dattatreyadattagurukavacham

ශ්රීදත්තාත්රේය වජ්රකවචම්

ਸ਼੍ਰੀਦੱਤਾਤ੍ਰੇਯ ਵਜ੍ਰਕਵਚਮ੍ in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ 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 Englishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

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

ඕං දත්තාත්රේය ශිරඃ පාතු සහස්රාබ්ජේෂු සංස්ථිතඃ. භාලං පාත්වානසූයේයශ්චන්ද්රමණ්ඩලමධ්යගඃ..

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

Meaning:ਓਂ। ਸਹਸ੍ਰਦਲ ਕਮਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਵਿਰਾਜਮਾਨ ਭਗਵਾਨ ਦੱਤਾਤ੍ਰੇਯ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਿਰ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ; ਚੰਦ੍ਰਮੰਡਲ ਦੇ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ ਸਥਿਤ ਅਨਸੂਯਾਨੰਦਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਮੱਥੇ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ॥

Verse 2

කූර්චං මනෝමයඃ පාතු හං ක්ෂං ද්විදලපද්මභූඃ. ජ්යෝතීරූපෝ(අ)ක්ෂිණී පාතු පාතු ශබ්දාත්මකඃ ශ්රුතී..

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

Meaning:ਜੋ ਮਨਃਸਰੂਪ, ਹੰ-ਕ੍ਸ਼ੰ ਬੀਜਾਂ ਸਹਿਤ ਦੁਦਲ ਕਮਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਉਦਿਤ ਹਨ, ਉਹ ਭਰਵੱਟਿਆਂ ਦੇ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ; ਜ੍ਯੋਤਿਃਸਰੂਪ ਮੇਰੀਆਂ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ, ਤੇ ਸ਼ਬਦਾਤਮਕ ਮੇਰੇ ਕੰਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ॥

Verse 3

නාසිකාං පාතු ගන්ධාත්මා මුඛං පාතු රසාත්මකඃ. ජිහ්වාං වේදාත්මකඃ පාතු දන්තෝෂ්ඨෞ පාතු ධාර්මිකඃ..

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

Meaning:ਗੰਧਾਤਮਕ ਮੇਰੀ ਨੱਕ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ; ਰਸਾਤਮਕ ਮੇਰੇ ਮੁਖ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ; ਵੇਦਾਤਮਕ ਮੇਰੀ ਜੀਭ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ; ਤੇ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਮੇਰੇ ਦੰਦਾਂ-ਬੁੱਲ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ॥

Verse 4

කපෝලාවත්රිභූඃ පාතු පාත්වශේෂං මමාත්මවිත්. සර්වාඞ්ගං පාතු සර්වේශඃ සර්වගඃ සර්වතෝමුඛඃ..

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

Meaning:ਅਤ੍ਰਿਨੰਦਨ ਮੇਰੀਆਂ ਗੱਲ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ, ਤੇ ਮੇਰਾ ਆਤਮਵੇੱਤਾ ਬਾਕੀ ਸਮੂਹ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ; ਸਰਬ-ਵਿਆਪੀ, ਸਰਬਤੋਮੁਖ ਸਰਵੇਸ਼ ਮੇਰੇ ਸੰਪੂਰਨ ਅੰਗ ਦੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ॥

Verse 5

රක්ෂාහීනං තු යත්ස්ථානං වර්ජිතං කවචේන තු. තත්සර්වං මේ සදා පාතු දත්තාත්රේයෝ දිගම්බරඃ..

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

Meaning:ਜੋ ਵੀ ਥਾਂ ਰੱਖਿਆ-ਹੀਣ ਰਹਿ ਗਈ ਤੇ ਇਸ ਕਵਚ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਛੁੱਟ ਗਈ — ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਸਭ ਦੀ ਸਦਾ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਦਿਗੰਬਰ ਦੱਤਾਤ੍ਰੇਯ ਕਰਨ॥

Verse 6

ඉන්ද්රාදිදික්ෂු මාං පාතු ශඞ්ඛචක්රගදාධරඃ. වජ්රිණං වාරුණීශං ච පාතු පාශධරෝ හරිඃ..

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

Meaning:ਸ਼ੰਖ-ਚਕ੍ਰ-ਗਦਾਧਾਰੀ ਇੰਦ੍ਰਾਦਿ ਦਿਸ਼ਾਵਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੇਰੀ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ; ਪਾਸ਼ਧਾਰੀ ਹਰੀ ਉੱਥੇ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਕਰਨ ਜਿੱਥੇ ਵਜ੍ਰਧਾਰੀ (ਇੰਦ੍ਰ) ਤੇ ਵਰੁਣੇਸ਼ ਵਿਰਾਜਦੇ ਹਨ॥

Verse 7

ඉදං තු කවචං දිව්යං වජ්රකල්පං මහාද්භුතම්. දත්තාත්රේයස්ය යෝගීන්ද්ර නාරදාය පුරා ජගෞ..

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

Meaning:ਇਹ ਦਿਵਯ, ਮਹਾਅਦਭੁਤ, ਵਜ੍ਰ ਵਰਗਾ ਦ੍ਰਿੜ੍ਹ ਕਵਚ — ਯੋਗੀਂਦ੍ਰ ਦੱਤਾਤ੍ਰੇਯ ਦਾ ਵਜ੍ਰਕਵਚ ਹੈ — ਜੋ ਪ੍ਰਾਚੀਨ ਕਾਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਾਰਦ ਨੂੰ ਸੁਣਾਇਆ ਗਿਆ ਸੀ॥

Word-by-Word Meaning

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ඕං දත්තාත්රේය ශිරඃ පාතු🔊Om Dattaatreya Shirah paatuMay Lord Dattatreya protect my head

සහස්රාබ්ජේෂු සංස්ථිතඃ🔊Sahasraabjeshu samsthitahHe who abides in the thousand-petalled lotus (sahasrara)

භාලං පාතු🔊Bhaalam paatuMay he protect my forehead

අනසූයේයඃ🔊AnasuyeyahThe son of Anasuya (Dattatreya)

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

ජ්යෝතීරූපඃ අක්ෂිණී පාතු🔊Jyoti-roopah akshinee paatuMay he, of the form of light, protect my two eyes

ශබ්දාත්මකඃ ශ්රුතී පාතු🔊Shabdaatmakah shrutee paatuMay he who is the essence of sound protect my two ears

නාසිකාං පාතු ගන්ධාත්මා🔊Naasikaam paatu gandhaatmaaMay he who is the essence of smell protect my nose

මුඛං පාතු රසාත්මකඃ🔊Mukham paatu rasaatmakahMay he who is the essence of taste protect my mouth

ජිහ්වාං වේදාත්මකඃ පාතු🔊Jihvaam vedaatmakah paatuMay he who is the essence of the Vedas protect my tongue

දන්තෝෂ්ඨෞ පාතු ධාර්මිකඃ🔊Dantoshthau paatu dhaarmikahMay the righteous one protect my teeth and lips

කපෝලෞ අත්රිභූඃ පාතු🔊Kapolau Atri-bhooh paatuMay the son of Atri protect my cheeks

සර්වාඞ්ගං පාතු සර්වේශඃ🔊Sarvaangam paatu SarveshahMay the Lord of all protect my entire body

සර්වගඃ සර්වතෝමුඛඃ🔊Sarva-gah sarvato-mukhahThe all-pervading one, who faces in every direction

රක්ෂාහීනං තු යත්ස්ථානම්🔊Rakshaa-heenam tu yat-sthaanamWhatever part has been left unprotected

වර්ජිතං කවචේන තු🔊Varjitam kavachena tuAnd omitted by this armour

තත්සර්වං මේ සදා පාතු🔊Tat-sarvam me sadaa paatuMay all of that be ever protected for me

දත්තාත්රේයෝ දිගම්බරඃ🔊Dattaatreyo DigambarahBy the sky-clad Lord Dattatreya

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

කවචං දිව්යං වජ්රකල්පම්🔊Kavacham divyam vajra-kalpamThis divine armour, hard and irresistible as the thunderbolt (vajra)

නාරදාය පුරා ජගෞ🔊Naaradaaya puraa jagauWas sung of old (by the sage) to Narada

Benefits of Chanting ਸ਼੍ਰੀਦੱਤਾਤ੍ਰੇਯ ਵਜ੍ਰਕਵਚਮ੍

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

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

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

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

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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

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Especially powerful when recited on Thursdays and on Datta Jayanti

How to Chant ਸ਼੍ਰੀਦੱਤਾਤ੍ਰੇਯ ਵਜ੍ਰਕਵਚਮ੍

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 ਸ਼੍ਰੀਦੱਤਾਤ੍ਰੇਯ ਵਜ੍ਰਕਵਚਮ੍ written in the Sinhala 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.