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केतुकवचम् Meaning — Line by Line

केतुकवचम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of केतुकवचम् with its Hindi 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 ||

Meaningश्रीगणेश को नमस्कार। ॐ। इस श्रीकेतुकवच स्तोत्र महामन्त्र के ऋषि त्र्यम्बक हैं, छन्द अनुष्टुप् है, देवता केतु हैं, 'कं' बीज है, 'नमः' शक्ति है, 'केतु' कीलक है; केतु के द्वारा उत्पन्न पीड़ा के निवारण हेतु इसका जप किया जाता है।

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||

Meaningकराल मुख वाले, चित्रवर्ण (विविध रंग के), किरीटधारी केतु को — ध्वजाकार, ग्रहों के ईश्वर केतु को — मैं सदा प्रणाम करता हूँ।

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||

Meaningचित्रवर्ण मेरे शिर की रक्षा करें, धूम्रसमद्युति भाल की; पिङ्गलाक्ष मेरे नेत्रों की रक्षा करें, रक्तलोचन कानों की।

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||

Meaningसुवर्णाभ मेरी नासिका की रक्षा करें, सिंहिकासुत चिबुक की; केतु मेरे कण्ठ की रक्षा करें, ग्रहाधिप स्कन्धों की।

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||

Meaningसुरश्रेष्ठ मेरे हाथों की रक्षा करें, महाग्रह कुक्षि की; सिंहासन मेरी कटि की रक्षा करें, महासुर मध्य की।

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||

Meaningमहाशीर्ष मेरी ऊरुओं की रक्षा करें, अतिकोपन मेरे जानुओं की; क्रूर मेरे पादों की रक्षा करें, नरपिङ्गल मेरे समस्त अङ्गों की।

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||

Meaningजो इस दिव्य कवच को — जो समस्त रोगों एवं समस्त शत्रुओं का नाशक है — धारण करता है, वह धारण मात्र से विजयी होता है।

Verse 8#

|| iti śrībrahmāṇḍapurāṇe ketukavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||

इति श्रीब्रह्माण्डपुराणे केतुकवचं सम्पूर्णम्

|| iti śrībrahmāṇḍapurāṇe ketukavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||

Meaningइस प्रकार ब्रह्माण्डपुराण में केतुकवच सम्पूर्ण हुआ।

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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