shivakavachamprotectionarmour

Shiva Kavacham

श्री शिव कवचम् in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Morning, noon and evening (tri-sandhya); especially Mondays, Pradosha and Maha Shivaratri·📜 Skanda Purana, Brahmottara Khanda (Shiva Kavacha chapter)

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Shiva Kavacham is a protective 'armour' hymn of Lord Shiva from the Skanda Purana (Brahmottara Khanda), where it is taught for the safety of the devotee. After meditating on the fierce, thunder-fanged Mahadeva, it asks Shiva — under His many names — to guard each part of the body from head to foot and to protect the worshipper in every direction. The phala-shruti promises victory everywhere and, at the end of life, the City of Shiva to one who recites it with faith.

Origin & Story

Skanda Purana, Brahmottara Khanda (Shiva Kavacha chapter) · Traditional (Puranic); taught by the sage Rishabha to Prince Bhadrayu · Puranic / classical

According to the Skanda Purana's Brahmottara Khanda, the sage (yogishvara) Rishabha imparted this Shiva Kavacha to Prince Bhadrayu, who had lost his kingdom and was beset by misfortune. By wearing this armour of Shiva and reciting it with devotion, Bhadrayu was protected from every danger and ultimately regained his kingdom and prosperity, demonstrating the kavacha's power as a shield of the Lord himself.

✦ As told in scripture

The Puranic narrative tells that Prince Bhadrayu, stripped of his kingdom and surrounded by peril, was given this Shiva Kavacha by the sage Rishabha; armoured by it, he passed unharmed through every danger and won back his throne. Devotees therefore recite it before journeys, battles and trials, trusting that Mahadeva himself stands guard over every limb and on every side.

0all time

Complete Text with Meaning

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

Verse 1

dhyānam vajradaṃṣṭraṃ trinayanaṃ kālakaṇṭhamarindamam | sahasrakaramatyugraṃ vande śambhumumāpatim ||

Meaning:Meditation: I bow to Shambhu, the Lord of Uma — fierce beyond measure, with fangs hard as the thunderbolt, three-eyed, dark-throated, the subduer of foes, the thousand-armed.

Verse 2

oṃ asya śrī-śivakavaca-stotra-mantrasya brahmā ṛṣiḥ, anuṣṭup chandaḥ, śrī-sadāśiva-rudro devatā, śrī-sadāśiva-prītyarthe jape viniyogaḥ ||

Meaning:May He of the crescent-moon crown protect my head; may the one with the eye on His forehead guard my forehead; may He who took Bhaga's eye guard my eyes; may the Lord of the universe ever guard my nose.

Verse 3

mūrdhānamavyānmama candramauliḥ bhālaṃ mamāvyādatha bhālanetraḥ | netre mamāvyādbhaganetrahārī nāsāṃ sadā rakṣatu viśvanāthaḥ || 1||

Meaning:May He whom the world bows to guard my ears; may the five-faced Lord ever guard my face; may He whose speech is the Veda guard my tongue; may Girisha, the blue-throated, guard my throat.

Verse 4

śrotre mamāvyādbhavalokavandyo vaktraṃ sadā rakṣatu pañcavaktraḥ | jihvāṃ sadā rakṣatu vedajihvo kaṇṭhaṃ girīśo'vatu nīlakaṇṭhaḥ || 2||

Meaning:May the bearer of the Pinaka bow protect both my hands; may the arm of righteousness guard my shoulders; may the destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice guard my chest; may the Lord of the mountain guard my belly.

Verse 5

pāṇidvayaṃ pātu pinākapāṇiḥ dormūlamavyānmama dharmabāhuḥ | vakṣaḥsthalaṃ dakṣamakhāntako'vyāt mamodaraṃ pātu girīśaputraḥ || 3||

Meaning:May He who is the navel of the universe guard my navel; may the foundation of the worlds guard my waist; may the source of Guha (Skanda) guard my private parts; may the three-eyed one ever guard my feet.

Verse 6

nābhiṃ sadā rakṣatu viśvanābhiḥ kaṭidvayaṃ pātu jagatpratiṣṭhaḥ | guhyaṃ sadā pātu guhaprasūtiḥ pādau mamāvyātsatataṃ trinetraḥ || 4||

Meaning:May Lord Shiva guard me in the east, and the lord of fire in the south-east; may He of Yama's form guard the south, and the sword-bearer the south-west.

Verse 7

prācyāṃ pātu śivo devo hyāgneyyāmagnināyakaḥ | dakṣiṇe yamarūpī ca nairṛtyāṃ khaḍgadhārakaḥ || 5||

Meaning:May Varuna guard me in the west, the giver of life-breath in the north-west; may Soma guard me in the north, and Shankara in the north-east.

Verse 8

paścime varuṇo rakṣedvāyavyāṃ prāṇadāyakaḥ | udīcyāṃ pātu me soma īśānyāṃ pātu śaṅkaraḥ || 6||

Meaning:Whatever man comes to know this armour and recites it thrice daily with faith obtains all his desires.

Verse 9

etatkavacamajñānātyo vijānāti mānavaḥ | trisandhyaṃ śraddhayā yuktaḥ sarvānkāmānavāpnuyāt || 7||

Meaning:In battle, in the king's court, in gambling, in dreadful danger and in great war — this wondrous shield wholly made of Shiva:

Verse 10

raṇe rājakule dyūte bhaye ghore mahāhave | idaṃ śivamayaṃ varma kavacaṃ paramadbhutam || 8||

Meaning:Whoever, self-controlled, recites it becomes victorious everywhere; gaining ever-deepening devotion to Shiva, in the end he attains the City of Shiva.

Verse 11

paṭhedyo niyato bhūtvā sarvatra vijayī bhavet | śivabhaktiṃ sadā prāpya sānte śivapuraṃ vrajet || 9||

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

kavacham🔊Armour / protective shield — a hymn that invokes the deity to guard the devotee

vajra-daṃṣṭraṃ🔊Having teeth (fangs) hard as the thunderbolt

tri-nayanaṃ🔊The three-eyed one

kāla-kaṇṭham🔊The dark-throated one (who holds the Kalakuta poison)

śambhum-umāpatim🔊Shambhu (source of bliss), the consort of Uma

mūrdhānam avyāt🔊May He protect my head

candra-mauliḥ🔊He who bears the crescent moon on His crown

bhāla-netraḥ🔊He who has an eye on His forehead (the third eye) — may He guard my forehead

bhaga-netra-hārī🔊He who took away the eye of Bhaga — may He guard my eyes

viśvanāthaḥ🔊The Lord of the universe — may He guard my nose

pañca-vaktraḥ🔊The five-faced one — may He always protect my face

nīla-kaṇṭhaḥ🔊The blue-throated one — may Girisha guard my throat

pināka-pāṇiḥ🔊He who holds the Pinaka bow in His hand — may He protect both my hands

dakṣa-makhāntakaḥ🔊The destroyer of Daksha's sacrifice — may He guard my chest

girīśa-putraḥ🔊(The form whose son is Guha/Skanda) — may He guard my belly

viśva-nābhiḥ🔊He who is the navel (centre) of the universe — may He guard my navel

tri-netraḥ🔊The three-eyed one — may He ever guard my feet

prācyāṃ pātu śivaḥ🔊May Lord Shiva protect me in the east

īśānyāṃ pātu śaṅkaraḥ🔊May Shankara protect me in the north-east (Ishana) direction

idaṃ śivamayaṃ varma🔊This armour made wholly of Shiva (this Shiva-pervaded shield)

sarvatra vijayī bhavet🔊He becomes victorious everywhere

sānte śivapuraṃ vrajet🔊And in the end attains the city of Shiva (Shivapura)

Benefits of Chanting श्री शिव कवचम्

✦

A complete 'armour of Shiva' — invokes the Lord under His many names (Chandramauli, Nilakantha, Pinakapani and more) to guard every part of the body from head to foot.

✦

Includes directional protection (dik-raksha), placing Shiva and the guardian deities on all sides of the devotee.

✦

Traditionally recited for safety in danger, conflict, travel, litigation and illness — the text names battle, the king's court and dreadful peril.

✦

The phala-shruti promises victory everywhere and, ultimately, the attainment of Shivapura (the abode of Shiva).

✦

Deepens fearless devotion to Mahadeva and steadies the mind by surrounding it with His remembrance.

✦

Most auspicious when chanted on Mondays, at Pradosha, on Maha Shivaratri and during the month of Shravan.

How to Chant श्री शिव कवचम्

Repetitions3times

Best TimeMorning, noon and evening (tri-sandhya); especially Mondays, Pradosha and Maha Shivaratri

Bathe and sit facing east or north before a Shiva Linga or image, with sacred ash applied. Begin with the dhyana verse, recollecting the fierce yet gracious form of Mahadeva, then recite the body-protection (anga-raksha) and directional (dik-raksha) verses, mentally touching or offering each limb to Shiva's care. The text itself recommends recitation at the three junctions of the day (tri-sandhya) with faith. Conclude with the phala-shruti and a prayer for Shiva's protection.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete श्री शिव कवचम् 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.

It is a 'kavacha' or protective armour hymn of Lord Shiva. It invokes Shiva, by His many names and forms, to guard each part of the devotee's body and to protect them in every direction, acting as a spiritual shield against danger, fear and evil.

This Shiva Kavacham is drawn from the Skanda Purana, in the Brahmottara Khanda, where the sage Rishabha is said to have taught it to Prince Bhadrayu for protection, by whose power he regained his fortune. The verse 'asya shri-shiva-kavacha...' names Brahma as the rishi and Sadashiva Rudra as the deity.

Traditionally it is recited thrice daily (tri-sandhya) with faith, after a bath, before a Shiva Linga or image with sacred ash applied. It is considered especially powerful on Mondays, at Pradosha, on Maha Shivaratri and throughout Shravan, and is chanted for protection before travel, conflict or any undertaking.

The hymn's own phala-shruti declares that one who recites it with self-control becomes victorious everywhere, obtains all desires, gains unwavering devotion to Shiva, and at the end of life attains Shivapura — the City of Shiva.