तदपि ब्रूहि हे सौते श्रोतुं कौतूहलं मम 1.19.
Tell me that also, O Sauti; I am eager to hear.
सौतिरुवाच तदेव स्तोत्रं दत्तं च मन्त्रं च कवचं शृणु
Sauti said: Hear now that very hymn, the mantra, and the protective charm that were given.
ॐ नमो भगवते रासमण्डलेशाय स्वाहा
Om, obeisance to the Lord of the circle of Rāsa, svāhā.
पुरा दत्तं कुमाराय ब्रह्मणा पुष्करे हरेः
Long ago, Brahmā gave this to Kumāra at Puṣkara, concerning Hari.
ध्यानं च विष्णोर्वेदोक्तं शाश्वतं सर्वदुर्लभम्
The meditation on Viṣṇu, as declared in the Vedas, is eternal and exceedingly rare.
अतीव गुप्तकवचं पितुर्वक्त्रान्मया श्रुतम्
The exceedingly secret protective charm I heard from my father's mouth.
शूलिने ब्रह्मणे दत्तं गोलोके रासमण्डले
It was given to the trident-bearer by Brahmā in Goloka, within the circle of Rāsa.
ब्रह्मोवाच ब्रह्माण्डपावनं नाम कृपया कथय प्रभो
Brahmā said: Out of compassion, O Lord, tell the one called Brahmāṇḍa-pāvana.
मां महेशं च धर्मं च भक्तं च भक्तवत्सल
Me, Maheśa, Dharma, and the devotee, O lover of devotees.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच अहं दास्यामि युष्मभ्यं गोपनीयं सुदुर्लमम्
Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: I will give you that which is to be kept secret and is extremely rare.
यस्मै कस्मै न दातव्यं प्राणतुल्यं ममैव हि 1.19.
This must not be given to just anyone; it is as dear to me as life itself.
कुरु सृष्टिमिमं धृत्वा धाता त्रिजगतां भव
Having upheld this creation, become the creator of the three worlds.
हे धर्म त्वमिमं धृत्वा भव साक्षी च कर्मणाम्
O Dharma, holding this, be the witness of actions.
ब्रह्माण्डपावनस्यास्य कवचस्य हरिः स्वयम्
Hari himself is the purifier of this Brahmāṇḍa and of this protective mantra.
धर्मार्थकाममोक्षेषु विनियोगः प्रकीर्तितः
Its application is declared in matters of dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation.
यो भवेत्सिद्धकवचो मम तुल्यो भवेच्च सः
Whoever possesses this perfected protective mantra becomes equal to me.
प्रणवो मे शिरः पातु नमो रामेश्वराय च
Let the syllable 'praṇava' protect my head, and salutations to Rāmeśvara as well.
कृष्णः पायाच्छ्रोत्रयुग्मं हे हरे प्राणमेव च
May Kṛṣṇa protect both my ears, and O Hari, my very breath.
श्रीकृष्णाय स्वाहेति च कण्ठं पातु षडक्षरः
Let the six-syllabled mantra 'śrīkṛṣṇāya svāha' protect my throat.
नमो गोपाङ्गनेशाय स्कन्धावष्टाक्षरोऽवतु
Let the eight-syllabled mantra 'namo gopāṅganeśāya' protect my shoulders.
ॐ नमो भगवते रासमण्डलेशाय स्वाहा 1.19.
Om, salutations to the Lord of the rāsa circle, svāhā.
ऐं कृष्णाय स्वाहेति च कर्णयुग्मं सदाऽवतु
Let the mantra 'aiṃ kṛṣṇāya svāha' always protect both my ears.
ॐ हरये नम इति पृष्ठं पादं सदा ऽवतु
Let 'om haraye namaḥ' always protect my back and feet.
प्राच्यां मां पातु श्रीकृष्ण आग्नेय्यां पातु माधवः
May Śrī Kṛṣṇa protect me in the east, and Mādhava in the southeast.
वारुण्यां पातु गोविन्दो वायव्यां राधिकेश्वरः
Let Govinda protect me in the west, and Rādhikeśvara in the northwest.
सततं सर्वतः पातु परो नारायणः स्वयम्
May the supreme Nārāyaṇa himself always protect me everywhere.
मम जीवनतुल्यं च युष्मभ्यं दत्तमेव च कलां नार्हन्ति तान्येव कवचस्यैव धारणात्
I have given you something equal to my own life; by wearing this protective mantra, they do not deserve even a fraction of it.
गुरुमभ्यर्च्य विधिवद्वस्त्रालङ्कारचन्दनैः
After properly worshipping the guru with garments, ornaments, and sandalwood,
कवचस्य प्रसादेन जीवन्मुक्तो भवेन्नरः
By the grace of the protective mantra, a person becomes liberated while living.
सौतिरुवाच वशिष्ठेन च यद्दत्तं गन्धर्वाय च यो मनुः
Sauti said: The mantra given by Vasiṣṭha to the Gandharva, and the one given to Manu—