नारद उवाच कवचं श्रोतुमिच्छामि साम्प्रतं भवतारणम्
Narada said: I wish to hear the protective hymn now, O deliverer from the ocean of existence.
नारायण उवाच उवाच विष्णुं सर्वेषां तारकं जगतां गुरुम्
Narayana said: He spoke of Vishnu, the savior of all, the guru of the worlds.
शनैश्चर उवाच कवचं विघ्ननिघ्नस्य वद वेदविदांवर
Shani said: O best of those who know the Vedas, tell the protective hymn of the remover of obstacles.
बभूव नो विवादश्च शक्त्या वै मायया सह
There was no dispute between us, neither by power nor by illusion.
श्रीविष्णुरुवाच सुगोप्यं च पुराणेषु दुर्लभं चागमेषु च
Sri Vishnu said: It is very secret in the Puranas and rare in the Agamas.
उक्तं कौथुमशाखायां सामवेदे मनोहरम्
It is spoken in the Kauthuma branch of the Sama Veda, delightful to hear.
राज्यं देयं शिरो देयं प्राणा देयाश्च सूर्य्यज
The kingdom may be given, the head may be given, even life may be given, O son of the Sun.
आविर्भावस्तिरोभावः स्वेच्छया यस्य मायया
His manifestation and concealment occur by his own will, through his power of illusion.
पूजाऽस्य नित्या स्तोत्रं च कल्पे कल्पेऽस्ति सन्ततम्
His worship and hymn of praise are ever-present, continually existing in every age.
यथा मदवतारेषु जन्मविग्रहधारणम्
Just as in My descents, there is the taking of birth and form.
यद्धृत्वा मुनयः सर्वे जीवन्मुक्ताश्च भारते
By holding this, all sages and those liberated while living in Bharata have attained freedom.
कवचं बिभ्रतां मृत्युर्न भिया याति सन्निधिम्
For those who wear the armor, death does not approach out of fear.
दश लक्षजपेनैव सिद्धं तु कवचं भवेत्
By reciting it one hundred thousand times, the armor becomes perfected.
सुसिद्धकवचो वाग्मी चिरंजीवी महीतले
One whose armor is well perfected becomes eloquent and long-lived upon the earth.
मालामन्त्रमिमं पुण्यं कवचं मङ्गलं शुभम्
This garland-mantra, this holy, auspicious armor, is a blessing.
भूतप्रेतपिशाचाश्च कूष्माण्डा ब्रह्मराक्षसाः
Spirits, ghosts, fiends, goblins, and Brahma-rakshasas,
बालग्रहा ग्रहाश्चैव क्षेत्रपालादयस्तथा
Child-seizing demons, planets, and also guardians of fields and the like,
आधयो व्याधयश्चैव शोकाश्चैव भयावहाः
Afflictions, diseases, sorrows, and terrifying fears,
ऋजवे गुरुभक्ताय स्वशिष्याय प्रकाशयेत्
It should be revealed to a straightforward disciple devoted to the guru.
संसारमोहकस्यास्य कवचस्य प्रजापतिः धर्मार्थकाममोक्षेषु विनियोगः प्रकीर्त्तितः
Of this armor that removes the delusion of worldly existence, the Lord of creatures has declared its application in righteousness, wealth, desire, and liberation.
सर्वेषां कवचानां च सारभूतमिदं मुने द्वात्रिंशदक्षरो मन्त्रो ललाटं मे सदाऽवतु
O sage, among all armors, this is the very essence; the thirty-two-syllabled mantra should always protect my forehead.
ॐ ह्रीं क्लीं श्रीं गमिति वै सततं पातु लोचनम्
Om hrīṃ klīṃ śrīṃ ga—may this ever protect my eyes.
ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं क्लीमिति परं सन्ततं पातु नासिकाम् दन्तांश्च तालुकां जिह्वां पातु मे षोडशाक्षरः
Om hrīṃ śrīṃ klīṃ—may this supreme mantra always protect my nose, and the sixteen-syllabled mantra protect my teeth, palate, and tongue.
ॐ लं श्रीं लम्बोदरायेति स्वाहा गण्डं सदा ऽवतु
Om laṃ śrīṃ lambodarāya svāhā—may this always protect my cheeks.
ॐ श्रीं गं गजाननायेति स्वाहा स्कन्धं सदाऽवतु
Om śrīṃ gaṃ gajānānāya svāhā—may this always protect my shoulders.
ॐ क्लीं ह्रीमिति कङ्कालं पातु वक्षःस्थलं परम्
Om klīṃ hrīṃ—may this protect my skeleton and the supreme chest.
प्राच्यां लम्बोदरः पातु चाग्नेय्यां विघ्ननायकः
In the east, may Lambodara protect; in the southeast, Vighnanāyaka.
पश्चिमे पार्वतीपुत्रो वायव्यां शंकरात्मजः
In the west, the son of Pārvatī; in the northwest, the son of Śaṃkara.
ऐशान्यामेकदन्तश्च हेरम्बः पातु चोर्ध्वतः स्वप्ने जागरणे चैव पातु मां योगिनां गुरुः
In the northeast, Ekadanta; above, may Heramba protect. In dream and in waking, may the guru of yogis guard me.
इति ते कथितं वत्स सर्वमन्त्रौघविग्रहम्
Thus, O child, I have told you the embodiment of all collections of mantras.