Rudra Kavach
रुद्रकवचम्
Sanskrit
भैरव उवाच - वक्ष्यामि देवि कवचं मङ्गलं प्राणरक्षकम् । अहोरात्रं महादेवरक्षार्थं देवमण्डितम् ॥ १॥
Transliteration
bhairava uvāca - vakṣyāmi dēvi kavacaṁ maṅgalaṁ prāṇarakṣakam | ahōrātraṁ mahādēvarakṣārthaṁ dēvamaṇḍitam || 1 ||
Translation
Bhairava said: I shall describe, O Goddess, the auspicious kavach that protects life, adorned by the gods, for the protection of Mahadeva day and night.
Sanskrit
अस्य श्रीमहादेवकवचस्य वामदेव ऋषिः, पङ्क्तिश्छन्दः, सौः बीजं, रुद्राः देवता, सर्वार्थसाधने विनियोगः । रुद्रो मामग्रतः पातु पृष्ठतः पातु शङ्करः । कपर्दी दक्षिणे पातु वामपार्श्वे तथा हरः ॥ २॥
Transliteration
asya śrīmahādēvakavacasya vāmadēva ṛṣiḥ, paṅktiśchandaḥ, sauḥ bījaṁ, rudrāḥ dēvatā, sarvārthasādhanē viniyōgaḥ | rudrō māmagrataḥ pātu pṛṣṭhataḥ pātu śaṅkaraḥ | kapardī dakṣiṇē pātu vāmapārśvē tathā haraḥ || 2 ||
Translation
The sage is Vamadeva, the meter is Pankti, the seed is Sauh, the deity is Rudra, the application is for accomplishing all purposes. May Rudra protect me from the front, may Shankara protect from the back. May Kapardi (the matted-haired one) protect on the right, and Hara on the left.
Sanskrit
शिवः शिरसि मां पातु ललाटे नीललोहितः । नेत्रं मे त्र्यम्बकः पातु बाहुयुग्मं महेश्वरः ॥ ३॥
Transliteration
śivaḥ śirasi māṁ pātu lalāṭē nīlalōhitaḥ | nētraṁ mē tryambakaḥ pātu bāhuyugmaṁ mahēśvaraḥ || 3 ||
Translation
May Shiva protect my head, may Nila-Lohita (the blue-red one) protect my forehead. May Tryambaka (the three-eyed) protect my eyes, may Maheshvara protect my pair of arms.
Sanskrit
हृदये च महादेव ईश्वरश्च तथोदरे । नाभौ कुक्षौ कटिस्थाने पादौ पातु महेश्वरः ॥ ४॥
Transliteration
hṛdayē ca mahādēva īśvaraśca tathōdarē | nābhau kukṣau kaṭisthānē pādau pātu mahēśvaraḥ || 4 ||
Translation
May Mahadeva protect my heart, and Ishvara my stomach. May Maheshvara protect my navel, sides, waist, and feet.
Sanskrit
सर्वं रक्षतु भूतेशः सर्वगात्राणि मे हरः । पाशं शूलञ्च दिव्यास्त्रं खड्गं वज्रं तथैव च ॥ ५॥
Transliteration
sarvaṁ rakṣatu bhūtēśaḥ sarvagātrāṇi mē haraḥ | pāśaṁ śūlañca divyāstraṁ khaḍgaṁ vajraṁ tathaiva ca || 5 ||
Translation
May the Lord of beings protect everything, may Hara protect all my limbs, with his noose, trident, divine weapons, sword, and thunderbolt.
Sanskrit
नमस्करोमि भूतेश रक्ष मां जगदीश्वर । पापेभ्यो नरकेभ्यश्च त्राहि मां भक्तवत्सल ॥ ६॥
Transliteration
namaskrōmi bhūtēśa rakṣa māṁ jagadīśvara | pāpēbhyō narakēbhyaśca trāhi māṁ bhaktavatsala || 6 ||
Translation
I bow to you, O Lord of beings, protect me, O Lord of the universe. Save me from sins and hells, O lover of devotees.
Sanskrit
जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधिकामक्रोधादपि प्रभो । लोभमोहान्महादेव रक्ष मां त्रिदशेश्वर ॥ ७॥
Transliteration
janmamṛtyujarāvyādhikāmakrōdhādapi prabhō | lōbhamōhānmahādēva rakṣa māṁ tridaśēśvara || 7 ||
Translation
From birth, death, old age, disease, desire, and anger, O Lord, from greed and delusion, O Mahadeva, protect me, O Lord of the celestials.
Sanskrit
त्वं गतिस्त्वं मतिश्चैव त्वं भूमिस्त्वं परायणः । कायेन मनसा वाचा त्वयि भक्तिर्दृढास्तु मे ॥ ८॥
Transliteration
tvaṁ gatistvaṁ matiścaiva tvaṁ bhūmistvaṁ parāyaṇaḥ | kāyēna manasā vācā tvayi bhaktirdṛḍhāstu mē || 8 ||
Translation
You are the refuge, you are the intellect, you are the ground, you are the supreme destination. In body, mind, and speech, may my devotion to you be firm and unwavering.
Sanskrit
इत्येतद्रुद्रकवचं पाठनात्पापनाशनम् । महादेवप्रसादेन भैरवेन च कीर्तितम् ॥ ९॥
Transliteration
ityētadrudrakavacaṁ pāṭhanātpāpanāśanam | mahādēvaprasādēna bhairavēna ca kīrtitam || 9 ||
Translation
This Rudra Kavach, by its recitation, destroys all sins. It has been proclaimed by the grace of Mahadeva, through Bhairava.
Sanskrit
न तस्य पापं देहेषु न भयं तस्य विद्यते । प्राप्नोति सुखमारोग्यं पुत्रमायुः प्रवर्द्धनम् ॥ १०॥
Transliteration
na tasya pāpaṁ dēhēṣu na bhayaṁ tasya vidyatē | prāpnōti sukhamārōgyaṁ putramāyuḥ pravardhanam || 10 ||
Translation
No sin exists in the body of such a person, no fear exists for them. They attain happiness, health, children, and increased longevity.
Sanskrit
पुत्रार्थी लभते पुत्रान्धनार्थी धनमाप्नुयात् । विद्यार्थी लभते विद्यां मोक्षार्थी मोक्षमेव च ॥ ११॥
Transliteration
putrārthī labhatē putrāndhanārthī dhanamāpnuyāt | vidyārthī labhatē vidyāṁ mōkṣārthī mōkṣamēva ca || 11 ||
Translation
One who desires children obtains children, one who desires wealth obtains wealth. One who desires knowledge obtains knowledge, and one who desires liberation attains liberation itself.
Sanskrit
व्याधितो मुच्यते रोगाद्बद्धो मुच्येत बन्धनात् । ब्रह्महत्यादि पापं च पठनादेव नश्यति ॥ १२॥
Transliteration
vyādhitō mucyatē rōgādbaddhō mucyēta bandhanāt | brahmahatyādi pāpaṁ ca paṭhanādēva naśyati || 12 ||
Translation
The diseased one is freed from illness, the bound one is freed from bondage. Even sins as grave as Brahma-hatya are destroyed simply by recitation.
Benefits of Recitation
- ✦Concise yet complete protection kavach, accessible for intermediate practitioners
- ✦Invokes Rudra/Shiva's various names for body-part protection
- ✦Destroys all sins including the gravest (Brahma-hatya)
- ✦Grants whatever one desires: children, wealth, knowledge, or liberation
- ✦Frees the diseased from illness and the bound from bondage
- ✦Creates fearlessness in all situations
- ✦Bestows longevity, health, and happiness
- ✦Proclaimed by Bhairava himself by the grace of Mahadeva
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