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Ketu Kavacham Meaning — Line by Line

केतुकवचम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Ketu 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. ketuṃ karālavadanaṃ citravarṇaṃ kirīṭinam |
  3. Verse 3. citravarṇaḥ śiraḥ pātu bhālaṃ dhūmrasamadyutiḥ |
  4. Verse 4. ghrāṇaṃ pātu suvarṇābhaścibukaṃ siṃhikāsutaḥ |
  5. Verse 5. hastau pātu suraśreṣṭhaḥ kukṣiṃ pātu mahāgrahaḥ |
  6. Verse 6. ūrū pātu mahāśīrṣo jānunī me'tikopanaḥ |
  7. Verse 7. ya idaṃ kavacaṃ divyaṃ sarvarogavināśanam |
  8. Verse 8. || iti śrībrahmāṇḍapurāṇe ketukavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||
Verse 1#

|| śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ ||

श्रीगणेशाय नमः अस्य श्रीकेतुकवचस्तोत्रमहामन्त्रस्य त्र्यम्बक ऋषिः, अनुष्टुप् छन्दः, केतुर्देवता, कं बीजम्, नमः शक्तिः, केतुरिति कीलकम्, केतुकृत पीडा निवारणार्थे जपे विनियोगः

|| śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ || oṃ asya śrīketukavacastotramahāmantrasya tryambaka ṛṣiḥ, anuṣṭup chandaḥ, keturdevatā, kaṃ bījam, namaḥ śaktiḥ, keturiti kīlakam, ketukṛta pīḍā nivāraṇārthe jape viniyogaḥ ||

MeaningSalutations to Sri Ganesha. Om. For this great hymn-armour of Ketu the sage is Tryambaka, the metre is Anushtup, the deity is Ketu, 'Kam' is the seed, 'Namah' the power, 'Ketu' the pin; it is recited to ward off the afflictions caused by Ketu.

Verse 2#

ketuṃ karālavadanaṃ citravarṇaṃ kirīṭinam |

केतुं करालवदनं चित्रवर्णं किरीटिनम् प्रणमामि सदा केतुं ध्वजाकारं ग्रहेश्वरम् १॥

ketuṃ karālavadanaṃ citravarṇaṃ kirīṭinam | praṇamāmi sadā ketuṃ dhvajākāraṃ graheśvaram || 1||

MeaningKetu, of fearsome face, many-hued and crowned — I bow always to Ketu, the banner-shaped lord of the planets.

Verse 3#

citravarṇaḥ śiraḥ pātu bhālaṃ dhūmrasamadyutiḥ |

चित्रवर्णः शिरः पातु भालं धूम्रसमद्युतिः पातु नेत्रे पिङ्गलाक्षः श्रुती मे रक्तलोचनः २॥

citravarṇaḥ śiraḥ pātu bhālaṃ dhūmrasamadyutiḥ | pātu netre piṅgalākṣaḥ śrutī me raktalocanaḥ || 2||

MeaningMay the many-hued one guard my head, and the one of smoke-like radiance my forehead; may the tawny-eyed one guard my eyes, and the red-eyed one my ears.

Verse 4#

ghrāṇaṃ pātu suvarṇābhaścibukaṃ siṃhikāsutaḥ |

घ्राणं पातु सुवर्णाभश्चिबुकं सिंहिकासुतः पातु कण्ठं मे केतुः स्कन्धौ पातु ग्रहाधिपः ३॥

ghrāṇaṃ pātu suvarṇābhaścibukaṃ siṃhikāsutaḥ | pātu kaṇṭhaṃ ca me ketuḥ skandhau pātu grahādhipaḥ || 3||

MeaningMay the golden-lustred one guard my nose, and the son of Simhika my chin; may Ketu guard my throat, and the chief of planets my shoulders.

Verse 5#

hastau pātu suraśreṣṭhaḥ kukṣiṃ pātu mahāgrahaḥ |

हस्तौ पातु सुरश्रेष्ठः कुक्षिं पातु महाग्रहः सिंहासनः कटिं पातु मध्यं पातु महासुरः ४॥

hastau pātu suraśreṣṭhaḥ kukṣiṃ pātu mahāgrahaḥ | siṃhāsanaḥ kaṭiṃ pātu madhyaṃ pātu mahāsuraḥ || 4||

MeaningMay the best of the gods guard my hands, and the great planet my belly; may the lion-seated one guard my waist, and the great asura my middle.

Verse 6#

ūrū pātu mahāśīrṣo jānunī me'tikopanaḥ |

ऊरू पातु महाशीर्षो जानुनी मेऽतिकोपनः पातु पादौ मे क्रूरः सर्वाङ्गं नरपिङ्गलः ५॥

ūrū pātu mahāśīrṣo jānunī me'tikopanaḥ | pātu pādau ca me krūraḥ sarvāṅgaṃ narapiṅgalaḥ || 5||

MeaningMay the great-headed one guard my thighs, and the exceedingly fierce one my knees; may the dreadful one guard my feet, and the tawny-bodied one my whole frame.

Verse 7#

ya idaṃ kavacaṃ divyaṃ sarvarogavināśanam |

इदं कवचं दिव्यं सर्वरोगविनाशनम् सर्वशत्रुविनाशं धारणाद्विजयी भवेत् ६॥

ya idaṃ kavacaṃ divyaṃ sarvarogavināśanam | sarvaśatruvināśaṃ ca dhāraṇādvijayī bhavet || 6||

MeaningWhoever bears this divine armour, the destroyer of all disease and of all enemies, becomes victorious by wearing it.

Verse 8#

|| iti śrībrahmāṇḍapurāṇe ketukavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||

इति श्रीब्रह्माण्डपुराणे केतुकवचं सम्पूर्णम्

|| iti śrībrahmāṇḍapurāṇe ketukavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||

MeaningThus ends the Ketu Kavacham in the Brahmanda Purana.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

केतु
ketu
Ketu — the descending lunar node, the headless shadow-planet
प्रणमामि सदा केतुम्
praṇamāmi sadā ketum
I bow always to Ketu
करालवदनम्
karālavadanam
Of fearsome face
चित्रवर्णम्
citravarṇam
Of variegated (many-hued) colour
किरीटिनम्
kirīṭinam
Wearing a crown
ध्वजाकारम्
dhvajākāram
Shaped like a banner (flag) — Ketu's emblem
ग्रहेश्वरम् / ग्रहाधिपः
graheśvaram / grahādhipaḥ
Lord / chief of the planets — guarding the shoulders
चित्रवर्णः शिरः पातु
citravarṇaḥ śiraḥ pātu
May the many-hued one guard the head
धूम्रसमद्युतिः
dhūmrasamadyutiḥ
Of smoke-like radiance — guarding the forehead
पिङ्गलाक्षः
piṅgalākṣaḥ
Tawny / amber-eyed — guarding the eyes
रक्तलोचनः
raktalocanaḥ
Red-eyed — guarding the ears
सुवर्णाभः
suvarṇābhaḥ
Of golden lustre — guarding the nose
सिंहिकासुतः
siṃhikāsutaḥ
Son of Simhika — guarding the chin
महाग्रहः
mahāgrahaḥ
The great planet — guarding the belly
सिंहासनः
siṃhāsanaḥ
Lion-seated — guarding the waist
महासुरः
mahāsuraḥ
The great asura — guarding the middle
महाशीर्षः
mahāśīrṣaḥ
The great-headed one — guarding the thighs
नरपिङ्गलः
narapiṅgalaḥ
Tawny-bodied as a man — guarding the whole body
सर्वरोगविनाशनम्
sarvaroga-vināśanam
Destroying all diseases
धारणाद्विजयी भवेत्
dhāraṇād vijayī bhavet
By wearing (bearing) it, one becomes victorious

Origin & History

Source: Brahmanda Purana (Ketu Kavacha Stotram)

Author: Sage Tryambaka (rishi of the mantra)

Period: Puranic

The Ketu Kavacham is preserved in the Brahmanda Purana, with the sage Tryambaka named as its rishi and 'Kam' as its seed-syllable. It depicts Ketu — the headless remnant of the asura Svarbhanu, the fierce-faced, many-hued, banner-shaped 'lord of the planets' who together with Rahu causes the eclipses — and entreats this great planet to shield the devotee limb by limb. As the armour-hymn of the descending node it belongs to the Navagraha kavachas recited for graha shanti, and is especially turned to for protection and for the spiritual insight that Ketu, the moksha-karaka, bestows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Ketu Kavacham?
The Ketu Kavacham is a protective hymn (kavacha = spiritual armour) to Ketu, the headless shadow-planet and descending lunar node. The sage Tryambaka is named as its rishi and it is drawn from the Brahmanda Purana. Each verse asks Ketu, under one of his many names, to guard a part of the body, and its final verse says that even bearing the armour brings victory.
How does the Ketu Kavacham help with Ketu Dosha?
It is recited to pacify Ketu Dosha and the unsettling, confusing effects of Ketu's mahadasha, antardasha and transits, and as part of remedies for Kala Sarpa Dosha. Because Ketu is the planet of detachment and moksha, the kavacha is also used to turn its energy toward insight and spiritual progress rather than affliction.
When should the Ketu Kavacham be recited?
On Tuesdays, and during any Navagraha or Ketu puja, especially through a difficult Ketu dasha or transit. Its phalashruti suggests it may also be borne (dharanat) as a written amulet after recitation for continuous protection.
What benefits does it give?
Its concluding verse states that this divine armour destroys all disease and all enemies and that whoever bears it becomes victorious. It is valued for protection from mysterious illnesses and hidden foes, and, because Ketu is the moksha-karaka, for spiritual insight, detachment and freedom from confusion.

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