ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରକବଚମ୍
चन्द्रकवचम्
Also known as: chandra kavach · moon kavacham · soma kavacham · samam chaturbhujam vande · chandra kavacham lyrics
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✦ Meaning
The Chandra Kavacham is a protective 'armour' hymn to Chandra, the Moon-god (Soma), whose rishi is the sage Gautama. After a meditation verse picturing the serene four-armed Moon — the eye of Vishnu and the crescent on Shiva's head — it invokes the Moon under his many lovely names (Shashi, Kalanidhi, Sudhakara, Mrigankha) to guard the devotee's body from head to foot. Its closing verse declares that whoever recites or even hears this divine armour gains both worldly enjoyment and liberation and becomes victorious everywhere.
Origin & Story
Chandra Kavacha Stotram (Graha kavacha tradition) · Sage Gautama (rishi of the mantra) · Classical / Puranic
The Chandra Kavacham belongs to the cycle of Navagraha kavachas — protective armour-hymns for each of the nine planets — with the sage Gautama named as its rishi. It pictures Chandra as the serene, four-armed Moon who is at once the eye of Vishnu and the crescent ornament on Shiva's head, and entreats him by his many lovely epithets to shield the devotee limb by limb. As the Moon governs the mind and emotions, this kavacha is especially recited for inner peace and to harmonise a troubled Moon.
✦ As told in scripture
The kavacha's closing verse promises that whoever recites or even merely hears this divine armour of the Moon becomes 'sarvatra vijayi' — victorious everywhere — and attains both worldly happiness and liberation; devotees afflicted by restlessness of mind chant it on Mondays to draw the Moon's cooling, healing grace.
Complete Text with Meaning
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॥ श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥ अस्य श्रीचन्द्रकवचस्तोत्रमन्त्रस्य गौतम ऋषिः । अनुष्टुप् छन्दः, श्रीचन्द्रो देवता, चन्द्रप्रीत्यर्थं जपे विनियोगः ॥
|| śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ || asya śrīcandrakavacastotramantrasya gautama ṛṣiḥ | anuṣṭup chandaḥ, śrīcandro devatā, candraprītyarthaṃ jape viniyogaḥ ||
Meaning:ଶ୍ରୀଗଣେଶଙ୍କୁ ନମସ୍କାର। ଏହି ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରକବଚ ସ୍ତୋତ୍ରର ଋଷି ଗୌତମ, ଛନ୍ଦ ଅନୁଷ୍ଟୁପ୍, ଦେବତା ଶ୍ରୀଚନ୍ଦ୍ର; ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ପ୍ରସନ୍ନତା ପାଇଁ ଏହାର ଜପ କରାଯାଏ।
समं चतुर्भुजं वन्दे केयूरमुकुटोज्ज्वलम् । वासुदेवस्य नयनं शङ्करस्य च भूषणम् ॥ १॥
samaṃ caturbhujaṃ vande keyūramukuṭojjvalam | vāsudevasya nayanaṃ śaṅkarasya ca bhūṣaṇam || 1||
Meaning:ମୁଁ ଶାନ୍ତ, ଚତୁର୍ଭୁଜ, କେୟୂର ଓ ମୁକୁଟରେ ଉଜ୍ଜ୍ୱଳ ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କୁ ବନ୍ଦନା କରେ — ଯିଏ ବାସୁଦେବ (ବିଷ୍ଣୁ)ଙ୍କ ନୟନ ଓ ଶଙ୍କରଙ୍କ ଭୂଷଣ (ଶିରର ଚନ୍ଦ୍ର) ଅଟନ୍ତି।
एवं ध्यात्वा जपेन्नित्यं शशिनः कवचं शुभम् । शशी पातु शिरोदेशं भालं पातु कलानिधिः ॥ २॥
evaṃ dhyātvā japennityaṃ śaśinaḥ kavacaṃ śubham | śaśī pātu śirodeśaṃ bhālaṃ pātu kalānidhiḥ || 2||
Meaning:ଏହିପରି ଧ୍ୟାନ କରି ନିତ୍ୟ ଏହି ଶୁଭ ଚନ୍ଦ୍ର-କବଚର ଜପ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ଶଶୀ ମୋ ଶିରଃପ୍ରଦେଶକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତୁ, କଳାନିଧି ମୋ ଲଲାଟକୁ।
चक्षुषी चन्द्रमाः पातु श्रुती पातु निशापतिः । प्राणं क्षपाकरः पातु मुखं कुमुदबान्धवः ॥ ३॥
cakṣuṣī candramāḥ pātu śrutī pātu niśāpatiḥ | prāṇaṃ kṣapākaraḥ pātu mukhaṃ kumudabāndhavaḥ || 3||
Meaning:ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରମା ମୋ ନେତ୍ରକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତୁ, ନିଶାପତି କର୍ଣ୍ଣକୁ; କ୍ଷପାକର ମୋ ପ୍ରାଣକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତୁ, କୁମୁଦବାନ୍ଧବ ମୁଖକୁ।
पातु कण्ठं च मे सोमः स्कन्धे जैवातृकस्तथा । करौ सुधाकरः पातु वक्षः पातु निशाकरः ॥ ४॥
pātu kaṇṭhaṃ ca me somaḥ skandhe jaivātṛkastathā | karau sudhākaraḥ pātu vakṣaḥ pātu niśākaraḥ || 4||
Meaning:ସୋମ ମୋ କଣ୍ଠକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତୁ, ଜୈବାତୃକ ସ୍କନ୍ଧକୁ; ସୁଧାକର ମୋ ହସ୍ତକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତୁ, ନିଶାକର ବକ୍ଷକୁ।
हृदयं पातु मे चन्द्रो नाभिं शङ्करभूषणः । मध्यं पातु सुरश्रेष्ठः कटिं पातु सुधाकरः ॥ ५॥
hṛdayaṃ pātu me candro nābhiṃ śaṅkarabhūṣaṇaḥ | madhyaṃ pātu suraśreṣṭhaḥ kaṭiṃ pātu sudhākaraḥ || 5||
Meaning:ଚନ୍ଦ୍ର ମୋ ହୃଦୟକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତୁ, ଶଙ୍କରଭୂଷଣ ନାଭିକୁ; ସୁରଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ମୋ ମଧ୍ୟକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତୁ, ସୁଧାକର କଟିକୁ।
ऊरू तारापतिः पातु मृगाङ्को जानुनी सदा । अब्धिजः पातु मे जङ्घे पातु पादौ विधुः सदा ॥ ६॥
ūrū tārāpatiḥ pātu mṛgāṅko jānunī sadā | abdhijaḥ pātu me jaṅghe pātu pādau vidhuḥ sadā || 6||
Meaning:ତାରାପତି ମୋ ଊରୁକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତୁ, ମୃଗାଙ୍କ ସଦା ଜାନୁକୁ; ଅବ୍ଧିଜ ମୋ ଜଙ୍ଘାକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତୁ, ବିଧୁ ସଦା ପାଦକୁ।
सर्वाण्यन्यानि चाङ्गानि पातु चन्द्रोऽखिलं वपुः । एतद्धि कवचं दिव्यं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदायकम् । यः पठेच्छृणुयाद्वापि सर्वत्र विजयी भवेत् ॥ ७॥
sarvāṇyanyāni cāṅgāni pātu candro'khilaṃ vapuḥ | etaddhi kavacaṃ divyaṃ bhuktimuktipradāyakam | yaḥ paṭhecchṛṇuyādvāpi sarvatra vijayī bhavet || 7||
Meaning:ଚନ୍ଦ୍ର ମୋ ଅନ୍ୟ ସମସ୍ତ ଅଙ୍ଗ ଓ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଶରୀରକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରନ୍ତୁ। ଏହି ଦିବ୍ୟ କବଚ ଭୁକ୍ତି ଓ ମୁକ୍ତି ଉଭୟ ପ୍ରଦାନକାରୀ; ଯିଏ ଏହାକୁ ପାଠ କରେ ବା ଶୁଣେ, ସେ ସର୍ବତ୍ର ବିଜୟୀ ହୁଏ।
॥ इति श्रीचन्द्रकवचं सम्पूर्णम् ॥
|| iti śrīcandrakavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||
Meaning:ଏହିପରି ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରକବଚ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହେଲା।
Word-by-Word Meaning
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Benefits of Chanting ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରକବଚମ୍
A limb-by-limb 'kavacha' (armour) invoking the Moon's protection over the entire body from head to feet.
Recited to strengthen a weak, debilitated or afflicted Moon in the horoscope, which governs the mind, emotions and peace.
Said to calm the mind and steady the emotions — the Moon (Chandra) is the karaka of mental peace and contentment.
Its phalashruti promises that whoever recites or hears it gains both worldly enjoyment (bhukti) and liberation (mukti) and is victorious everywhere.
Chanted on Mondays (Somavara), the weekday of the Moon, and during Chandra or Navagraha puja, and on Purnima (full moon).
Invoked for relief from anxiety, insomnia, restlessness and the malefic effects of the Moon's periods.
How to Chant ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରକବଚମ୍
Bathe and sit facing east or north-west, ideally before an image of Chandra (or the Navagraha), with white flowers, white sandal and a ghee lamp; offerings of milk or rice are appropriate to the Moon. Recite the viniyoga, the dhyana verse, the kavacha verses guarding each limb, and the closing phalashruti. It is most auspicious on Mondays and full-moon nights, and may be recited daily for peace of mind and to soften an afflicted Moon.