dattatreyadattagurukavacham

𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍀𑌦𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌯 𑌵𑌜𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌵𑌚𑌮𑍍

Dattatreya Vajra Kavacham in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Thursdays (Guruvar), Datta Jayanti, and at dawn before beginning the day·📜 Datta-sampradaya and Tantric tradition (associated with the Rudrayamala); traditionally revealed to the sage Narada

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Datta-sampradaya and Tantric tradition (associated with the Rudrayamala); traditionally revealed to the sage Narada · Traditional (revealed of old to the sage Narada within the Datta tradition) · Ancient (Puranic / Agamic)

The Vajra Kavacham belongs to the rich protective literature of the Datta-sampradaya, in which Lord Dattatreya — the avadhuta union of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva — is invoked as an invincible shield. Cast in the classic form of an anga-rakshana (limb-by-limb protection), it summons the Lord, who pervades the sahasrara, the senses and all the directions, to guard the devotee completely. The tradition holds that this 'thunderbolt armour' was first sung to the celestial sage Narada and has since been recited by Datta devotees for protection from every kind of danger and disease.

✦ As told in scripture

The Datta tradition abounds with accounts of devotees who, wearing this 'vajra' armour through daily recitation, were shielded from accidents, illness, hostile sorcery and grave danger — for the Kavacha itself declares that even those parts left unguarded are ever protected by the sky-clad Dattatreya, who never abandons one who takes refuge in him.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑍐 𑌦𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌯 𑌶𑌿𑌰𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌸𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌬𑍍𑌜𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌸𑌂𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌤𑌃। 𑌭𑌾𑌲𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌨𑌸𑍂𑌯𑍇𑌯𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑌮𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌗𑌃॥

Om Dattaatreya Shirah paatu Sahasraabjeshu samsthitah. Bhaalam paatv-Anasuyeyash-Chandra-mandala-madhya-gah.

Meaning:Om. May Lord Dattatreya, who abides in the thousand-petalled lotus, protect my head; may the son of Anasuya, who dwells in the centre of the lunar orb, protect my forehead.

Verse 2

𑌕𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌚𑌂 𑌮𑌨𑍋𑌮𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌹𑌂 𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌂 𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌦𑌲𑌪𑌦𑍍𑌮𑌭𑍂𑌃। 𑌜𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌤𑍀𑌰𑍂𑌪𑍋𑌽𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌣𑍀 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌶𑌬𑍍𑌦𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌃 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌤𑍀॥

Koorcham mano-mayah paatu Ham Ksham dvi-dala-padma-bhooh. Jyoti-roopo'kshinee paatu paatu shabdaatmakah shrutee.

Meaning:May he, the very mind, who arises in the two-petalled lotus (with the seeds Ham and Ksham), protect the space between the brows; may he, of the form of light, protect my eyes, and may he who is the essence of sound protect my ears.

Verse 3

𑌨𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾 𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌰𑌸𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌃। 𑌜𑌿𑌹𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑍇𑌦𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌦𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌷𑍍𑌠𑍗 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌧𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌕𑌃॥

Naasikaam paatu gandhaatmaa mukham paatu rasaatmakah. Jihvaam vedaatmakah paatu dantoshthau paatu dhaarmikah.

Meaning:May he who is the essence of smell protect my nose; may he who is the essence of taste protect my mouth; may he who is the essence of the Vedas protect my tongue; and may the righteous one protect my teeth and lips.

Verse 4

𑌕𑌪𑍋𑌲𑌾𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌭𑍂𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌶𑍇𑌷𑌂 𑌮𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌵𑌿𑌤𑍍। 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑌃 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌗𑌃 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍋𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌃॥

Kapolaav-Atri-bhooh paatu paatv-ashesham mam-aatma-vit. Sarvaangam paatu Sarveshah Sarva-gah sarvato-mukhah.

Meaning:May the son of Atri protect my cheeks, and may the knower of my Self protect all the rest; may the Lord of all, all-pervading and facing every direction, protect my entire body.

Verse 5

𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌹𑍀𑌨𑌂 𑌤𑍁 𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌾𑌨𑌂 𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌕𑌵𑌚𑍇𑌨 𑌤𑍁। 𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌮𑍇 𑌸𑌦𑌾 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌦𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌯𑍋 𑌦𑌿𑌗𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌰𑌃॥

Rakshaa-heenam tu yat-sthaanam varjitam kavachena tu. Tat-sarvam me sadaa paatu Dattaatreyo Digambarah.

Meaning:Whatever part has been left without protection and omitted by this armour — may all of that be ever guarded for me by the sky-clad Lord Dattatreya.

Verse 6

𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌦𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑍁 𑌮𑌾𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌶𑌙𑍍𑌖𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌗𑌦𑌾𑌧𑌰𑌃। 𑌵𑌜𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌣𑌂 𑌵𑌾𑌰𑍁𑌣𑍀𑌶𑌂 𑌚 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌪𑌾𑌶𑌧𑌰𑍋 𑌹𑌰𑌿𑌃॥

Indraadi-dikshu maam paatu Shankha-chakra-gadaa-dharah. Vajrinam Vaaruneesham cha paatu paasha-dharo Harih.

Meaning:May the bearer of the conch, discus and mace protect me in the quarters of Indra and the other guardians; may Hari, holding the noose, protect me where the wielder of the thunderbolt (Indra) and the lord of the waters (Varuna) reside.

Verse 7

𑌇𑌦𑌂 𑌤𑍁 𑌕𑌵𑌚𑌂 𑌦𑌿𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌵𑌜𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑌂 𑌮𑌹𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌭𑍁𑌤𑌮𑍍। 𑌦𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌯𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑍀𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰 𑌨𑌾𑌰𑌦𑌾𑌯 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌾 𑌜𑌗𑍗॥

Idam tu kavacham divyam vajra-kalpam mahaadbhutam. Dattaatreyasya yogeendra Naaradaaya puraa jagau.

Meaning:This is the divine armour, mighty and wondrous, hard as the thunderbolt — the Vajra Kavacha of Lord Dattatreya, lord of yogis — which was sung of old to the sage Narada.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑍐 𑌦𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌯 𑌶𑌿𑌰𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁🔊Om Dattaatreya Shirah paatuMay Lord Dattatreya protect my head

𑌸𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌬𑍍𑌜𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌸𑌂𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌤𑌃🔊Sahasraabjeshu samsthitahHe who abides in the thousand-petalled lotus (sahasrara)

𑌭𑌾𑌲𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁🔊Bhaalam paatuMay he protect my forehead

𑌅𑌨𑌸𑍂𑌯𑍇𑌯𑌃🔊AnasuyeyahThe son of Anasuya (Dattatreya)

𑌚𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌮𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲𑌮𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌗𑌃🔊Chandra-mandala-madhya-gahWho dwells in the centre of the lunar orb (the ajna region)

𑌜𑍍𑌯𑍋𑌤𑍀𑌰𑍂𑌪𑌃 𑌅𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌣𑍀 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁🔊Jyoti-roopah akshinee paatuMay he, of the form of light, protect my two eyes

𑌶𑌬𑍍𑌦𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌃 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌤𑍀 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁🔊Shabdaatmakah shrutee paatuMay he who is the essence of sound protect my two ears

𑌨𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌗𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌾🔊Naasikaam paatu gandhaatmaaMay he who is the essence of smell protect my nose

𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌰𑌸𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌃🔊Mukham paatu rasaatmakahMay he who is the essence of taste protect my mouth

𑌜𑌿𑌹𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌂 𑌵𑍇𑌦𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌮𑌕𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁🔊Jihvaam vedaatmakah paatuMay he who is the essence of the Vedas protect my tongue

𑌦𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌷𑍍𑌠𑍗 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌧𑌾𑌰𑍍𑌮𑌿𑌕𑌃🔊Dantoshthau paatu dhaarmikahMay the righteous one protect my teeth and lips

𑌕𑌪𑍋𑌲𑍗 𑌅𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌭𑍂𑌃 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁🔊Kapolau Atri-bhooh paatuMay the son of Atri protect my cheeks

𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌂 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌶𑌃🔊Sarvaangam paatu SarveshahMay the Lord of all protect my entire body

𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌗𑌃 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍋𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌃🔊Sarva-gah sarvato-mukhahThe all-pervading one, who faces in every direction

𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌾𑌹𑍀𑌨𑌂 𑌤𑍁 𑌯𑌤𑍍𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌾𑌨𑌮𑍍🔊Rakshaa-heenam tu yat-sthaanamWhatever part has been left unprotected

𑌵𑌰𑍍𑌜𑌿𑌤𑌂 𑌕𑌵𑌚𑍇𑌨 𑌤𑍁🔊Varjitam kavachena tuAnd omitted by this armour

𑌤𑌤𑍍𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑌂 𑌮𑍇 𑌸𑌦𑌾 𑌪𑌾𑌤𑍁🔊Tat-sarvam me sadaa paatuMay all of that be ever protected for me

𑌦𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇𑌯𑍋 𑌦𑌿𑌗𑌮𑍍𑌬𑌰𑌃🔊Dattaatreyo DigambarahBy the sky-clad Lord Dattatreya

𑌶𑌙𑍍𑌖𑌚𑌕𑍍𑌰𑌗𑌦𑌾𑌧𑌰𑌃🔊Shankha-chakra-gadaa-dharahThe bearer of the conch, discus and mace

𑌕𑌵𑌚𑌂 𑌦𑌿𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌵𑌜𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑌮𑍍🔊Kavacham divyam vajra-kalpamThis divine armour, hard and irresistible as the thunderbolt (vajra)

𑌨𑌾𑌰𑌦𑌾𑌯 𑌪𑍁𑌰𑌾 𑌜𑌗𑍗🔊Naaradaaya puraa jagauWas sung of old (by the sage) to Narada

Benefits of Chanting Dattatreya Vajra Kavacham

✦

Invokes Lord Dattatreya as an all-encompassing 'vajra' (thunderbolt) armour of protection

✦

Guards every limb, sense and the eight directions, leaving nothing unprotected

✦

Traditionally recited to ward off fear, danger, disease, black magic and negative forces

✦

Bestows courage, safety and the steady, surrounding presence of the Sadguru

✦

Believed to heal illness, since Datta is praised as the remover of all afflictions

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Strengthens devotion and complete reliance on Datta's grace

✦

Especially powerful when recited on Thursdays and on Datta Jayanti

How to Chant Dattatreya Vajra Kavacham

Repetitions1times

Best TimeThursdays (Guruvar), Datta Jayanti, and at dawn before beginning the day

Sit facing east before an image of Lord Dattatreya, after a bath, and light a lamp. Recite the Vajra Kavacham slowly, mentally placing Datta's protection on each part of the body as it is named (anga-nyasa). It is ideally chanted in the morning to armour the whole day, and may also be recited before travel or in times of danger. Conclude by surrendering oneself wholly to the protection of the sky-clad Lord.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Dattatreya Vajra Kavacham written in the Grantha 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 protective hymn ('kavacha' means armour) addressed to Lord Dattatreya, in which his protection is invoked over every limb, sense and direction. 'Vajra' means thunderbolt, signifying that this armour is unbreakable. It is one of the most revered protective stotras of the Datta tradition.

Verse by verse it asks Datta to guard the head, forehead, brow, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, tongue, teeth, cheeks and the whole body, and then the eight directions — and finally any part left unmentioned. In this way it forms a complete, all-round shield of the Lord's presence.

By tradition this 'thunderbolt armour' of Lord Dattatreya was sung of old to the divine sage Narada, and is preserved within the Datta-sampradaya and the Tantric (Rudrayamala) tradition. It has been cherished and transmitted by Datta devotees ever since.

It is most auspicious on Thursdays, the day of the Guru, and on Datta Jayanti. Many recite it every morning to protect the day ahead, and also before journeys or during times of fear and danger.