श्रीकृष्णेन पुरा दत्तं गोलोके रासमण्डले
Once, this was given by Śrī Kṛṣṇa in Goloka, within the circle of the rāsa.
मया दत्तं च तुभ्यं च यस्मै कस्मै न दास्यसि
I have given it to you, but you must not give it to just anyone.
गुरुमभ्यर्च्य विधिवत्कवचं धारयेत्तु यः
Whoever, having duly worshipped the guru, wears this armor—
अश्वमेधसहस्राणि वाजपेयशतानि च
—gains the merit of a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices and hundreds of Vājapeya rites.
इदं कवचमज्ञात्वा यो भजेच्छंकरात्मजम्
Whoever worships the son of Śaṃkara without knowing this armor—
इति संसारमोहनं नाम कवचम् परमानन्दसंयुक्ता देवास्तस्थुः समीपतः
Thus is the armor named 'Delusion of the World.' The gods, filled with supreme bliss, stood nearby.
नारायण उवाच गन्धर्वा मुनयः शैलाः पश्यन्तः सुमहोत्सवम्
Nārāyaṇa said: Gandharvas, sages, and mountains beheld the great festival.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे दुर्गा स्मेराननसरोरुहा
At that moment, Durgā, her face like a smiling lotus, appeared.
पार्वत्युवाच कथं मत्स्वामिनो वीर्य्यममोघं रक्षितं प्रभो
Pārvatī said: How was the unfailing potency of my lord protected, O master?
रतिभङ्गे कृते देवैर्ब्रह्मणा प्रेरितैस्त्वया
When the gods, prompted by Brahmā and by you, caused the disruption of pleasure—
सर्वे देवास्त्वत्पुरतस्तदन्विष्यन्तु सादरम्
Let all the gods, with respect, search for that in your presence.
पार्वतीवचनं श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य जगदीश्वरः
Hearing Pārvatī's words, the Lord of the universe smiled.
श्रीविष्णुरुवाच शिवस्यामोघवीर्य्यं यत्तत्पुरा केन निर्हृतम्
Śrī Viṣṇu said: By whom, in former times, was Śiva's unfailing potency removed?
सभामानयत क्षिप्रं न चेद्दण्डमिहार्हथ
Bring him to the assembly at once, or else you deserve punishment here.
विष्णोस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा समालोच्य परस्परम्
Hearing those words of Viṣṇu, they discussed them among themselves.
ब्रह्मोवाच स वञ्चितो भवत्वत्र पुण्याहे पुण्यकर्मणि
Brahmā said: He is deprived here, on this auspicious day, in meritorious acts.
श्रीमहादेव उवाच स वञ्चितो भवत्वत्र सेवने पूजने तव
Śrī Mahādeva said: He is deprived here, in your service and worship.
यम उवाच एकादशीव्रते चैव तद्वीर्य्यं येन निर्हृतम्
Yama said: And in the observance of Ekādaśī, by whom that potency was taken away.
इन्द्र उवाच भवत्वत्र यशो लुप्तं तत्पुण्यं कर्म सन्ततम्
Indra said: Here, his fame is lost, and that merit, that action, is continually so.
वरुण उवाच शूद्रयाजकपत्न्याश्च गर्भे तद्येन निर्हृतम्
Varuṇa said: And in the womb of a Śūdra priest's wife, by whom that potency was taken away.
कुबेर उवाच सत्यघ्नश्च कृतघ्नश्च तद्वीर्यं येन निर्हृतम्
Kubera said: One who kills truth, one who is ungrateful, by whom that potency was taken away.
ईशान उवाच नरघाती गुरुद्रोही तद्वीर्यं येन निर्हृतम्
Īśāna said: A murderer of men, a betrayer of the teacher, by whom that potency was taken away.
रुद्रा ऊचुः गुरुनिन्दारताः शश्वत्तद्वीर्य्यं यैश्च निर्हृतम्
The Rudras said: Those always intent on reviling the teacher, by whom that potency was taken away.
कामदेव उवाच भाजनं तस्य पापस्य स भवेद्येन तद्धृतम्
Kāmadeva said: He becomes the vessel of that sin, by whom it was taken away.
स्वर्वैद्यावूचतुः भवेतां वञ्चितौ तौ च याभ्यां वीर्य्यं च तद्धृतम्
The celestial physicians said: Those two become deprived, by whom that potency was taken away.
सर्वे देवा ऊचुः अपुत्रिणो दरिद्राश्च यैश्च वीर्य्यं हि तद्धृतम्
All the gods said: Childless and poor are those by whom that potency was indeed taken away.
देवपत्न्य ऊचुः सन्तु बुद्धिविहीनाश्च याभिर्वीर्य्यं हि तद्धृतम्
The wives of the gods said: Let them be without understanding, those women by whom that potency was indeed taken away.
देवानां वचनं श्रुत्वा देवीनां च हरिस्स्वयम्
Hearing the words of the gods and goddesses, Hari himself—
पवनं पृथिवीं तोयं सन्ध्ये रात्रिं दिवं मुने
O sage, the wind, the earth, the water, the twilight, the night, and the day—
श्रीविष्णुरुवाच तदमोघं भगवतो महेशस्य जगद्गुरोः
Śrī Viṣṇu said: That is unfailing, belonging to the blessed Maheśa, the teacher of the world.