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𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌵𑌚𑌮𑍍

Chandra Kavacham in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Mondays (the day of the Moon), full-moon nights, and during Chandra or Navagraha puja·📜 Chandra Kavacha Stotram (Graha kavacha tradition)
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Origin & Story

Chandra Kavacha Stotram (Graha kavacha tradition) · Sage Gautama (rishi of the mantra) · Classical / Puranic

The Chandra Kavacham belongs to the cycle of Navagraha kavachas — protective armour-hymns for each of the nine planets — with the sage Gautama named as its rishi. It pictures Chandra as the serene, four-armed Moon who is at once the eye of Vishnu and the crescent ornament on Shiva's head, and entreats him by his many lovely epithets to shield the devotee limb by limb. As the Moon governs the mind and emotions, this kavacha is especially recited for inner peace and to harmonise a troubled Moon.

As told in scripture

The kavacha's closing verse promises that whoever recites or even merely hears this divine armour of the Moon becomes 'sarvatra vijayi' — victorious everywhere — and attains both worldly happiness and liberation; devotees afflicted by restlessness of mind chant it on Mondays to draw the Moon's cooling, healing grace.

Complete Text with Meaning

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

Verse 1

𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌗𑌣𑍇𑌶𑌾𑌯 𑌨𑌮𑌃 𑌅𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌵𑌚𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌗𑍗𑌤𑌮 𑌋𑌷𑌿𑌃 𑌅𑌨𑍁𑌷𑍍𑌟𑍁𑌪𑍍 𑌛𑌨𑍍𑌦𑌃, 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑍋 𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌤𑌾, 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌪𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌰𑍍𑌥𑌂 𑌜𑌪𑍇 𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌿𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌃

|| śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ || asya śrīcandrakavacastotramantrasya gautama ṛṣiḥ | anuṣṭup chandaḥ, śrīcandro devatā, candraprītyarthaṃ jape viniyogaḥ ||

Meaning:Salutations to Sri Ganesha. For this Chandra Kavacham hymn the sage is Gautama, the metre is Anushtup, the deity is Sri Chandra; it is recited to please the Moon.

Verse 2

𑌸𑌮𑌂 𑌚𑌤𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌭𑍁𑌜𑌂 𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍇 𑌕𑍇𑌯𑍂𑌰𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍁𑌟𑍋𑌜𑍍𑌜𑍍𑌵𑌲𑌮𑍍 𑌵𑌾𑌸𑍁𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌨𑌯𑌨𑌂 𑌶𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌚 𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌣𑌮𑍍 ௧॥

samaṃ caturbhujaṃ vande keyūramukuṭojjvalam | vāsudevasya nayanaṃ śaṅkarasya ca bhūṣaṇam || 1||

Meaning:I revere the serene, four-armed Moon, resplendent with armlets and crown — the eye of Vasudeva (Vishnu) and the ornament upon the head of Shiva.

Verse 3

𑌏𑌵𑌂 𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌜𑌪𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌶𑌶𑌿𑌨𑌃 𑌕𑌵𑌚𑌂 𑌶𑍁𑌭𑌮𑍍 𑌶𑌶𑍀 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌶𑌿𑌰𑍋𑌦𑍇𑌶𑌂 𑌭𑌾𑌲𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌕𑌲𑌾𑌨𑌿𑌧𑌿𑌃 ௨॥

evaṃ dhyātvā japennityaṃ śaśinaḥ kavacaṃ śubham | śaśī pātu śirodeśaṃ bhālaṃ pātu kalānidhiḥ || 2||

Meaning:Having meditated thus, one should daily recite the auspicious armour of the Moon. May Shashi guard the region of my head, and Kalanidhi (the treasury of digits) my forehead.

Verse 4

𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁𑌷𑍀 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌾𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌤𑍀 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌨𑌿𑌶𑌾𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌣𑌂 𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌪𑌾𑌕𑌰𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌂 𑌕𑍁𑌮𑍁𑌦𑌬𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌵𑌃 ௩॥

cakṣuṣī candramāḥ pātu śrutī pātu niśāpatiḥ | prāṇaṃ kṣapākaraḥ pātu mukhaṃ kumudabāndhavaḥ || 3||

Meaning:May Chandrama guard my eyes, and the Lord of the night my ears; may the maker of the night guard my life-breath, and the friend of the night-lotus my mouth.

Verse 5

𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠𑌂 𑌚 𑌮𑍇 𑌸𑍋𑌮𑌃 𑌸𑍍𑌕𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍇 𑌜𑍈𑌵𑌾𑌤𑍃𑌕𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌥𑌾 𑌕𑌰𑍗 𑌸𑍁𑌧𑌾𑌕𑌰𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌨𑌿𑌶𑌾𑌕𑌰𑌃 ௪॥

pātu kaṇṭhaṃ ca me somaḥ skandhe jaivātṛkastathā | karau sudhākaraḥ pātu vakṣaḥ pātu niśākaraḥ || 4||

Meaning:May Soma guard my throat, and the life-giving Moon my shoulders; may the nectar-rayed one guard my hands, and the night-maker my chest.

Verse 6

𑌹𑍃𑌦𑌯𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑍇 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑍋 𑌨𑌾𑌭𑌿𑌂 𑌶𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌰𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌣𑌃 𑌮𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌸𑍁𑌰𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌷𑍍𑌠𑌃 𑌕𑌟𑌿𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌸𑍁𑌧𑌾𑌕𑌰𑌃 ௫॥

hṛdayaṃ pātu me candro nābhiṃ śaṅkarabhūṣaṇaḥ | madhyaṃ pātu suraśreṣṭhaḥ kaṭiṃ pātu sudhākaraḥ || 5||

Meaning:May Chandra guard my heart, and the ornament of Shiva my navel; may the best of the gods guard my middle, and the nectar-source my waist.

Verse 7

𑌊𑌰𑍂 𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌾𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑍃𑌗𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌕𑍋 𑌜𑌾𑌨𑍁𑌨𑍀 𑌸𑌦𑌾 𑌅𑌬𑍍𑌧𑌿𑌜𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑍇 𑌜𑌙𑍍𑌘𑍇 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌪𑌾𑌦𑍗 𑌵𑌿𑌧𑍁𑌃 𑌸𑌦𑌾 ௬॥

ūrū tārāpatiḥ pātu mṛgāṅko jānunī sadā | abdhijaḥ pātu me jaṅghe pātu pādau vidhuḥ sadā || 6||

Meaning:May the Lord of the stars guard my thighs, and the deer-marked one ever my knees; may the ocean-born guard my shins, and Vidhu ever my feet.

Verse 8

𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌨𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌿 𑌚𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌾𑌨𑌿 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑍋𑌽𑌖𑌿𑌲𑌂 𑌵𑌪𑍁𑌃 𑌏𑌤𑌦𑍍𑌧𑌿 𑌕𑌵𑌚𑌂 𑌦𑌿𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌭𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌾𑌯𑌕𑌮𑍍 𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑌠𑍇𑌚𑍍𑌛𑍃𑌣𑍁𑌯𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌪𑌿 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌰 𑌵𑌿𑌜𑌯𑍀 𑌭𑌵𑍇𑌤𑍍 ௭॥

sarvāṇyanyāni cāṅgāni pātu candro'khilaṃ vapuḥ | etaddhi kavacaṃ divyaṃ bhuktimuktipradāyakam | yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyādvāpi sarvatra vijayī bhavet || 7||

Meaning:May the Moon guard all my other limbs and my whole body. This divine armour bestows both enjoyment and liberation; whoever recites or even hears it becomes victorious everywhere.

Verse 9

𑌇𑌤𑌿 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌵𑌚𑌂 𑌸𑌮𑍍𑌪𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌣𑌮𑍍

|| iti śrīcandrakavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||

Meaning:Thus ends the Chandra Kavacham.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰 / 𑌶𑌶𑍀 / 𑌸𑍋𑌮🔊candra / śaśī / somaThe Moon — Chandra, also Shashi ('the hare-marked') and Soma
𑌸𑌮𑌮𑍍🔊samamSerene, even-natured (the calm Moon)
𑌚𑌤𑍁𑌰𑍍𑌭𑍁𑌜𑌮𑍍🔊caturbhujamFour-armed
𑌕𑍇𑌯𑍂𑌰𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍁𑌟𑍋𑌜𑍍𑌜𑍍𑌵𑌲𑌮𑍍🔊keyūra-mukuṭojjvalamResplendent with armlets and a crown
𑌵𑌾𑌸𑍁𑌦𑍇𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌨𑌯𑌨𑌮𑍍🔊vāsudevasya nayanamThe eye of Vasudeva (Vishnu) — the Moon as Vishnu's eye
𑌶𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌚 𑌭𑍂𑌷𑌣𑌮𑍍🔊śaṅkarasya ca bhūṣaṇamAnd the ornament (crescent) upon the head of Shiva (Shankara)
𑌏𑌵𑌂 𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾 𑌜𑌪𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌮𑍍🔊evaṃ dhyātvā japennityamHaving meditated thus, one should recite daily...
𑌶𑌶𑍀 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌶𑌿𑌰𑍋𑌦𑍇𑌶𑌮𑍍🔊śaśī pātu śirodeśamMay Shashi (the Moon) protect the region of the head
𑌕𑌲𑌾𑌨𑌿𑌧𑌿𑌃🔊kalānidhiḥTreasury of the digits (kalas) — guarding the forehead
𑌨𑌿𑌶𑌾𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌃🔊niśāpatiḥLord of the night — guarding the ears
𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌪𑌾𑌕𑌰𑌃🔊kṣapākaraḥMaker of the night — guarding the life-breath (prana)
𑌕𑍁𑌮𑍁𑌦𑌬𑌾𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌵𑌃🔊kumudabāndhavaḥFriend of the night-lotus (which blooms by moonlight) — guarding the mouth
𑌜𑍈𑌵𑌾𑌤𑍃𑌕𑌃🔊jaivātṛkaḥThe life-giving Moon — guarding the shoulders
𑌸𑍁𑌧𑌾𑌕𑌰𑌃🔊sudhākaraḥSource of nectar (amrita) — guarding the hands and waist
𑌨𑌿𑌶𑌾𑌕𑌰𑌃🔊niśākaraḥMaker of the night — guarding the chest
𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌾𑌪𑌤𑌿𑌃🔊tārāpatiḥLord of the stars (and husband of Tara) — guarding the thighs
𑌮𑍃𑌗𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌃🔊mṛgāṅkaḥThe deer-marked one — guarding the knees
𑌅𑌬𑍍𑌧𑌿𑌜𑌃🔊abdhijaḥOcean-born (the Moon arose from the churning of the milk-ocean) — guarding the shins
𑌵𑌿𑌧𑍁𑌃🔊vidhuḥThe Moon — guarding the feet
𑌭𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌦𑌾𑌯𑌕𑌮𑍍🔊bhukti-mukti-pradāyakamBestower of both worldly enjoyment (bhukti) and liberation (mukti)
𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌰 𑌵𑌿𑌜𑌯𑍀 𑌭𑌵𑍇𑌤𑍍🔊sarvatra vijayī bhavetBecomes victorious everywhere

Benefits of Chanting Chandra Kavacham

A limb-by-limb 'kavacha' (armour) invoking the Moon's protection over the entire body from head to feet.

Recited to strengthen a weak, debilitated or afflicted Moon in the horoscope, which governs the mind, emotions and peace.

Said to calm the mind and steady the emotions — the Moon (Chandra) is the karaka of mental peace and contentment.

Its phalashruti promises that whoever recites or hears it gains both worldly enjoyment (bhukti) and liberation (mukti) and is victorious everywhere.

Chanted on Mondays (Somavara), the weekday of the Moon, and during Chandra or Navagraha puja, and on Purnima (full moon).

Invoked for relief from anxiety, insomnia, restlessness and the malefic effects of the Moon's periods.

How to Chant Chandra Kavacham

Repetitions1times
Best TimeMondays (the day of the Moon), full-moon nights, and during Chandra or Navagraha puja

Bathe and sit facing east or north-west, ideally before an image of Chandra (or the Navagraha), with white flowers, white sandal and a ghee lamp; offerings of milk or rice are appropriate to the Moon. Recite the viniyoga, the dhyana verse, the kavacha verses guarding each limb, and the closing phalashruti. It is most auspicious on Mondays and full-moon nights, and may be recited daily for peace of mind and to soften an afflicted Moon.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Chandra Kavacham written in the Grantha script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.
Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.
The Chandra Kavacham is a protective hymn (kavacha = spiritual armour) to Chandra, the Moon-god, also called Soma. The sage Gautama is its rishi. Each verse asks the Moon, under one of his many poetic names, to guard a particular part of the body, surrounding the devotee with the Moon's cool, protective grace.
The Moon (Chandra) governs the mind, emotions and mental peace. The kavacha is recited to strengthen a weak, debilitated or afflicted Moon in the birth chart, and to bring calm during a difficult Chandra dasha or transit. It is usually chanted on Mondays with white flowers and a lamp.
On Mondays (Somavara), the weekday of the Moon, and on full-moon (Purnima) nights, as well as during any Chandra or Navagraha puja. For a remedy it may be recited daily for peace of mind and emotional steadiness.
Beyond bodily protection, its concluding verse states that whoever recites or even hears this divine armour gains both worldly enjoyment and liberation and becomes victorious everywhere. It is especially valued for calming the mind, easing anxiety and restlessness, and pacifying the Moon's malefic effects.

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