mangalamarsangarakakuja

Mangala Kavacham

Mangala Kavacham in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Tuesdays (the day of Mars), and during Mangala or Navagraha puja·📜 Markandeya Purana (Angaraka Kavacha Stotram)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Mangala Kavacham (Angaraka Kavacham) is a protective 'armour' hymn to Mangala — Mars, the red planet, son of the Earth — drawn from the Markandeya Purana, with Kashyapa as its rishi. After a meditation verse picturing the four-armed, red-clad, ram-riding god bearing mace, spear and trident, it invokes him to guard every part of the devotee's body, limb by limb. Its closing verses promise that this kavacha wards off all enemies and evil spirits, removes disease, and bestows wealth, courage and good fortune.

Origin & Story

Markandeya Purana (Angaraka Kavacha Stotram) · Sage Kashyapa (rishi of the mantra) · Puranic

The Mangala Kavacham is preserved in the Markandeya Purana as the Angaraka Kavacha Stotram, with the sage Kashyapa named as its rishi and Anushtup as its metre. It depicts Mangala — Mars, the fierce red planet born of the Earth — as a four-armed, crimson-clad warrior riding a ram and bearing mace, spear and trident, and entreats this 'king of planets' to shield the devotee limb by limb. As an armour-hymn it belongs to the family of planetary kavachas recited for graha shanti, the pacification of the nine planets.

✦ As told in scripture

The kavacha's closing verses make a bold promise 'satyam etan na samshayah' — 'this is the truth, there is no doubt': that one who bears or recites this divine armour is freed from disease, bondage, enemies and evil spirits, and gains wealth and every good fortune by the grace of the red planet Mangala.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

|| śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ || asya śrī aṅgārakakavacastotramantrasya kaśyapa ṛṣiḥ, anuṣṭup chandaḥ, aṅgārako devatā, bhaumaprītyarthaṃ jape viniyogaḥ ||

Meaning:Salutations to Sri Ganesha. For this hymn-armour of Angaraka, the sage is Kashyapa, the metre is Anushtup, the deity is Angaraka (Mars); it is recited to please Bhauma (Mars).

Verse 2

raktāmbaro raktavapuḥ kirīṭī caturbhujo meṣagamo gadābhṛt | dharāsutaḥ śaktidharaśca śūlī sadā mama syādvaradaḥ praśāntaḥ ||

Meaning:Clad in red, with a red body, crowned and four-armed, riding a ram, bearing a mace; the son of the Earth, holding the spear and the trident — may he, the boon-giver, ever be serene and gracious to me.

Verse 3

aṅgārakaḥ śiro rakṣenmukhaṃ vai dharaṇīsutaḥ | śravau raktāmbaraḥ pātu netre me raktalocanaḥ || 1||

Meaning:May Angaraka guard my head, and Dharanisuta (the Earth's son) my face; may the red-robed one guard my ears, and the red-eyed one my eyes.

Verse 4

nāsāṃ śaktidharaḥ pātu mukhaṃ me raktalocanaḥ | bhujau me raktamālī ca hastau śaktidharastathā || 2||

Meaning:May the spear-bearer guard my nose, and the red-eyed one my mouth; may the wearer of the red garland guard my arms, and the spear-bearer my hands.

Verse 5

vakṣaḥ pātu varāṅgaśca hṛdayaṃ pātu rohitaḥ | kaṭiṃ me graharājaśca mukhaṃ caiva dharāsutaḥ || 3||

Meaning:May the beautiful-bodied one guard my chest, and Rohita (the red one) my heart; may the king of planets guard my waist, and the Earth's son my face.

Verse 6

jānujaṅghe kujaḥ pātu pādau bhaktapriyaḥ sadā | sarvāṇyanyāni cāṅgāni rakṣenme meṣavāhanaḥ || 4||

Meaning:May Kuja guard my knees and shins, and the ever beloved-of-devotees my feet; may the ram-mounted one guard all my other limbs.

Verse 7

ya idaṃ kavacaṃ divyaṃ sarvaśatrunivāraṇam | bhūtapretapiśācānāṃ nāśanaṃ sarvasiddhidam || 5||

Meaning:Whoever (recites or wears) this divine armour — which wards off all enemies, destroys ghosts, spirits and goblins, and grants every accomplishment —

Verse 8

sarvarogaharaṃ caiva sarvasampatpradaṃ śubham | bhuktimuktipradaṃ nṝṇāṃ sarvasaubhāgyavardhanam | rogabandhavimokṣaṃ ca satyametanna saṃśayaḥ || 6||

Meaning:it removes all disease, bestows all wealth and auspiciousness, grants enjoyment and liberation to people, increases all good fortune, and frees one from disease and bondage. This is the truth; there is no doubt.

Verse 9

|| iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe maṅgalakavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||

Meaning:Thus ends the Mangala Kavacham in the Markandeya Purana.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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aṅgārakaḥ🔊Angaraka — 'the burning ember', a name of Mangala (Mars)

dharaṇīsutaḥ / dharāsutaḥ🔊Son of the Earth (Bhumi) — Mars, also called Bhauma and Kuja

raktāmbaraḥ🔊Clad in red garments

raktavapuḥ🔊Of red-hued body

kirīṭī🔊Wearing a crown

caturbhujaḥ🔊Four-armed

meṣagamaḥ / meṣavāhanaḥ🔊Whose mount (vehicle) is the ram (mesha)

gadābhṛt🔊Bearing a mace

śaktidharaḥ🔊Holding the spear (shakti)

śūlī🔊Bearing the trident

varadaḥ praśāntaḥ🔊Boon-granting and serene — 'may he always be gracious to me'

śiro rakṣet🔊May he guard the head

raktalocanaḥ🔊The red-eyed one — guarding the eyes

vakṣaḥ pātu🔊May he protect the chest

hṛdayaṃ pātu rohitaḥ🔊May Rohita (the red one) protect the heart

graharājaḥ🔊King among the planets — guarding the waist

jānujaṅghe kujaḥ pātu🔊May Kuja (Mars) protect the knees and shins

sarvaśatru-nivāraṇam🔊Warding off all enemies

bhūta-preta-piśācānāṃ nāśanam🔊Destroying ghosts, spirits and goblins (pishachas)

sarva-sampat-pradam🔊Bestowing all wealth and prosperity

sarva-saubhāgya-vardhanam🔊Increasing all good fortune (saubhagya)

Benefits of Chanting Mangala Kavacham

✦

A limb-by-limb 'kavacha' (armour) that invokes Mangala's protection over the whole body, warding off enemies, accidents and harm.

✦

Traditionally recited to pacify Mangal Dosha (Kuja Dosha / Manglik affliction) and to strengthen a weak or afflicted Mars in the horoscope.

✦

Its phalashruti declares it destroys ghosts, spirits and pishachas and removes all disease — chanted for protection and good health.

✦

Said to bestow all wealth and auspiciousness, courage, victory over foes and the increase of good fortune (saubhagya).

✦

Especially recited on Tuesdays (Mangalavara), the weekday of Mars, and during Mangala / Navagraha puja.

✦

Mars governs energy, courage, land and brothers — its kavacha is invoked for valour, success in disputes and protection of property.

How to Chant Mangala Kavacham

Repetitions1times

Best TimeTuesdays (the day of Mars), and during Mangala or Navagraha puja

Bathe and sit facing south or east before an image of Mangala (or the Navagraha), preferably with a red flower, red sandal and a ghee or sesame-oil lamp. Recite the viniyoga, then the dhyana (meditation) verse, then the kavacha verses guarding each limb, and finally the phalashruti. It is most powerful on Tuesdays and may be recited daily for the duration of a difficult Mars period or Mangal Dosha remedy.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Mangala Kavacham written in the English 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 Mangala Kavacham (also called Angaraka Kavacham) is a protective hymn to the planet Mars (Mangala / Angaraka / Kuja), found in the Markandeya Purana. A 'kavacha' is a spiritual armour: each verse asks the deity to guard a specific part of the body, surrounding the devotee with Mars's protective energy.

Yes. It is one of the traditional remedies recited to pacify Mangal Dosha (also called Kuja Dosha or being 'Manglik') and to soften a malefic or weak Mars in the birth chart. It is generally chanted on Tuesdays along with offerings of red flowers and a lamp.

On Tuesdays (Mangalavara), the weekday governed by Mars, and during any Navagraha puja or Mangala worship. For a specific remedy it may be recited daily through the period of an adverse Mars transit or dasha.

Its own concluding verses promise that it wards off all enemies, destroys ghosts and evil spirits, removes disease, and bestows wealth, all good fortune, enjoyment and liberation. Because Mars rules courage, energy, land and victory, it is also recited for valour and success in disputes.