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—
ॐ नमो भगवते शिवाय स्वाहेति च मनुः 1.19.
The mantra is: 'Om, obeisance to the Blessed Shiva, svaha.'
अयं मन्त्रो रावणाय प्रदत्तो ब्रह्मणा पुरा
This mantra was formerly given to Ravana by Brahma.
मूलेन सर्वं देयं च नैवेद्यादिकमुत्तमम्
With its root, all offerings and the finest food should be given.
ॐ नमो महादेवाय महेश्वर महाभाग कवचं यत्प्रकाशितम्
'Om, obeisance to the great god; O Maheshvara, greatly fortunate one, the armor that has been revealed—'
महेश्वर उवाच अहं तुम्यं प्रदास्यामि गोपनीयं सुदुर्लभम्
Maheshvara said: 'I shall give you this, which is to be kept secret and is extremely rare.'
पुरा दुर्वाससे दत्तं त्रैलोक्यविजयाय च
'Long ago, it was given to Durvasa for the conquest of the three worlds.'
ममैवेदं च कवचं भक्त्या यो धारयेत्सुधीः
'Whoever, with devotion, wears this armor of mine, being wise—'
संसारपावनस्यास्य कवचस्य प्रजापतिः धर्मार्थकाममोक्षेषु विनियोगः प्रकीर्तितः
'For this armor, which purifies worldly existence, the application is declared for righteousness, wealth, desire, and liberation.'
पंचलक्षजपेनैव सिद्धिदं कवचं भवेत् तेजसा सिद्धि योगेन तपसा विक्रमेण च
'By reciting it five hundred thousand times, the armor grants success—by brilliance, by accomplishment, by yoga, by austerity, and by valor.'
शम्भुर्मे मस्तकं पातु मुखं पातु महेश्वरः
'May Shambhu protect my head, may Maheshvara protect my face.'
कण्ठं पातु चन्द्रचूडः स्कन्धौ वृषभवाहनः 1.19.
'May Chandrachuda protect my throat, and the Bull-bannered One protect my shoulders.'
सर्वाङ्गं पातु विश्वेशः सर्वदिक्षु च सर्वदा
'May the Lord of the Universe protect all my limbs, and in all directions, at all times.'
इति ते कथितं बाण कवचं परमाद्भुतम्
'Thus, the wondrous Bana armor has been described to you.'
यत्फलं सर्वतीर्थानां स्नानेन लभते नरः
'The fruit that a man obtains by bathing at all sacred fords—'
इदं कवचमज्ञात्वा भजेन्मां यः सुमन्दधीः
'He who, not knowing this armor, worships me, being of very dull intellect—'
सौतिरुवाच मन्त्रराजः कल्पतरुर्वसिष्ठो दत्तवान्पुरा
Sauti said: 'The king of mantras, the wish-fulfilling tree, was formerly given by Vasishta.'
ॐ नमः शिवाय वन्दे सुराणां सारं च सुरेशं नीललोहितम्
'Om, obeisance to Shiva; I bow to the essence of the gods and to the lord of the gods, blue and red in hue.'
ज्ञानानन्दं ज्ञानरूपं ज्ञानबीजं सनातनम्
'The embodiment of knowledge and bliss, the form of knowledge, the seed of knowledge, eternal.'
तपोरूपं तपोबीजं तपोधनधनं वरम्
The form of austerity, the seed of austerity, the wealth and treasure of asceticism, the best.
कारणं भुक्तिमुक्तीनां नरकार्णवतारणम्
The cause of enjoyment and liberation, the means to cross the ocean of hell.