Gayatri Kavacham
गायत्री कवचम्
Also known as: gayatri kavacham · gayatri kavach · shri gayatri kavacham · gayatri mantra kavacham · vedamata gayatri kavacham
Read in your language / script
✦ Meaning
The Gayatri Kavacham is a celebrated protective 'armour' hymn from the Devi Bhagavata Purana (12th Skandha), revealed by Narayana to Narada and composed by Veda Vyasa. The words of the Gayatri mantra are assigned to the heart, head, crown, eyes and other points as anga-nyasa, while Gayatri in her many forms — Savitri, Brahmasandhya, Saraswati, Bhuvaneshvari — guards every direction. It is said to destroy all sins, fulfil every desire, and ultimately grant liberation by the grace of the Mother of the Vedas.
Origin & Story
Srimad Devi Bhagavata Purana, 12th Skandha, Chapter 3 · Veda Vyasa (revealed by Narayana to Narada) · Ancient (Puranic)
The Gayatri Kavacham occurs in the twelfth book of the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, where Lord Narayana imparts to Sage Narada the supreme protective armour of Gayatri Devi, the Mother of the Vedas and the very embodiment of the Supreme Brahman. Composed by Veda Vyasa, it places the sacred words of the Gayatri mantra upon the body and invokes Gayatri in her many forms to shield the worshipper in every direction. It is praised as capable of removing all evils and obstructions and of granting both worldly fulfilment and final liberation.
✦ As told in scripture
It is traditionally held that one who wears this Kavacha and recites it with the daily Gayatri japa is purified of even grave sins and shielded in every direction — the Devi Bhagavatam declares that by the grace of the Veda-Mother such a devotee gains mastery over knowledge and is led, in the end, to liberation itself.
Complete Text with Meaning
Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited
अस्य श्रीगायत्रीकवचस्य ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वरा ऋषयः। ऋग्यजुःसामाथर्वाणि छन्दांसि। परब्रह्मस्वरूपिणी गायत्री देवता। तद्बीजम्। भर्गः शक्तिः। धियः कीलकम्। मोक्षार्थे जपे विनियोगः॥
Asya Shri Gayatri Kavachasya Brahma Vishnu Maheshvara Rishayah Rig Yajuh Sama Atharvani Chhandamsi Parabrahma Svarupini Gayatri Devata Tad Bijam Bhargah Shaktih Dhiyah Kilakam Mokshartthe Jape Viniyogah
Meaning:Of this Shri Gayatri Kavacha, the sages are Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvara; the metres are the Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva (Vedas); the deity is Gayatri, the very form of the supreme Brahman; 'Tat' is the seed, 'Bhargah' is the power, 'Dhiyah' is the pivot; its application in recitation is for the sake of liberation.
ॐ तत्सवितुर्ब्रह्मात्मने हृदयाय नमः। ॐ वरेण्यं विष्ण्वात्मने शिरसे स्वाहा। ॐ भर्गोदेवस्य रुद्रात्मने शिखायै वषट्। ॐ धीमहि ईश्वरात्मने कवचाय हुम्। ॐ धियो यो नः सदाशिवात्मने नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट्। ॐ प्रचोदयात् परब्रह्मतत्त्वात्मने अस्त्राय फट्॥
Om Tat Savitur Brahmatmane Hridayaya Namah Om Varenyam Vishnvatmane Shirase Svaha Om Bhargo Devasya Rudratmane Shikhayai Vashat Om Dhimahi Ishvaratmane Kavachaya Hum Om Dhiyo Yo Nah Sadashivatmane Netratrayaya Vaushat Om Prachodayat Parabrahma Tattvatmane Astraya Phat
Meaning:Om. 'Tat Savitur', identical with Brahma — salutation to the heart. 'Varenyam', identical with Vishnu — Svaha to the head. 'Bhargo Devasya', identical with Rudra — Vashat to the crown-lock. 'Dhimahi', identical with Ishvara — Hum to the armour. 'Dhiyo Yo Nah', identical with Sadashiva — Vaushat to the three eyes. 'Prachodayat', identical with the supreme Brahman-principle — Phat to the weapon.
ध्यानम् — मुक्ताविद्रुमहेमनीलधवलच्छायैर्मुखैस्त्रीक्षणैः युक्तामिन्दुनिबद्धरत्नमकुटां तत्त्वार्थवर्णात्मिकाम्। गायत्रीं वरदाभयाङ्कुशकशाः शुभ्रं कपालं गदां शङ्खं चक्रमथारविन्दयुगलं हस्तैर्वहन्तीं भजे॥
Dhyanam — Mukta Vidruma Hema Nila Dhavala Chhayair Mukhais Trikshanaih Yuktam Indu Nibaddha Ratna Makutam Tattvartha Varnatmikam Gayatrim Varada Abhaya Ankusha Kashah Shubhram Kapalam Gadam Shankham Chakram Atha Aravinda Yugalam Hastair Vahantim Bhaje
Meaning:Meditation: I worship Gayatri, who has faces of the hue of pearl, coral, gold, sapphire and white, each with three eyes; who wears a crown set with jewels and bound by the moon; who is the very form of the syllables that hold the truth; and who bears in her hands the gestures of boon and fearlessness, the goad and the whip, the bright skull, the mace, the conch, the discus and a pair of lotuses.
नारायण उवाच — गायत्री पूर्वतः पातु सावित्री पातु दक्षिणे। ब्रह्मसन्ध्या तु मे पश्चादुत्तरस्यां सरस्वती॥
Narayana Uvacha — Gayatri Purvatah Patu Savitri Patu Dakshine Brahmasandhya Tu Me Pashchad Uttarasyam Saraswati
Meaning:Narayana said: May Gayatri protect me in the East, may Savitri protect me in the South; may the Brahma-twilight (Brahmasandhya) protect me in the West, and Saraswati in the North.
पार्वती मे दिशं रक्षेद्वारुणीं वायुगोचराम्। ऊर्ध्वं ब्रह्माणि मे रक्षेदधस्ताद्वैष्णवी सदा॥
Parvati Me Disham Rakshed Varunim Vayugocharam Urdhvam Brahmani Me Rakshed Adhastad Vaishnavi Sada
Meaning:May Parvati guard my (every) quarter, and Varuni guard the region of the wind (North-west); above may Brahmani ever protect me, and below the Vaishnavi power.
एवं दश दिशो रक्षेत्सर्वदा भुवनेश्वरी। रक्षाहीनं तु यत्स्थानं वर्जितं कवचेन तु॥
Evam Dasha Disho Rakshet Sarvada Bhuvaneshvari Rakshahinam Tu Yat Sthanam Varjitam Kavachena Tu
Meaning:Thus may Bhuvaneshvari, the Sovereign of the worlds, ever protect all ten directions. And whatever place is left unprotected, omitted by this armour —
तत्सर्वं रक्ष मे देवि गायत्री वेदमातृका। इदं तु कवचं दिव्यं सर्वपापविनाशनम्॥
Tat Sarvam Raksha Me Devi Gayatri Veda Matrika Idam Tu Kavacham Divyam Sarva Papa Vinashanam
Meaning:protect all that, O Devi Gayatri, Mother of the Vedas. This divine armour is the destroyer of all sins.
यो धारयेद्भक्तियुक्तो विद्यावान् स महायशाः। त्रिकालं यः पठेन्नित्यं श्रद्धया च समन्वितः॥
Yo Dharayed Bhakti Yukto Vidyavan Sa Mahayashah Trikalam Yah Pathen Nityam Shraddhaya Cha Samanvitah
Meaning:Whoever wears it, full of devotion, becomes learned and greatly renowned. Whoever recites it daily at the three times, endowed with faith,
सर्वान्कामानवाप्नोति गायत्र्याः प्रसादतः। मोक्षं च लभते मर्त्यो वेदमातुः प्रसादतः॥
Sarvan Kamanavapnoti Gayatryah Prasadatah Moksham Cha Labhate Martyo Veda Matuh Prasadatah
Meaning:obtains all his desires by the grace of Gayatri; and the mortal attains liberation too, by the grace of the Mother of the Vedas.
Word-by-Word Meaning
Click any word to hear its pronunciation
Benefits of Chanting Gayatri Kavacham
Invokes Gayatri, the Mother of the Vedas, as a complete protective armour of body and soul
Assigns the sacred words of the Gayatri mantra to the vital points through anga-nyasa
Guards the devotee in all ten directions through Gayatri's many divine forms
Destroys all sins (sarva-papa-vinashanam) and purifies the reciter
Bestows learning, fame and the fulfilment of all righteous desires
Considered a direct aid to liberation (moksha) by the grace of the Veda-Mata
An ideal supplement to daily Gayatri japa and the three sandhya prayers
How to Chant Gayatri Kavacham
After bathing and performing achamana, sit facing east in a clean place. Begin with the Viniyoga, then perform the anga-nyasa, touching the heart, head, crown, eyes and other points as each word of the Gayatri mantra is uttered. Meditate on the form of Gayatri described in the dhyana verse, then recite the directional protection verses. The Kavacham is traditionally recited together with daily Gayatri japa at the three sandhyas. Conclude by offering arghya to the Sun and praying to the Veda-Mother for protection and wisdom.