam bramani me rakshedadhastaadvaishnavi tatha ॥19॥
evam dash disho rakshechamunda shavavahana.
jaya me chagratah patu vijaya patu prushthatah ॥20॥
Protection of various parts of the body
ajita vaamparshve tu dakshine chaparajita.
shikhaamudyotini raksheduma murdhni vyavasthita ॥21॥
maladhari lalate ch bhruvau rakshedyashasvini.
trinetra ch bhruvormadhye yamaghanta ch nasike ॥22॥
shankhini chakshushormadhye shrotrayordvaravasini.
kapolau kalika rakshetkarnamule tu shankari ॥23॥
nasikayam sugandha ch uttaroshthe ch charchika.
adhare chaamrutakala jihvayam ch sarasvati ॥24॥
dantan rakshatu kaumari kanthadeshe tu chandika.
ghantikam chitraghanta ch mahamaya ch taluke ॥25॥
kamakshi chibukam rakshed vacham sarvamangla.
grivayam bhadrakali ch prushthavanshe dhanurdhari ॥26॥
nilagrivaa baheeahkanthe nalikam nalkubari.
skandhayoh khadgini rakshed bahu rakshed vajradharini ॥27॥
hastayordandini rakshedambika changulishu ch.
nakhaanchhuleshvari rakshetkukshau rakshetkuleshvari ॥28॥
stanau rakshenmahadevi manah shokvinashini.
hridaye lalita devi udare shuladharini ॥29॥
nabhou ch kamini rakshed guhyam guhyeshvari tatha.
putna kamika meidhram gude mahishavahini ॥30॥
katyam bhagavati rakshejjanuni vindhyavasini.
janghe mahabala rakshetsarvakamapradayini ॥31॥
gulphayornarasinhi ch padaprushthe tu taijasi.
padangulishu shri rakshetpadadhastalvasini ॥32॥
Protect the internal elements of the body
nakhan danshtrakaraali ch keshanshchaivordhvakeshini.
romkupeshu kauberi tvacham vagishvari tatha ॥33॥
naraktamajjavasamansanyasthimedansi parvati.
antrani kalaratrirshch pittam ch mukuteshvari ॥34॥
padmavati padmakoshe kaphe chudamanistatha.
jvalamukhi nakhajvalambhedya sarvasandhishu ॥35॥
shukram bramani me rakshechayam chhatreshvari tatha.
ahankaram mano budhim rakshenme dharmacharini ॥36॥
pranaapanau tatha vyanamudanam ch samanakam.
vajrahasta ch me rakshetpranam kalyanashobhana ॥37॥
rase rupe ch gandhe ch shabde sparshe ch yogini.
sattvam rajastamaschaiv rakshennarayani sada ॥38॥
Protect longevity, religion, fame, wealth and family
aayu rakshatu varahi dharmam rakshatu vaishnavi.
yashah kirtim ch lakshmim ch dhanam vidyam ch chakrini ॥39॥
gotramindrani me rakshetpashunme raksh chandike.
putran rakshenmahalakshmirbharyam rakshatu bhairavi ॥40॥
panthanam supatha rakshenmargam kshemakari tatha.
rajdvare mahalakshmirvijaya sarvatah sthita ॥41॥
Description of the effect of the shield
rakshaahinam tu yatsthanam varjitam kavachen tu.
tatsarvam raksh me devi jayanti papanashini ॥42॥
Description of the effect of armor
padamekam na gachettu yadicchhecchhubhamatmanah.
kavachenavruto nityam yatra yatraiv gachati ॥43॥
tatra tatraarthalabhasch vijayah sarvakamikah.
yam yam chintayate kamam tam tam prapnoti nischitam ॥44॥
paramaishvaryamatulam prapsyate bhutale puman.
nirbhayo jayate martyah sangrameshvaparajitah ॥45॥
trailokye tu bhavetpujyah kavachenavrutah puman.
idam tu devyah kavacham devanamapi durlabham ॥46॥
yah pathetprayato nityam trisandhyam shraddhayanvitah.
daivi kala bhavettasya trailokyeshvaparajitah ॥47॥
jivedvarshashatam sagramapamrutyuvivarjitah.
nashyanti vyadhayah sarve lutavisphotakaadayah ॥48॥
sthavaram jangamam chaiv krutrimam chapi yadvisham.
abhicharani sarvani mantrayantrani bhutale ॥49॥
bhoocharah khecharaschaiv jalajaaschaupadeshikah.
sahaja kulja mala dakini shakini tatha ॥50॥
antarikshachara ghora dakinyasch mahabalah.
grahabhutpishaachasch yakshagandharvarakshasah ॥51॥
bramarakshasavetalah kooshmanda bhairavadayah.
nashyanti darshanattasya kavache hrudi sansthite ॥52॥
manonnatirbhavedragnyastejovruddhikaram param.
yashasa varddhate so̕pi kirtimanditabhutale ॥53॥
Before reciting Durga Saptashati, one should chant Devi Kavacha
japetsaptashatim chandim krutva tu kavacham pura.
yavadbhumandalam dhatte sashailavanakananam ॥54॥
tavattishthati medinyam santatih putrapautriki.
dehaante paramam sthanam yatsurairapi durlabham ॥55॥
prapnoti purusho nityam mahamayaprasadatah.
labhate paramam rupam shiven sah modate ॥56॥
. Iti Devi Kavacham Sampurnam.
Main Features of Devi Kavacha
To understand Devi Kavacha, its major parts can be seen as follows:
1 Remembering Navadurga
Nine goddess forms from Shailaputri to Siddhidatri are remembered.
2 Invocation of Mother Powers
Chamunda, Varahi, Aindri, Vaishnavi, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Lakshmi, Ishwari and Brahmi are described.
3. Protection of the Ten Directions
The protection of the goddess in all directions from east to northeast, up and down is prayed for.
4. Protection of every part of the body
Different forms of Goddess are remembered for different parts of the body from the head to the soles of the feet.
5. Protection of mind and intellect
The shield prays to the goddess to protect not only the body but also the mind, intellect and ego.
6. Protection of the five life forces
The protection of life, breath, exhalation, exhalation and the same is also mentioned.
When to recite Devi Kavach?
Devotees can recite Devi Kavach according to their faith and traditional rules. Special occasions include:
- Navratri
- Durgashtami
- Mahanavami
- Friday
- Puja at Devi Temple
- Durga Saptashati Path
- Chandi Path
- Special Devi It is recited during the ritual
Devi Kavach Recitation Method
1. Bathing and Hygiene
Take a bath in the morning and wear clean clothes. Keep the place of worship clean.
2. Installation of Goddess
Light a lamp in front of the picture or idol of Maa Durga, Chandi or your desired Goddess.
3. Resolution
Pray to the Goddess in your mind for protection, good sense, self-strength, family welfare and spiritual advancement.
4. Meditation on Goddess
Calm down for a few moments and meditate on the form of Goddess Maa.
5. Recitation of Devi Kavach
First recite Viniyog and then Devi Kavach with devotion.
6. Recitation of Durga Saptashati
If you are reciting the entire Durga Saptashati, follow the order prescribed in your tradition.
7. Conclusion
At the end, offer Aarti and prayer to Maa Durga.
Can I read Goddess Armor daily?
Yes. The usual devotional recitation can be done daily according to faith. The number of lessons and rules for special rituals should be kept according to the instructions of one's guru-tradition or teacher. During this period, the tradition of reciting Devi Kavach, Argala Stotra, Keelak and Durga Saptashati is prevalent among many seekers.
What are the benefits of Devi Kavach? Is it part of Durga Saptashati?
Devi Kavach is an important stotra associated with the recitation tradition of Durga Saptashati/Devi Mahatmya. It is traditionally recited as an auxiliary part of the recitation, separate from the main 700 verses of the Saptashati.Which recitation should be recited after the Devi Kavach?
There may be some differences in the order in different traditions.Can Devi Kavach be recited by women?
It is appropriate to follow your family and religious tradition regarding general devotional hymn-recitation. Follow the rules outlined by the Guru or Acharya for the particular ritual.
Can I recite Devi Kavach at night?
Yes, the general recitation can be done according to your convenience and tradition. Morning and evening times are also generally considered appropriate in Devi Sadhana.
Is Devi Kavach recited for enemy obstacle?
Traditionally, Devi Kavach is associated with praying for Goddess protection in crisis and adversarial situations. It is appropriate to recite it with the feeling of surrender, courage and good sense to Goddess rather than feeling any harm.
Difference between Devi Kavach and Chandi Kavach
The names Devi Kavach, Durga Kavach and Chandi Kavach are used for the same stotra in many places. In the Durga Saptashati recitation tradition, it is known as Sri Devyah Kavacham.
However, in other devi traditions, you can find different recitations under the name “Chandi Kavacham”. Therefore, when publishing on the website, it will be more clear for the reader to write “Devi Kavach (Durga Saptashati)” in the title. It prays for the protection of body, directions, mind, life, family and various areas of life from Navadurga, mother powers and various forms of Goddess.
॥Jai Mata Di ॥
॥ ॐ Namah Chandikayai ॥