Narayana Kavacham

Narayana Kavacham

Narayana Kavacham is a powerful Sanskrit hymn found in the 6th Canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana), specifically in Chapter 8 (Verses 1-42). It is a Kavacham that invokes Lord Narayana (Vishnu) to guard the devotee against all dangers, external and internal. This hymn is known for its divine potency, providing spiritual protection and fearlessness to those who chant it with devotion.

Origin of Narayana Kavacham

The Narayana Kavacham is revealed in a conversation between Sage Shuka and King Parikshit in the Bhagavatam. It was given by Sage Vishvarupa (the son of Tvashta) to Indra, the King of Devas, when he was facing defeat against the Asuras (demons). Vishvarupa instructed Indra on how to use this mystical armor to gain divine protection.

Why Was It Given?

• Indra had lost his kingdom due to the curse of Durvasa Muni, which weakened the Devas.
• The Asuras, under the leadership of Shukracharya, had become powerful.
• Indra sought the guidance of Vishvarupa, who was secretly allied with both the Devas and Asuras.
• Vishvarupa, out of kindness, revealed the Narayana Kavacham, which empowered Indra and restored his strength.

Narayana Kavacham

nyāsaḥ

aṅganyāsaḥ
ōṃ ōṃ pādayōḥ namaḥ ।
ōṃ naṃ jānunōḥ namaḥ ।
ōṃ mōṃ ūrvōḥ namaḥ ।
ōṃ nāṃ udarē namaḥ ।
ōṃ rāṃ hṛdi namaḥ ।
ōṃ yaṃ urasi namaḥ ।
ōṃ ṇāṃ mukhē namaḥ ।
ōṃ yaṃ śirasi namaḥ ।

karanyāsaḥ
ōṃ ōṃ dakṣiṇatarjanyāṃ namaḥ ।
ōṃ naṃ dakṣiṇamadhyamāyāṃ namaḥ ।
ōṃ mōṃ dakṣiṇānāmikāyāṃ namaḥ ।
ōṃ bhaṃ dakṣiṇakaniṣṭhikāyāṃ namaḥ ।
ōṃ gaṃ vāmakaniṣṭhikāyāṃ namaḥ ।
ōṃ vaṃ vāmānikāyāṃ namaḥ ।
ōṃ tēṃ vāmamadhyamāyāṃ namaḥ ।
ōṃ vāṃ vāmatarjanyāṃ namaḥ ।
ōṃ suṃ dakṣiṇāṅguṣṭhōrdhvaparvaṇi namaḥ ।
ōṃ dēṃ dakṣiṇāṅguṣṭhādhaḥ parvaṇi namaḥ ।
ōṃ vāṃ vāmāṅguṣṭhōrdhvaparvaṇi namaḥ ।
ōṃ yaṃ vāmāṅguṣṭhādhaḥ parvaṇi namaḥ ।

viṣṇuṣaḍakṣaranyāsaḥ
ōṃ ōṃ hṛdayē namaḥ ।
ōṃ viṃ mūrdhnai namaḥ ।
ōṃ ṣaṃ bhrurvōrmadhyē namaḥ ।
ōṃ ṇaṃ śikhāyāṃ namaḥ ।
ōṃ vēṃ nētrayōḥ namaḥ ।
ōṃ naṃ sarvasandhiṣu namaḥ ।
ōṃ maḥ prāchyāṃ astrāya phaṭ ।
ōṃ maḥ āgnēyyāṃ astrāya phaṭ ।
ōṃ maḥ dakṣiṇasyāṃ astrāya phaṭ ।
ōṃ maḥ naiṛtyē astrāya phaṭ ।
ōṃ maḥ pratīchyāṃ astrāya phaṭ ।
ōṃ maḥ vāyavyē astrāya phaṭ ।
ōṃ maḥ udīchyāṃ astrāya phaṭ ।
ōṃ maḥ aiśānyāṃ astrāya phaṭ ।
ōṃ maḥ ūrdhvāyāṃ astrāya phaṭ ।
ōṃ maḥ adharāyāṃ astrāya phaṭ ।

śrī hariḥ

atha śrīnārāyaṇakavacha

rājōvācha
yayā guptaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ savāhān ripusainikān ।
krīḍanniva vinirjitya trilōkyā bubhujē śriyam ॥ 1 ॥

bhagavaṃstanmamākhyāhi varma nārāyaṇātmakam ।
yathā”tatāyinaḥ śatrūn yēna guptō’jayanmṛdhē ॥ 2 ॥

śrī śuka uvācha
vṛtaḥ purōhitastvāṣṭrō mahēndrāyānupṛchChatē ।
nārāyaṇākhyaṃ varmāha tadihaikamanāḥ śṛṇu ॥ 3 ॥

śrīviśvarūpa uvācha
dhautāṅghripāṇirāchamya sapavitra udaṅmukhaḥ ।
kṛtasvāṅgakaranyāsō mantrābhyāṃ vāgyataḥ śuchiḥ ॥ 4 ॥

nārāyaṇamayaṃ varma sannahyēdbhaya āgatē ।
daivabhūtātmakarmabhyō nārāyaṇamayaḥ pumān ॥ 5 ॥

pādayōrjānunōrūrvōrudarē hṛdyathōrasi ।
mukhē śirasyānupūrvyādōṅkārādīni vinyasēt ॥ 6 ॥

ōṃ namō nārāyaṇāyēti viparyayamathāpi vā ।
karanyāsaṃ tataḥ kuryāddvādaśākṣaravidyayā ॥ 7 ॥

praṇavādiyakārāntamaṅgulyaṅguṣṭhaparvasu ।
nyasēddhṛdaya ōṅkāraṃ vikāramanu mūrdhani ॥ 8 ॥

ṣakāraṃ tu bhruvōrmadhyē ṇakāraṃ śikhayā nyasēt ।
vēkāraṃ nētrayōryuñjyānnakāraṃ sarvasandhiṣu ॥ 9 ॥

makāramastramuddiśya mantramūrtirbhavēdbudhaḥ ।
savisargaṃ phaḍantaṃ tatsarvadikṣu vinirdiśēt ॥ 10 ॥

ōṃ viṣṇavē namaḥ ॥

ityātmānaṃ paraṃ dhyāyēddhyēyaṃ ṣaṭChaktibhiryutam ।
vidyātējastapōmūrtimimaṃ mantramudāharēt ॥ 11 ॥

ōṃ harirvidadhyānmama sarvarakṣāṃ
nyastāṅghripadmaḥ patagēndra pṛṣṭhē ।
darāricharmāsigadēṣuchāpa-
-pāśāndadhānō’ṣṭaguṇō’ṣṭabāhuḥ ॥ 12 ॥

jalēṣu māṃ rakṣatu matsyamūrti-
-ryādōgaṇēbhyō varuṇasya pāśāt ।
sthalēṣu māyāvaṭuvāmanō’vyā-
-ttrivikramaḥ khē’vatu viśvarūpaḥ ॥ 13 ॥

durgēṣvaṭavyājimukhādiṣu prabhuḥ
pāyānnṛsiṃhō’surayūthapāriḥ ।
vimuñchatō yasya mahāṭṭahāsaṃ
diśō vinēdurnyapataṃścha garbhāḥ ॥ 14 ॥

rakṣatvasau mādhvani yajñakalpaḥ
svadaṃṣṭrayōnnītadharō varāhaḥ ।
rāmō’drikūṭēṣvatha vipravāsē
salakṣmaṇō’vyādbharatāgrajō’smān ॥ 15 ॥

māmugradharmādakhilātpramādā-
-nnārāyaṇaḥ pātu naraścha hāsāt ।
dattastvayōgādatha yōganāthaḥ
pāyādguṇēśaḥ kapilaḥ karmabandhāt ॥ 16 ॥

sanatkumārō’vatu kāmadēvā-
-ddhayānanō māṃ pathi dēvahēlanāt ।
dēvarṣivaryaḥ puruṣārchanāntarā-
-tkūrmō harirmāṃ nirayādaśēṣāt ॥ 17 ॥

dhanvantarirbhagavānpātvapathyā-
-ddvandvādbhayādṛṣabhō nirjitātmā ।
yajñaścha lōkādavatājjanāntā-
-dbalō gaṇātkrōdhavaśādahīndraḥ ॥ 18 ॥

dvaipāyanō bhagavānaprabōdhā-
-dbuddhastu pāṣaṇḍagaṇātpramādāt ।
kalkiḥ kalēḥ kālamalātprapātu
dharmāvanāyōrukṛtāvatāraḥ ॥ 19 ॥

māṃ kēśavō gadayā prātaravyā-
-dgōvinda āsaṅgavamāttavēṇuḥ ।
nārāyaṇaḥ prāhṇa udāttaśakti-
-rmadhyandinē viṣṇurarīndrapāṇiḥ ॥ 20 ॥

dēvō’parāhṇē madhuhōgradhanvā
sāyaṃ tridhāmāvatu mādhavō mām ।
dōṣē hṛṣīkēśa utārdharātrē
niśītha ēkō’vatu padmanābhaḥ ॥ 21 ॥

śrīvatsadhāmā’pararātra īśaḥ
pratyuṣa īśō’sidharō janārdanaḥ ।
dāmōdarō’vyādanusandhyaṃ prabhātē
viśvēśvarō bhagavānkālamūrtiḥ ॥ 22 ॥

chakraṃ yugāntānalatigmanēmi
bhramatsamantādbhagavatprayuktam ।
dandagdhi dandagdhyarisainyamāśu
kakṣaṃ yathā vātasakhō hutāśaḥ ॥ 23 ॥

gadē’śanisparśanavisphuliṅgē
niṣpiṇḍhi niṣpiṇḍhyajitapriyāsi ।
kūṣmāṇḍavaināyakayakṣarakṣō
bhūtagrahāṃśchūrṇaya chūrṇayārīn ॥ 24 ॥

tvaṃ yātudhānapramathaprētamātṛ-
-piśāchavipragrahaghōradṛṣṭīn ।
darēndra vidrāvaya kṛṣṇapūritō
bhīmasvanō’rērhṛdayāni kampayan ॥ 25 ॥

tvaṃ tigmadhārāsivarārisainya-
-mīśaprayuktō mama Chindhi Chindhi ।
chakṣūṃṣi charman śatachandra Chādaya
dviṣāmaghōnāṃ hara pāpachakṣuṣām ॥ 26 ॥

yannō bhayaṃ grahēbhyō’bhūtkētubhyō nṛbhya ēva cha ।
sarīsṛpēbhyō daṃṣṭribhyō bhūtēbhyō’ghēbhya ēva cha ॥ 27 ॥

sarvāṇyētāni bhagavannāmarūpāstrakīrtanāt ।
prayāntu saṅkṣayaṃ sadyō yē naḥ śrēyaḥpratīpakāḥ ॥ 28 ॥

garuḍō bhagavān stōtrastōmaśChandōmayaḥ prabhuḥ ।
rakṣatvaśēṣakṛchChrēbhyō viṣvaksēnaḥ svanāmabhiḥ ॥ 29 ॥

sarvāpadbhyō harērnāmarūpayānāyudhāni naḥ ।
buddhīndriyamanaḥprāṇānpāntu pārṣadabhūṣaṇāḥ ॥ 30 ॥

yathā hi bhagavānēva vastutaḥ sadasachcha yat ।
satyēnānēna naḥ sarvē yāntu nāśamupadravāḥ ॥ 31 ॥

yathaikātmyānubhāvānāṃ vikalparahitaḥ svayam ।
bhūṣaṇāyudhaliṅgākhyā dhattē śaktīḥ svamāyayā ॥ 32 ॥

tēnaiva satyamānēna sarvajñō bhagavān hariḥ ।
pātu sarvaiḥ svarūpairnaḥ sadā sarvatra sarvagaḥ ॥ 33 ॥

vidikṣu dikṣūrdhvamadhaḥ samantā-
-dantarbahirbhagavānnārasiṃhaḥ ।
prahāpayaँllōkabhayaṃ svanēna
svatējasā grastasamastatējāḥ ॥ 34 ॥

maghavannidamākhyātaṃ varma nārāyaṇātmakam ।
vijēṣyasyañjasā yēna daṃśitō’surayūthapān ॥ 35 ॥

ētaddhārayamāṇastu yaṃ yaṃ paśyati chakṣuṣā ।
padā vā saṃspṛśētsadyaḥ sādhvasātsa vimuchyatē ॥ 36 ॥

na kutaśchidbhayaṃ tasya vidyāṃ dhārayatō bhavēt ।
rājadasyugrahādibhyō vyādhyādibhyaścha karhichit ॥ 37 ॥

imāṃ vidyāṃ purā kaśchitkauśikō dhārayan dvijaḥ ।
yōgadhāraṇayā svāṅgaṃ jahau sa marudhanvani ॥ 38 ॥

tasyōpari vimānēna gandharvapatirēkadā ।
yayau chitrarathaḥ strībhirvṛtō yatra dvijakṣayaḥ ॥ 39 ॥

gaganānnyapatatsadyaḥ savimānō hyavākChirāḥ ।
sa vālakhilyavachanādasthīnyādāya vismitaḥ ।
prāpya prāchyāṃ sarasvatyāṃ snātvā dhāma svamanvagāt ॥ 40 ॥

śrī śuka uvācha
ya idaṃ śṛṇuyātkālē yō dhārayati chādṛtaḥ ।
taṃ namasyanti bhūtāni muchyatē sarvatō bhayāt ॥ 41 ॥

ētāṃ vidyāmadhigatō viśvarūpāchChatakratuḥ ।
trailōkyalakṣmīṃ bubhujē vinirjitya mṛdhē’surān ॥ 42 ॥

iti śrīmadbhāgavatē mahāpurāṇē ṣaṣṭhaskandhē nārāyaṇavarmōpadēśō nāmāṣṭamō’dhyāyaḥ ।

Benefits of Reciting Narayana Kavacham

1. Protection from Evil Forces

• Shields against black magic, negative energies, and evil spirits.
• Protects from hidden enemies and harmful intentions.

2. Removes Obstacles & Brings Success

• It helps in overcoming financial, career, and personal problems.
• Brings stability, clarity, and divine guidance.

3. Health & Well-being

• Protects from illness, accidents, and sudden dangers.
• Promotes mental peace, positivity, and inner strength.

4. Spiritual Growth

• Deepens devotion towards Lord Vishnu.
• Enhances spiritual awareness and divine connection.

How to Chant Narayana Kavacham?

• It can be chanted daily, during times of distress, or before undertaking major life events.
• It is best chanted early in the morning or before starting any important task.
• One should sit in a clean and peaceful place, preferably in front of Vishnu’s idol or image.
• A calm and focused mind is essential for receiving its full benefits.