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Chandra Kavacham Meaning — Line by Line

चन्द्रकवचम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Chandra Kavacham with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

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  1. Verse 1. || śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ ||
  2. Verse 2. samaṃ caturbhujaṃ vande keyūramukuṭojjvalam |
  3. Verse 3. evaṃ dhyātvā japennityaṃ śaśinaḥ kavacaṃ śubham |
  4. Verse 4. cakṣuṣī candramāḥ pātu śrutī pātu niśāpatiḥ |
  5. Verse 5. pātu kaṇṭhaṃ ca me somaḥ skandhe jaivātṛkastathā |
  6. Verse 6. hṛdayaṃ pātu me candro nābhiṃ śaṅkarabhūṣaṇaḥ |
  7. Verse 7. ūrū tārāpatiḥ pātu mṛgāṅko jānunī sadā |
  8. Verse 8. sarvāṇyanyāni cāṅgāni pātu candro'khilaṃ vapuḥ |
  9. Verse 9. || iti śrīcandrakavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||
Verse 1#

|| śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ ||

श्रीगणेशाय नमः अस्य श्रीचन्द्रकवचस्तोत्रमन्त्रस्य गौतम ऋषिः अनुष्टुप् छन्दः, श्रीचन्द्रो देवता, चन्द्रप्रीत्यर्थं जपे विनियोगः

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

MeaningSalutations 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#

samaṃ caturbhujaṃ vande keyūramukuṭojjvalam |

समं चतुर्भुजं वन्दे केयूरमुकुटोज्ज्वलम् वासुदेवस्य नयनं शङ्करस्य भूषणम् १॥

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

MeaningI 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#

evaṃ dhyātvā japennityaṃ śaśinaḥ kavacaṃ śubham |

एवं ध्यात्वा जपेन्नित्यं शशिनः कवचं शुभम् शशी पातु शिरोदेशं भालं पातु कलानिधिः २॥

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

MeaningHaving 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#

cakṣuṣī candramāḥ pātu śrutī pātu niśāpatiḥ |

चक्षुषी चन्द्रमाः पातु श्रुती पातु निशापतिः प्राणं क्षपाकरः पातु मुखं कुमुदबान्धवः ३॥

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

MeaningMay 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#

pātu kaṇṭhaṃ ca me somaḥ skandhe jaivātṛkastathā |

पातु कण्ठं मे सोमः स्कन्धे जैवातृकस्तथा करौ सुधाकरः पातु वक्षः पातु निशाकरः ४॥

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

MeaningMay 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#

hṛdayaṃ pātu me candro nābhiṃ śaṅkarabhūṣaṇaḥ |

हृदयं पातु मे चन्द्रो नाभिं शङ्करभूषणः मध्यं पातु सुरश्रेष्ठः कटिं पातु सुधाकरः ५॥

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

MeaningMay 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#

ūrū tārāpatiḥ pātu mṛgāṅko jānunī sadā |

ऊरू तारापतिः पातु मृगाङ्को जानुनी सदा अब्धिजः पातु मे जङ्घे पातु पादौ विधुः सदा ६॥

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

MeaningMay 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#

sarvāṇyanyāni cāṅgāni pātu candro'khilaṃ vapuḥ |

सर्वाण्यन्यानि चाङ्गानि पातु चन्द्रोऽखिलं वपुः एतद्धि कवचं दिव्यं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम् यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि सर्वत्र विजयी भवेत् ७॥

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

MeaningMay 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#

|| iti śrīcandrakavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||

इति श्रीचन्द्रकवचं सम्पूर्णम्

|| iti śrīcandrakavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||

MeaningThus ends the Chandra Kavacham.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

चन्द्र / शशी / सोम
candra / śaśī / soma
The Moon — Chandra, also Shashi ('the hare-marked') and Soma
समम्
samam
Serene, even-natured (the calm Moon)
चतुर्भुजम्
caturbhujam
Four-armed
केयूरमुकुटोज्ज्वलम्
keyūra-mukuṭojjvalam
Resplendent with armlets and a crown
वासुदेवस्य नयनम्
vāsudevasya nayanam
The eye of Vasudeva (Vishnu) — the Moon as Vishnu's eye
शङ्करस्य च भूषणम्
śaṅkarasya ca bhūṣaṇam
And the ornament (crescent) upon the head of Shiva (Shankara)
एवं ध्यात्वा जपेन्नित्यम्
evaṃ dhyātvā japennityam
Having meditated thus, one should recite daily...
शशी पातु शिरोदेशम्
śaśī pātu śirodeśam
May Shashi (the Moon) protect the region of the head
कलानिधिः
kalānidhiḥ
Treasury of the digits (kalas) — guarding the forehead
निशापतिः
niśāpatiḥ
Lord of the night — guarding the ears
क्षपाकरः
kṣapākaraḥ
Maker of the night — guarding the life-breath (prana)
कुमुदबान्धवः
kumudabāndhavaḥ
Friend of the night-lotus (which blooms by moonlight) — guarding the mouth
जैवातृकः
jaivātṛkaḥ
The life-giving Moon — guarding the shoulders
सुधाकरः
sudhākaraḥ
Source of nectar (amrita) — guarding the hands and waist
निशाकरः
niśākaraḥ
Maker of the night — guarding the chest
तारापतिः
tārāpatiḥ
Lord of the stars (and husband of Tara) — guarding the thighs
मृगाङ्कः
mṛgāṅkaḥ
The deer-marked one — guarding the knees
अब्धिजः
abdhijaḥ
Ocean-born (the Moon arose from the churning of the milk-ocean) — guarding the shins
विधुः
vidhuḥ
The Moon — guarding the feet
भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम्
bhukti-mukti-pradāyakam
Bestower of both worldly enjoyment (bhukti) and liberation (mukti)
सर्वत्र विजयी भवेत्
sarvatra vijayī bhavet
Becomes victorious everywhere

Origin & History

Source: Chandra Kavacha Stotram (Graha kavacha tradition)

Author: Sage Gautama (rishi of the mantra)

Period: 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Chandra Kavacham?
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.
How does the Chandra Kavacham help in astrology?
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.
When should the Chandra Kavacham be recited?
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.
What are its benefits?
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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