राजा उवाच यया गुप्तः सहस्राक्षः सवाहान् रिपुसैनिकान् । क्रीडन्निव विनिर्जित्य त्रिलोक्या बुभुजे श्रियम् ॥१॥
rājovāca | yayā guptaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ savāhān ripusainikān | krīḍanniva vinirjitya trilokyā bubhuje śriyam ||1||
King Parīkṣit said: O my lord, O Śukadeva Gosvāmī, please be merciful to me and describe the armor of Nārāyaṇa, by which the king of the heavenly planets, Indra, was protected, enabling him to conquer his enemies and enjoy the opulence of the three worlds as if in sport. (1)
भगवंस्तन्ममाख्याहि वर्म नारायणात्मकम् । यथाऽऽततायिनः शत्रून् येन गुप्तोऽजयन्मृधे ॥२॥
bhagavaṁstanmamākhyāhi varma nārāyaṇātmakam | yathāssatatāyinaḥ śatrūn yena gupto’jayanmṛdhe ||2||
O master, please explain to me that Nārāyaṇa armor, by which, being protected, Indra conquered the attacking enemies in battle. (2)
श्रीशुक उवाच वृतः पुरोहितोस्त्वाष्ट्रो महेन्द्रायानुपृच्छते । नारायणाख्यं वर्माह तदिहैकमनाः शृणु ॥३॥
śrī-śuka uvāca | vṛtaḥ purohitastvāṣṭro mahendrāyānupṛcchate | nārāyaṇākhyaṁ varmāha tadihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu ||3||
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When requested by Indra, Viśvarūpa, the priest of the demigods, offered him the armor known as Nārāyaṇa-kavaca. Please listen with full attention. (3)
विश्वरूप उवाच धौताङ्घ्रिपाणिराचम्य सपवित्र उदङ्मुखः । कृतस्वाङ्गकरन्यासो मन्त्राभ्यां वाग्यतः शुचिः ॥४॥
viśvarūpa uvāca | dhautāṅghripāṇirācamya sapavitra udaṅmukhaḥ | kṛtasvāṅgakaraṇyāso mantrābhyāṁ vāgyataḥ śuciḥ ||4||
Viśvarūpa said: After washing one's hands and feet, one should perform ācamana, wear sacred grass [kuśa], and sit facing north. Controlling speech and being purified, one should perform the bodily and hand nyāsas with the two mantras. (4)
नारायणमयं वर्म सन्नह्येद् भय आगते । पादयोर्जानुनोरूर्वोरुदरे हृद्यथोरसि ॥५॥
nārāyaṇamayaṁ varma sannahyed bhaya āgate | pādayorjānunorūrvorudare hṛdyathorasi ||5||
When fear arises, one should bind oneself with this Nārāyaṇa armor. First placing the mantras on the feet, knees, thighs, abdomen, heart, and chest. (5)
मुखे शिरस्यानुपूर्व्यादोंकारादीनि विन्यसेत् । ॐ नमो नारायणायेति विपर्ययमथापि वा ॥६॥
mukhe śirasyānupūrvyādoṁkārādīni vinyaset | oṁ namo nārāyaṇāyeti viparyayamathāpi vā ||6||
Then on the face and head, in succession, one should place the syllables starting with Oṁ. One should chant "Oṁ namo nārāyaṇāya" or its reverse. (6)
करन्यासं ततः कुर्याद् द्वादशाक्षरविद्यया । प्रणवादियकारान्तमङ्गुल्यङ्गुष्ठपर्वसु ॥७॥
karanyāsaṁ tataḥ kuryād dvādaśākṣaravidyayā | praṇavādiyakārāntamaṅgulyaṅguṣṭhaparvasu ||7||
Then one should perform the hand nyāsa with the twelve-syllable mantra, placing the syllables from Praṇava (Oṁ) to ya on the joints of the fingers and thumb. (7)
न्यसेद्धृदय ओङ्कारं vicaramanumūrdhani । षकारं तु भ्रुवोर्मध्ये णकारं शिखया दिशेत् ॥८॥
nyaseddhṛdaya oṅkāraṁ vikāramanumūrdhani | ṣakāraṁ tu bhruvormadhye ṇakāraṁ śikhayā diśet ||8||
Place Oṁ on the heart, vi on the head, ṣa between the eyebrows, and ṇa on the śikhā (tuft of hair). (8)
वेकारं नेत्रयोर्युञ्ज्यान्नकारं सर्वसन्धिषु । मकारमस्त्रमुद्दिश्य मन्त्रमूर्तिर्भवेद् बुधः ॥९॥
vekāraṁ netrayoryuñjyānnakāraṁ sarvasandhiṣu | makāramastramuddiśya mantramūrtirbhaved budhaḥ ||9||
Place ve on the two eyes, and na on all joints. Directing ma as the weapon, the wise one should become the embodiment of the mantra. (9)
सविसर्गं फडन्तं तत् सर्वदिक्षु विनिर्दिशेत् । ॐ विष्णवे नम इति ॥१०॥
savisargaṁ phaḍantaṁ tat sarvadikṣu vinirdiśet | oṁ viṣṇave nama iti ||10||
Ending with visarga (ḥ) and phaṭ, one should direct it to all directions, chanting "Oṁ Viṣṇave Namaḥ". (10)
आत्मानं परमं ध्यायेद् ध्येयं षट्शक्तिभिर्युतम् । विद्यातेजस्तपोमूर्तिमिमं मन्त्रमुदाहरेत् ॥११॥
ātmānaṁ paramaṁ dhyāyed dhyeyaṁ ṣaṭśaktibhiryutam | vidyātejastapomūrtimimaṁ mantramudāharet ||11||
One should meditate on the Supreme Self, the object of meditation, endowed with six powers. The embodiment of knowledge, brilliance, and austerity, one should utter this mantra. (11)
ॐ हरिर्विदध्यान्मम सर्वरक्षां न्यस्ताङ्घ्रिपद्मः पतगेन्द्रपृष्ठे । दरारिचर्मासिगदेषुचापान्पाशान्दधानोऽष्टगुणोऽष्टबाहुः ॥१२॥
oṁ harirvidadhyānmama sarvarakṣāṁ nyastāṅghripadmaḥ patagendrapṛṣṭhe | darāricarmāsigadeṣucāpānpāśāndadhāno’ṣṭaguṇo’ṣṭabāhuḥ ||12||
Om. May Lord Hari, who is seated on the king of birds (Garuda) with His lotus feet, protect me from all sides. He, with eight arms and eight great mystic perfections, holds a conch, discus, shield, sword, mace, arrows, bow, and ropes. (12)
जलेषु मां रक्षतु मत्स्यमूर्तिर्यादोगणेभ्यो वरुणस्य पाशात् । स्थलेषु मायावटुवामनोऽव्यात् त्रिविक्रमः खेऽवतु विश्वरूपः ॥१३॥
jaleṣu māṁ rakṣatu matsyamūrtiryādogaṇebhyo varuṇasya pāśāt | sthaleṣu māyāvaṭuvāmano’vyāt trivikramaḥ khe’vatu viśvarūpaḥ ||13||
In water, may the Matsya form protect me from the aquatic creatures and the noose of Varuṇa. On land, may the illusory dwarf Vāmana protect me. In the sky, may the Trivikrama form, the universal form, protect me. (13)
दुर्गेष्वटव्याजिमुखादिषु प्रभुः पायान्नृसिंहोऽसुरयूथपारिः । विमुञ्चतो यस्य महाट्टहासं दिशो विनेदुर्न्यपतंश्च गर्भाः ॥१४॥
durgeṣvaṭavyājimukhādiṣu prabhuḥ pāyānnṛsiṁho’surayūthapāriḥ | vimuñcato yasya mahāṭṭahāsaṁ diśo vinedurnyapataṁśca garbhāḥ ||14||
In difficult places, forests, and battlefronts, may Lord Nṛsiṁha, the enemy of demon hosts, protect me. When he lets out his great laughter, the directions resound and the wombs of demonesses miscarry. (14)
रक्षत्वसौ माध्वनि यज्ञकल्पः स्वदंष्ट्रयोन्नीतधरो वराहः । रामोऽद्रिकूटेष्वथ विप्रवासे सलक्ष्मणोऽव्याद् भरताग्रजोऽस्मान् ॥१५॥
rakṣatvasau mādhvani yajñakalpaḥ svadaṁṣṭrayonnītadharo varāhaḥ | rāmo’drikūṭeṣvatha vipravāse salakṣmaṇo’vyād bharatāgrajo’smān ||15||
May that Lord Varāha, who is the embodiment of sacrifice and who lifted the earth with his tusks, protect me on the road. On mountain peaks, and during travels abroad, may Lord Rāma, the elder brother of Bharata, along with Lakṣmaṇa, protect us. (15)
मामुग्रधर्मादखिलात् प्रमादान्नारायणः पातु नरश्च हासात् । दत्तस्त्वयोगादथ योगनाथः पायाद् गुणेशः कपिलः कर्मबन्धात् ॥१६॥
māmugradharmādakhilāt pramādānnārāyaṇaḥ pātu naraśca hāsāt | dattastvayogādatha yoganāthaḥ pāyād guṇeśaḥ kapilaḥ karmabandhāt ||16||
May Nārāyaṇa protect me from all terrible duties and from negligence. May Nara protect me from pride. May Dattātreya, the lord of yoga, protect me from faults in yoga practice. And may Kapila, the master of the guṇas, protect me from the bondage of karma. (16)
सनत्कुमारोऽवतु कामदेवाद्धयशीर्षा मां पथि देवहेलनात् । देवर्षिवर्यः पुरुषार्चनान्तरात् कूर्मो हरिर्मां निरयादशेषात् ॥१७॥
sanatkumāro’vatu kāmadevāddhayaśīrṣā māṁ pathi devahelanāt | devarṣivaryaḥ puruṣārcanāntarāt kūrmo harirmāṁ nirayādaśeṣāt ||17||
May Sanatkumāra protect me from lust. May Hayagrīva protect me on the path from neglecting the demigods. May the best of divine sages, Nārada, protect me from offenses in worshiping the Lord. May Kūrma-hari protect me from all hells. (17)
धन्वन्तरिर्भगवान् पात्वपथ्याद् द्वन्द्वाद् भयादृषभो निर्जितात्मा । यज्ञश्च लोकादवताज्जनान्ताद् बलो गणात् क्रोधवशादहीन्द्रः ॥१८॥
dhanvantarirbhagavān pātvapathyād dvandvād bhayādṛṣabho nirjitātmā | yajñaśca lokādavatājjanāntād balo gaṇāt krodhavaśādahīndraḥ ||18||
May Lord Dhanvantari protect me from improper diet. May Ṛṣabha, who has conquered his self, protect me from the fear of dualities. May Yajña protect me from public censure. May Balarāma protect me from the multitude of people, and may Śeṣa protect me from the angry serpents. (18)
द्वैपायनो भगवानप्रबोधाद् बुद्धस्तु पाखण्डगणप्रमादात् । कल्किः कलेः कालमलात् प्रपातु धर्मावनायोरुकृतावतारः ॥१९॥
dvaipāyano bhagavānaprabodhād buddhastu pākhaṇḍagaṇapramādāt | kalkiḥ kaleḥ kālamalāt prapātu dharmāvanāyorukṛtāvatāraḥ ||19||
May Lord Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) protect me from lack of awareness. May Buddha protect me from the folly of heretical groups. May Kalki, who has taken a great incarnation to protect dharma, protect me from the filth of the age of Kali. (19)
मां केशवो गदया प्रातरव्याद् गोविन्द आसङ्गवमात्तवेणुः । नारायणः प्राह्ण उदात्तशक्तिर्मध्यन्दिने विष्णुररीन्द्रपाणिः ॥२०॥
māṁ keśavo gadayā prātaravyād govinda āsaṅgavamāttaveṇuḥ | nārāyaṇaḥ prāhṇa udāttaśaktirmadhyandine viṣṇurarīndrapāṇiḥ ||20||
May Keśava protect me with his mace in the morning. May Govinda, holding his flute, protect me at sunrise. May Nārāyaṇa, with his exalted powers, protect me in the forenoon, and may Viṣṇu, with the discus in his hand, protect me at midday. (20)
देवोऽपराह्णे मधुहोग्रधन्वा सायं त्रिधामावतु माधवो माम् । दोषे हृषीकेश उतार्धरात्रे निशीथ एकोऽवतु पद्मनाभः ॥२१॥
devo’parāhṇe madhuhogradhanvā sāyaṁ tridhāmāvatu mādhavo mām | doṣe hṛṣīkeśa utārdharātre niśītha eko’vatu padmanābhaḥ ||21||
In the afternoon, may Lord Madhusūdana, with his fierce bow, protect me. In the evening, may Mādhava, the lord of the three worlds, protect me. In the early night, may Hṛṣīkeśa protect me, and at midnight, may Padmanābha alone protect me. (21)
श्रीवत्सधामापररात्र ईशः प्रत्यूष ईशोऽसिधरो जनार्दनः । दामोदरोऽव्यादनुसन्ध्यं प्रभाते विश्वेश्वरो भगवान् कालमूर्तिः ॥२२॥
śrīvatsadhāmāpararātra īśaḥ pratyūṣa īśo’sidharo janārdanaḥ | dāmodaro’vyādanusandhyaṁ prabhāte viśveśvaro bhagavān kālamūrtiḥ ||22||
In the late night, may the Lord bearing the Śrīvatsa mark protect me. At dawn, may Lord Janārdana, who holds a sword, protect me. During the twilight periods, may Dāmodara protect me, and in the morning, may the Lord of the universe, who is the embodiment of time, protect me. (22)
चक्रं युगान्तानलतिग्मनेमि भ्रमत् समन्ताद् भगवत्प्रयुक्तम् । दन्दग्धि दन्दग्ध्यरिसैन्यमाशु कक्षं यथा वातसखो हुताशः ॥२३॥
cakraṁ yugāntānalatigmanemi bhramat samantād bhagavatprayuktam | dandagdhi dandagdhyarisainyamāśu kakṣaṁ yathā vātasakho hutāśaḥ ||23||
O Sudarśana wheel, with your rim as sharp as the fire at the end of the yuga, you are set in motion by the Lord. Orbiting everywhere, burn, burn our enemy armies quickly, just as fire, the friend of the wind, burns dry grass. (23)
गदेऽशनिस्पर्शनविस्फुलिङ्गे निष्पिण्ढि निष्पिण्ढ्यजितप्रियासि । कूष्माण्डवैनायकयक्षरक्षोभूतग्रहांश्चूर्णय चूर्णयारीन् ॥२४॥
gade’śanisparśanavisphuliṅge niṣpiṇḍhi niṣpiṇḍhyajitapriyāsi | kūṣmāṇḍavaināyakayakṣarakṣobhūtagrahāṁścūrṇaya cūrṇayārīn ||24||
O mace, with your sparks like lightning bolts, you are dear to the Unconquerable Lord. Crush, crush the kūṣmāṇḍas, vaināyakas, yakṣas, rakṣasas, bhūtas, and grahas. Pulverize, pulverize our enemies. (24)
त्वं यातुधानप्रमथप्रेतमातृपिशाचविप्रग्रहघोरदृष्टीन् । दरेन्द्र विद्रावय कृष्णपूरितो भीमस्वनोऽरेर्हृदयानि कम्पयन् ॥२५॥
tvaṁ yātudhānapramathapretamātṛpiśācavipragrahaghoradṛṣṭīn | darendra vidrāvaya kṛṣṇapūrito bhīmasvano’rerhṛdayāni kampayan ||25||
O king of conches, filled with the breath of Kṛṣṇa, with your terrifying sound, make the hearts of our enemies tremble. Drive away the yātudhānas, pramathas, pretas, mātṛs, piśācas, and the fearful-eyed brāhmaṇa-grahas. (25)
त्वं तिग्मधारासिवरारिसैन्यमीशप्रयुक्तो मम छिन्धि छिन्धि । चर्मञ्छतचन्द्र छादय द्विषामघोनां हर पापचक्षुषाम् ॥२६॥
tvaṁ tigmadhārāsivarārisainyamīśaprayukto mama chindhi chindhi | carmañchatacandra chādaya dviṣāmaghonāṁ hara pāpacakṣuṣām ||26||
O best of swords with a sharp edge, employed by the Lord, cut, cut my enemies. O shield with a hundred moons, cover the eyes of the sinful enemies and blind their evil sight. (26)
यन्नो भयं ग्रहेभ्योऽभूत् केतुभ्यो नृभ्य एव च । सरीसृपेभ्यो दंष्ट्रिभ्यो भूतेभ्योऽंहोभ्य एव वा ॥२७॥
yanno bhayaṁ grahebhyo’bhūt ketubhyo nṛbhya eva ca | sarīsṛpebhyo daṁṣṭribhyo bhūtebhyo’ṁhobhya eva vā ||27||
Whatever fear we have from planets, comets, or humans; from reptiles, fanged creatures, spirits, or from sins... (27)
सर्वाण्येतानि भगवन्नामरूपास्त्रकीर्तनात् । प्रयान्तु सङ्क्षयं सद्यो ये नः श्रेयःप्रतीपकाः ॥२८॥
sarvāṇyetāni bhagavannāmarūpāstrakīrtanāt | prayāntu saṅkṣayaṁ sadyo ye naḥ śreyaḥpratīpakāḥ ||28||
May all these obstacles to our well-being be immediately destroyed by the chanting of the Lord’s names, forms, and weapons. (28)
गरुडो भगवान् स्तोत्रस्तोभश्छन्दोमयः प्रभुः । रक्षत्वशेषकृच्छ्रेभ्यो विष्वक्सेनः स्वनामभिः ॥२९॥
garuḍo bhagavān stotrastobhaśchandomayaḥ prabhuḥ | rakṣatvaśeṣakṛcchrebhyo viṣvaksenaḥ svanāmabhiḥ ||29||
May Lord Garuḍa, the embodiment of the Vedas, who is praised in hymns, protect us from all difficulties. May Viṣvaksena protect us through His names. (29)
सर्वापद्भ्यो हरेर्नामरूपयानायुधानि नः । बुद्धीन्द्रियमनःप्राणान् पान्तु पार्षदभूषणाः ॥३०॥
sarvāpadbhyo harernāmarūpayānāyudhāni naḥ | buddhīndriyamanaprāṇān pāntu pārṣadabhūṣaṇāḥ ||30||
May the names, forms, vehicles, and weapons of Hari, which are the ornaments of His associates, protect our intelligence, senses, mind, and life-breaths from all calamities. (30)
यथा हि भगवानेव वस्तुतः सदसच्च यत् । सत्येनानेन नः सर्वे यान्तु नाशमुपद्रवाः ॥३१॥
yathā hi bhagavāneva vastutaḥ sadasacca yat | satyenānena naḥ sarve yāntu nāśamupadravāḥ ||31||
As the Lord Himself is indeed the reality, both the manifest and unmanifest, by this truth, may all our troubles come to an end. (31)
यथैकात्म्यानुभावानां विकल्परहितः स्वयम् । भूषणायुधलिङ्गाख्या धत्ते शक्तीः स्वमायया ॥३२॥
yathaikātmyānubhāvānāṁ vikalparahitaḥ svayam | bhūṣaṇāyudhaliṅgākhyā dhatte śaktīḥ svamāyayā ||32||
Just as the Lord, being devoid of duality, Himself, through His own māyā, assumes the powers known as ornaments, weapons, and symbols, experienced by those who realize oneness... (32)
तेनैव सत्यमानेन सर्वज्ञो भगवान् हरिः । पातु सर्वैः स्वरूपैर्नः सदा सर्वत्र सर्वगः ॥३३॥
tenaiva satyamānena sarvajño bhagavān hariḥ | pātu sarvaiḥ svarūpairnaḥ sadā sarvatra sarvagaḥ ||33||
By that very truth, may the all-knowing Lord Hari, who is all-pervading, protect us always and everywhere with all His forms. (33)
विदिक्षु दिक्षूर्ध्वमधः समन्तादन्तर्बहिर्भगवान् नारसिंहः । प्रहापयँल्लोकभयं स्वनेन स्वतेजसा ग्रस्तसमस्ततेजाः ॥३४॥
vidikṣu dikṣūrdhvamadhaḥ samantādantarbahiḥr Bhagavān nārasiṁhaḥ | prahāpayaṁllokabhayaṁ svanena svatejasā grastasamastatejāḥ ||34||
In all intermediate directions, in all directions, above, below, all around, inside and outside, may Lord Nārasiṁha, who dispels the fear of the worlds with His roar and whose brilliance eclipses all other brilliances, protect us. (34)
मघवन्निदमाख्यातं वर्म नारायणात्मकम् । विजेष्यस्यञ्जसा येन दंशितोऽसुरयूथपान् ॥३५॥
maghavannidamākhyātaṁ varma nārāyaṇātmakam | vijeṣyasyañjasā yena daṁśito’surayūthapān ||35||
O Indra, this armor of Nārāyaṇa has been described to you. Armored with this, you will easily conquer the leaders of the demon hosts. (35)
एतद् धारयमाणस्तु यं यं पश्यति चक्षुषा । पदा वा संस्पृशेत् सद्यः साध्वसात् स विमुच्यते ॥३६॥
etad dhārayamāṇastu yaṁ yaṁ paśyati cakṣuṣā | padā vā saṁspṛśet sadyaḥ sādhvasāt sa vimucyate ||36||
One who wears this armor, whoever he sees with his eyes or touches with his feet, is immediately freed from fear. (36)
न कुतश्चिद् भयं तस्य विद्यां धारयतो भवेत् । राजदस्युग्रहादिभ्यो व्याध्यादिभ्यश्च कर्हिचित् ॥३७॥
na kutaścid bhayaṁ tasya vidyāṁ dhārayato bhavet | rājadasyugrahādibhyo vyādhyādibhyaśca karhicit ||37||
For one who holds this knowledge, there will be no fear from any source whatsoever—from kings, thieves, planets, diseases, etc., at any time. (37)
इमां विद्यां पुरा कश्चित् कौशिको धारयन् द्विजः । योगधारणया स्वाङ्गं जहौ स मरुधन्वनि ॥३८॥
imāṁ vidyāṁ purā kaścit kauśiko dhārayan dvijaḥ | yogadhāraṇayā svāṅgaṁ jahau sa marudhanvani ||38||
In ancient times, a certain brāhmaṇa named Kauśika, holding this knowledge, gave up his body in the desert through the power of yoga. (38)
तस्योपरि विमानेन गन्धर्वपतिरेकदा । ययौ चित्ररथः स्त्रीभिर्वृतो यत्र द्विजक्षयः ॥३९॥
tasyopari vimānena gandharvapatirekadā | yayau citrarathaḥ strībhirvṛto yatra dvijakṣayaḥ ||39||
Once, the king of the Gandharvas, Citraratha, surrounded by women, was passing in his celestial airplane over the place where the brāhmaṇa had died. (39)
गगनान्न्यपतत् सद्यः सविमानो ह्यवाक्शिराः । स वालखिल्यवचनादस्थीन्यादाय विस्मितः । प्रास्य प्राचीसरस्वत्यां स्नात्वा धाम स्वमन्वगात् ॥४०॥
gaganānnyapatat sadyaḥ savimāno hyavākśirāḥ | sa vālakhilyavacanādasthīnyādāya vismitaḥ | prāsya prācīsarasvatyāṁ snātvā dhāma svamanvagāt ||40||
Suddenly, he fell headfirst from the sky with his airplane. Astonished, following the words of the Vālakhilyas, he took the bones, threw them into the eastern Sarasvatī river, bathed, and returned to his abode. (40)