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Mangala Kavacham Meaning — Line by Line

मङ्गलकवचम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Mangala 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. raktāmbaro raktavapuḥ kirīṭī
  3. Verse 3. aṅgārakaḥ śiro rakṣenmukhaṃ vai dharaṇīsutaḥ |
  4. Verse 4. nāsāṃ śaktidharaḥ pātu mukhaṃ me raktalocanaḥ |
  5. Verse 5. vakṣaḥ pātu varāṅgaśca hṛdayaṃ pātu rohitaḥ |
  6. Verse 6. jānujaṅghe kujaḥ pātu pādau bhaktapriyaḥ sadā |
  7. Verse 7. ya idaṃ kavacaṃ divyaṃ sarvaśatrunivāraṇam |
  8. Verse 8. sarvarogaharaṃ caiva sarvasampatpradaṃ śubham |
  9. Verse 9. || iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe maṅgalakavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||
Verse 1#

|| śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ ||

श्रीगणेशाय नमः अस्य श्री अङ्गारककवचस्तोत्रमन्त्रस्य कश्यप ऋषिः, अनुष्टुप् छन्दः, अङ्गारको देवता, भौमप्रीत्यर्थं जपे विनियोगः

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

MeaningSalutations 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

रक्ताम्बरो रक्तवपुः किरीटी चतुर्भुजो मेषगमो गदाभृत् धरासुतः शक्तिधरश्च शूली सदा मम स्याद्वरदः प्रशान्तः

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

MeaningClad 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 |

अङ्गारकः शिरो रक्षेन्मुखं वै धरणीसुतः श्रवौ रक्ताम्बरः पातु नेत्रे मे रक्तलोचनः १॥

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

MeaningMay 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 |

नासां शक्तिधरः पातु मुखं मे रक्तलोचनः भुजौ मे रक्तमाली हस्तौ शक्तिधरस्तथा २॥

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

MeaningMay 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 |

वक्षः पातु वराङ्गश्च हृदयं पातु रोहितः कटिं मे ग्रहराजश्च मुखं चैव धरासुतः ३॥

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

MeaningMay 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 |

जानुजङ्घे कुजः पातु पादौ भक्तप्रियः सदा सर्वाण्यन्यानि चाङ्गानि रक्षेन्मे मेषवाहनः ४॥

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

MeaningMay 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 |

इदं कवचं दिव्यं सर्वशत्रुनिवारणम् भूतप्रेतपिशाचानां नाशनं सर्वसिद्धिदम् ५॥

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

MeaningWhoever (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 |

सर्वरोगहरं चैव सर्वसम्पत्प्रदं शुभम् भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं नॄणां सर्वसौभाग्यवर्धनम् रोगबन्धविमोक्षं सत्यमेतन्न संशयः ६॥

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

Meaningit 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 ||

इति श्रीमार्कण्डेयपुराणे मङ्गलकवचं सम्पूर्णम्

|| iti śrīmārkaṇḍeyapurāṇe maṅgalakavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||

MeaningThus ends the Mangala Kavacham in the Markandeya Purana.

Word-by-Word Breakdown

अङ्गारकः
aṅgārakaḥ
Angaraka — 'the burning ember', a name of Mangala (Mars)
धरणीसुतः / धरासुतः
dharaṇīsutaḥ / dharāsutaḥ
Son of the Earth (Bhumi) — Mars, also called Bhauma and Kuja
रक्ताम्बरः
raktāmbaraḥ
Clad in red garments
रक्तवपुः
raktavapuḥ
Of red-hued body
किरीटी
kirīṭī
Wearing a crown
चतुर्भुजः
caturbhujaḥ
Four-armed
मेषगमः / मेषवाहनः
meṣagamaḥ / meṣavāhanaḥ
Whose mount (vehicle) is the ram (mesha)
गदाभृत्
gadābhṛt
Bearing a mace
शक्तिधरः
śaktidharaḥ
Holding the spear (shakti)
शूली
śūlī
Bearing the trident
वरदः प्रशान्तः
varadaḥ praśāntaḥ
Boon-granting and serene — 'may he always be gracious to me'
शिरो रक्षेत्
śiro rakṣet
May he guard the head
रक्तलोचनः
raktalocanaḥ
The red-eyed one — guarding the eyes
वक्षः पातु
vakṣaḥ pātu
May he protect the chest
हृदयं पातु रोहितः
hṛdayaṃ pātu rohitaḥ
May Rohita (the red one) protect the heart
ग्रहराजः
graharājaḥ
King among the planets — guarding the waist
जानुजङ्घे कुजः पातु
jānujaṅghe kujaḥ pātu
May Kuja (Mars) protect the knees and shins
सर्वशत्रुनिवारणम्
sarvaśatru-nivāraṇam
Warding off all enemies
भूतप्रेतपिशाचानां नाशनम्
bhūta-preta-piśācānāṃ nāśanam
Destroying ghosts, spirits and goblins (pishachas)
सर्वसम्पत्प्रदम्
sarva-sampat-pradam
Bestowing all wealth and prosperity
सर्वसौभाग्यवर्धनम्
sarva-saubhāgya-vardhanam
Increasing all good fortune (saubhagya)

Origin & History

Source: Markandeya Purana (Angaraka Kavacha Stotram)

Author: Sage Kashyapa (rishi of the mantra)

Period: 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Mangala Kavacham?
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.
Does the Mangala Kavacham help with Mangal Dosha?
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.
When should the Mangala Kavacham be recited?
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.
What benefits does it give?
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.

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