Sri Rama Kavacham
Sri Rama Kavacham is a powerful Sanskrit hymn dedicated to Lord Rama, providing divine protection and blessings to devotees. It is a Kavacha Stotra (a protective mantra or shield) that invokes Lord Rama’s grace to safeguard the devotee from negative energies, enemies, and misfortunes.
Meaning and Significance
The word “Kavacham” means armor or shield. Just like a warrior wears armor to protect himself in battle, spiritual seekers recite Kavachams to safeguard themselves from physical, mental, and spiritual adversities. Sri Rama Kavacham is believed to act as a divine shield, invoking Lord Rama’s energy to bless the devotee with strength, courage, and peace.
Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is known as “Maryada Purushottama”, meaning the ideal man. His life, as depicted in the Ramayana, is an example of righteousness, devotion, and dharma. By chanting Sri Rama Kavacham, devotees seek his guidance and protection in their daily lives.
Benefits of Reciting Sri Rama Kavacham
- Protection from Negative Energies – Chanting the Kavacham regularly helps in removing evil influences, black magic, and negative vibrations.
- Overcoming Fears and Obstacles – It provides courage and confidence to face challenges in life.
- Spiritual and Mental Strength – Devotees experience inner peace, stability, and devotion.
- Health and Longevity – It is believed to bring good health and prevent diseases.
- Success in Life – Helps in achieving success in career, studies, and personal life.
- Divine Grace of Lord Rama – Enhances devotion, purity of mind, and connection with Lord Rama.
Sri Rama Kavacham
agastiruvācha
ājānubāhumaravindadaḻāyatākṣa-
-mājanmaśuddharasahāsamukhaprasādam ।
śyāmaṃ gṛhīta śarachāpamudārarūpaṃ
rāmaṃ sarāmamabhirāmamanusmarāmi ॥ 1 ॥
asya śrīrāmakavachasya agastya ṛṣiḥ anuṣṭup Chandaḥ sītālakṣmaṇōpētaḥ śrīrāmachandrō dēvatā śrīrāmachandraprasādasiddhyarthē japē viniyōgaḥ ।
atha dhyānaṃ
nīlajīmūtasaṅkāśaṃ vidyudvarṇāmbarāvṛtam ।
kōmalāṅgaṃ viśālākṣaṃ yuvānamatisundaram ॥ 1 ॥
sītāsaumitrisahitaṃ jaṭāmukuṭadhāriṇam ।
sāsitūṇadhanurbāṇapāṇiṃ dānavamardanam ॥ 2 ॥
yadā chōrabhayē rājabhayē śatrubhayē tathā ।
dhyātvā raghupatiṃ kruddhaṃ kālānalasamaprabham ॥ 3 ॥
chīrakṛṣṇājinadharaṃ bhasmōddhūḻitavigraham ।
ākarṇākṛṣṭaviśikhakōdaṇḍabhujamaṇḍitam ॥ 4 ॥
raṇē ripūn rāvaṇādīṃstīkṣṇamārgaṇavṛṣṭibhiḥ ।
saṃharantaṃ mahāvīramugramaindrarathasthitam ॥ 5 ॥
lakṣmaṇādyairmahāvīrairvṛtaṃ hanumadādibhiḥ ।
sugrīvādyairmāhāvīraiḥ śailavṛkṣakarōdyataiḥ ॥ 6 ॥
vēgātkarālahuṅkārairbhubhukkāramahāravaiḥ ।
nadadbhiḥ parivādadbhiḥ samarē rāvaṇaṃ prati ॥ 7 ॥
śrīrāma śatrusaṅghānmē hana mardaya khādaya ।
bhūtaprētapiśāchādīn śrīrāmāśu vināśaya ॥ 8 ॥
ēvaṃ dhyātvā japēdrāmakavachaṃ siddhidāyakam ।
sutīkṣṇa vajrakavachaṃ śṛṇu vakṣyāmyanuttamam ॥ 9 ॥
atha kavacham
śrīrāmaḥ pātu mē mūrdhni pūrvē cha raghuvaṃśajaḥ ।
dakṣiṇē mē raghuvaraḥ paśchimē pātu pāvanaḥ ॥ 10 ॥
uttarē mē raghupatirbhālaṃ daśarathātmajaḥ ।
bhruvōrdūrvādalaśyāmastayōrmadhyē janārdanaḥ ॥ 11 ॥
śrōtraṃ mē pātu rājēndrō dṛśau rājīvalōchanaḥ ।
ghrāṇaṃ mē pātu rājarṣirgaṇḍau mē jānakīpatiḥ ॥ 12 ॥
karṇamūlē kharadhvaṃsī bhālaṃ mē raghuvallabhaḥ ।
jihvāṃ mē vākpatiḥ pātu dantapaṅktī raghūttamaḥ ॥ 13 ॥
ōṣṭhau śrīrāmachandrō mē mukhaṃ pātu parātparaḥ ।
kaṇṭhaṃ pātu jagadvandyaḥ skandhau mē rāvaṇāntakaḥ ॥ 14 ॥
dhanurbāṇadharaḥ pātu bhujau mē vālimardanaḥ ।
sarvāṇyaṅguliparvāṇi hastau mē rākṣasāntakaḥ ॥ 15 ॥
vakṣō mē pātu kākutsthaḥ pātu mē hṛdayaṃ hariḥ ।
stanau sītāpatiḥ pātu pārśvaṃ mē jagadīśvaraḥ ॥ 16 ॥
madhyaṃ mē pātu lakṣmīśō nābhiṃ mē raghunāyakaḥ ।
kausalyēyaḥ kaṭī pātu pṛṣṭhaṃ durgatināśanaḥ ॥ 17 ॥
guhyaṃ pātu hṛṣīkēśaḥ sakthinī satyavikramaḥ ।
ūrū śārṅgadharaḥ pātu jānunī hanumatpriyaḥ ॥ 18 ॥
jaṅghē pātu jagadvyāpī pādau mē tāṭakāntakaḥ ।
sarvāṅgaṃ pātu mē viṣṇuḥ sarvasandhīnanāmayaḥ ॥ 19 ॥
jñānēndriyāṇi prāṇādīn pātu mē madhusūdanaḥ ।
pātu śrīrāmabhadrō mē śabdādīnviṣayānapi ॥ 20 ॥
dvipadādīni bhūtāni matsambandhīni yāni cha ।
jāmadagnyamahādarpadalanaḥ pātu tāni mē ॥ 21 ॥
saumitripūrvajaḥ pātu vāgādīnīndriyāṇi cha ।
rōmāṅkurāṇyaśēṣāṇi pātu sugrīvarājyadaḥ ॥ 22 ॥
vāṅmanōbuddhyahaṅkārairjñānājñānakṛtāni cha ।
janmāntarakṛtānīha pāpāni vividhāni cha ॥ 23 ॥
tāni sarvāṇi dagdhvāśu harakōdaṇḍakhaṇḍanaḥ ।
pātu māṃ sarvatō rāmaḥ śārṅgabāṇadharaḥ sadā ॥ 24 ॥
iti śrīrāmachandrasya kavachaṃ vajrasammitam ।
guhyādguhyatamaṃ divyaṃ sutīkṣṇa munisattama ॥ 25 ॥
yaḥ paṭhēchChṛṇuyādvāpi śrāvayēdvā samāhitaḥ ।
sa yāti paramaṃ sthānaṃ rāmachandraprasādataḥ ॥ 26 ॥
mahāpātakayuktō vā gōghnō vā bhrūṇahā tathā ।
śrīrāmachandrakavachapaṭhanāchChuddhimāpnuyāt ॥ 27 ॥
brahmahatyādibhiḥ pāpairmuchyatē nātra saṃśayaḥ ।
bhō sutīkṣṇa yathā pṛṣṭaṃ tvayā mama purāḥ śubham ।
tathā śrīrāmakavachaṃ mayā tē vinivēditam ॥ 28 ॥
iti śrīmadānandarāmāyaṇē manōharakāṇḍē sutīkṣṇāgastyasaṃvādē śrīrāmakavacham ॥
How to Chant Sri Rama Kavacham
- It is best to chant Sri Rama Kavacham in the morning after taking a bath.
- Sit in a clean and peaceful place, preferably facing East or North.
- Light a lamp and offer flowers, incense, and prasad to Lord Rama.
- Recite with devotion, understanding the meaning of the verses.
- It can also be chanted before important events for success and protection.
Sri Rama Kavacham is a sacred and powerful hymn that brings divine protection, success, and spiritual growth.
