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राहुकवचम् Meaning — Line by Line

राहुकवचम्

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of राहुकवचम् 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. praṇamāmi sadā rāhuṃ śūrpākāraṃ kirīṭinam |
  3. Verse 3. nīlāmbaraḥ śiraḥ pātu lalāṭaṃ lokavanditaḥ |
  4. Verse 4. nāsikāṃ me dhūmravarṇaḥ śūlapāṇirmukhaṃ mama |
  5. Verse 5. bhujaṅgeśo bhujau pātu nīlamālyāmbaraḥ karau |
  6. Verse 6. kaṭiṃ me vikaṭaḥ pātu ūrū me surapūjitaḥ |
  7. Verse 7. gulphau grahapatiḥ pātu pādau me bhīṣaṇākṛtiḥ |
  8. Verse 8. rāhoridaṃ kavacamṛddhidavastudaṃ yo
  9. Verse 9. || iti śrīmahābhārate dhṛtarāṣṭrasañjayasaṃvāde droṇaparvaṇi rāhukavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||
Verse 1#

|| śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ ||

श्रीगणेशाय नमः अस्य श्रीराहुकवचस्तोत्रमन्त्रस्य चन्द्रमा ऋषिः, अनुष्टुप् छन्दः, रां बीजम्, नमः शक्तिः, स्वाहा कीलकम्, राहुकृत पीडानिवारणार्थे, धनधान्य आयुरारोग्य आदि समृद्धि प्राप्त्यर्थे जपे विनियोगः

|| śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ || oṃ asya śrīrāhukavacastotramantrasya candramā ṛṣiḥ, anuṣṭup chandaḥ, rāṃ bījam, namaḥ śaktiḥ, svāhā kīlakam, rāhukṛta pīḍānivāraṇārthe, dhanadhānya āyurārogya ādi samṛddhi prāptyarthe jape viniyogaḥ ||

Meaningश्रीगणेश को नमस्कार। ॐ। इस राहुकवच स्तोत्र मन्त्र के ऋषि चन्द्रमा हैं, छन्द अनुष्टुप् है, 'रां' बीज है, 'नमः' शक्ति है, 'स्वाहा' कीलक है; राहु के द्वारा उत्पन्न पीड़ा के निवारण तथा धन, धान्य, आयु, आरोग्य आदि समृद्धि की प्राप्ति हेतु इसका जप किया जाता है।

Verse 2#

praṇamāmi sadā rāhuṃ śūrpākāraṃ kirīṭinam |

प्रणमामि सदा राहुं शूर्पाकारं किरीटिनम् सैंहिकेयं करालास्यं लोकानामभयप्रदम् १॥

praṇamāmi sadā rāhuṃ śūrpākāraṃ kirīṭinam | saiṃhikeyaṃ karālāsyaṃ lokānāmabhayapradam || 1||

Meaningमैं सदा राहु को प्रणाम करता हूँ — जो शूर्प (सूप) के आकार वाले, किरीटधारी, सिंहिका के पुत्र, कराल मुख वाले, तथा लोकों को अभयदान देने वाले हैं।

Verse 3#

nīlāmbaraḥ śiraḥ pātu lalāṭaṃ lokavanditaḥ |

नीलाम्बरः शिरः पातु ललाटं लोकवन्दितः चक्षुषी पातु मे राहुः श्रोत्रे त्वर्धशरीरवान् २॥

nīlāmbaraḥ śiraḥ pātu lalāṭaṃ lokavanditaḥ | cakṣuṣī pātu me rāhuḥ śrotre tvardhaśarīravān || 2||

Meaningनीलाम्बर मेरे शिर की रक्षा करें, लोकवन्दित ललाट की; राहु मेरे नेत्रों की रक्षा करें, अर्धशरीरधारी कानों की।

Verse 4#

nāsikāṃ me dhūmravarṇaḥ śūlapāṇirmukhaṃ mama |

नासिकां मे धूम्रवर्णः शूलपाणिर्मुखं मम जिह्वां मे सिंहिकासूनुः कण्ठं मे कठिनाङ्घ्रिकः ३॥

nāsikāṃ me dhūmravarṇaḥ śūlapāṇirmukhaṃ mama | jihvāṃ me siṃhikāsūnuḥ kaṇṭhaṃ me kaṭhināṅghrikaḥ || 3||

Meaningधूम्रवर्ण मेरी नासिका की रक्षा करें, शूलपाणि मेरे मुख की; सिंहिकासूनु मेरी जिह्वा की रक्षा करें, कठिनाङ्घ्रिक मेरे कण्ठ की।

Verse 5#

bhujaṅgeśo bhujau pātu nīlamālyāmbaraḥ karau |

भुजङ्गेशो भुजौ पातु नीलमाल्याम्बरः करौ पातु वक्षःस्थलं मन्त्री पातु कुक्षिं विधुन्तुदः ४॥

bhujaṅgeśo bhujau pātu nīlamālyāmbaraḥ karau | pātu vakṣaḥsthalaṃ mantrī pātu kukṣiṃ vidhuntudaḥ || 4||

Meaningभुजङ्गेश मेरी भुजाओं की रक्षा करें, नीलमाल्याम्बर हाथों की; मन्त्री मेरे वक्षःस्थल की रक्षा करें, विधुन्तुद कुक्षि की।

Verse 6#

kaṭiṃ me vikaṭaḥ pātu ūrū me surapūjitaḥ |

कटिं मे विकटः पातु ऊरू मे सुरपूजितः स्वर्भानुर्जानुनी पातु जङ्घे मे पातु जाड्यहा ५॥

kaṭiṃ me vikaṭaḥ pātu ūrū me surapūjitaḥ | svarbhānurjānunī pātu jaṅghe me pātu jāḍyahā || 5||

Meaningविकट मेरी कटि की रक्षा करें, सुरपूजित ऊरुओं की; स्वर्भानु मेरे जानुओं की रक्षा करें, जाड्यहा मेरी जङ्घाओं की।

Verse 7#

gulphau grahapatiḥ pātu pādau me bhīṣaṇākṛtiḥ |

गुल्फौ ग्रहपतिः पातु पादौ मे भीषणाकृतिः सर्वाण्यङ्गानि मे पातु नीलचन्दनभूषणः ६॥

gulphau grahapatiḥ pātu pādau me bhīṣaṇākṛtiḥ | sarvāṇyaṅgāni me pātu nīlacandanabhūṣaṇaḥ || 6||

Meaningग्रहपति मेरे गुल्फों की रक्षा करें, भीषणाकृति मेरे पादों की; नीलचन्दनभूषण मेरे समस्त अङ्गों की रक्षा करें।

Verse 8#

rāhoridaṃ kavacamṛddhidavastudaṃ yo

राहोरिदं कवचमृद्धिदवस्तुदं यो भक्त्या पठत्यनुदिनं नियतः शुचिः सन् प्राप्नोति कीर्तिमतुलां श्रियमृद्धिमायु- रारोग्यमात्मविजयं हि तत्प्रसादात् ७॥

rāhoridaṃ kavacamṛddhidavastudaṃ yo bhaktyā paṭhatyanudinaṃ niyataḥ śuciḥ san | prāpnoti kīrtimatulāṃ śriyamṛddhimāyu- rārogyamātmavijayaṃ ca hi tatprasādāt || 7||

Meaningजो भक्तियुक्त, नियमी एवं पवित्र होकर राहु के इस समृद्धिप्रद कवच का प्रतिदिन पाठ करता है, वह उनके प्रसाद से अतुल कीर्ति, श्री, ऋद्धि, आयु, आरोग्य एवं आत्मविजय प्राप्त करता है।

Verse 9#

|| iti śrīmahābhārate dhṛtarāṣṭrasañjayasaṃvāde droṇaparvaṇi rāhukavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||

इति श्रीमहाभारते धृतराष्ट्रसञ्जयसंवादे द्रोणपर्वणि राहुकवचं सम्पूर्णम्

|| iti śrīmahābhārate dhṛtarāṣṭrasañjayasaṃvāde droṇaparvaṇi rāhukavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||

Meaningइस प्रकार महाभारत के द्रोणपर्व में धृतराष्ट्र-सञ्जय संवाद के अन्तर्गत राहुकवच सम्पूर्ण हुआ।

Word-by-Word Breakdown

राहु
rāhu
Rahu — the ascending lunar node, the shadow-planet that causes eclipses
प्रणमामि सदा राहुम्
praṇamāmi sadā rāhum
I bow always to Rahu
शूर्पाकारम्
śūrpākāram
Shaped like a winnowing basket (shurpa)
किरीटिनम्
kirīṭinam
Wearing a crown
सैंहिकेयम्
saiṃhikeyam
Son of Simhika — a matronymic of Rahu
करालास्यम्
karālāsyam
Of fearsome (gaping) face
लोकानामभयप्रदम्
lokānām abhayapradam
Bestowing fearlessness upon the worlds
नीलाम्बरः
nīlāmbaraḥ
Clad in dark-blue garments — guarding the head
अर्धशरीरवान्
ardhaśarīravān
Possessing (only) half a body — guarding the ears
धूम्रवर्णः
dhūmravarṇaḥ
Smoke-coloured — guarding the nose
शूलपाणिः
śūlapāṇiḥ
Holding a trident in hand — guarding the mouth
सिंहिकासूनुः
siṃhikāsūnuḥ
Son of Simhika — guarding the tongue
भुजङ्गेशः
bhujaṅgeśaḥ
Lord of serpents — guarding the arms
विधुन्तुदः
vidhuntudaḥ
The tormentor of the Moon (the eclipse-causer) — guarding the belly
विकटः
vikaṭaḥ
The huge / fearsome one — guarding the waist
स्वर्भानुः
svarbhānuḥ
'Light of heaven', a Vedic name of Rahu — guarding the knees
जाड्यहा
jāḍyahā
Destroyer of dullness / inertia — guarding the shins
ग्रहपतिः
grahapatiḥ
Lord of the planets — guarding the ankles
नीलचन्दनभूषणः
nīlacandana-bhūṣaṇaḥ
Adorned with dark sandal-paste — guarding all the limbs
कीर्तिमतुलाम्
kīrtim atulām
Unequalled fame
श्रियमृद्धिमायुरारोग्यम्
śriyam ṛddhim āyur ārogyam
Prosperity, abundance, long life and health

Origin & History

Source: Mahabharata, Drona Parva (Dhritarashtra–Sanjaya dialogue)

Author: Traditional; rishi Chandrama (the Moon)

Period: Epic / Puranic

The Rahu Kavacham is preserved in the tradition as part of the Drona Parva of the Mahabharata, within the dialogue of Dhritarashtra and Sanjaya, with the Moon (Chandrama) named as its rishi. It depicts Rahu — the crowned, winnowing-basket-shaped, fearsome-faced son of Simhika, who though only half a body yet swallows the Sun and Moon at eclipses — and entreats this 'lord of planets' to shield the devotee limb by limb. As an armour-hymn of the shadow-planet it belongs to the Navagraha kavachas recited for graha shanti.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Rahu Kavacham?
The Rahu Kavacham is a protective hymn (kavacha = spiritual armour) to Rahu, the shadow-planet and ascending lunar node that causes eclipses. The Moon (Chandrama) is named as its rishi, and it is traditionally drawn from the Drona Parva of the Mahabharata. Each verse asks Rahu, under one of his many names, to guard a part of the body.
How does the Rahu Kavacham help with Rahu Dosha?
It is recited to pacify Rahu Dosha and the unsettling effects of Rahu's mahadasha, antardasha and transits, and as part of remedies for Kala Sarpa Dosha. By invoking Rahu's protection and grace, it is believed to convert his restless, ambitious energy into worldly success and to grant fearlessness.
When should the Rahu Kavacham be recited?
On Saturdays, during the daily Rahu Kaal period, and on Amavasya (new moon), as well as during any Navagraha or Rahu puja. For a remedy it may be recited daily through a challenging Rahu dasha or transit.
What benefits does it give?
Its concluding verse promises that one who recites it daily with devotion, pure and disciplined, attains unequalled fame, prosperity, abundance, long life, health and victory over oneself by Rahu's grace. It is also valued for granting fearlessness and relief from anxiety and hidden obstacles.

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