Sri Krishna Kavacham

1. श्री कृष्ण कवचं वक्ष्ये श्री कीर्ति विजयप्रदं ।
कान्तारे पथि दुर्गे च सदा रक्षाकरं नृणाम् ॥
SrI kRuShNa kavachaM vakShye SrI kIrti vijayapradaM
kAntAre pathi durge cha sadA rakShAkaraM nRuNAm

2. स्मृत्वा नीलाम्बुद श्यामम् नीलकुञ्चित कुन्तलं ।
बर्हपिञ्छ लसन्मौलिं शरच्चन्द्र निभाननम् ॥
smRutvA nIlAmbuda shyAmam nIlakunjchita kuntalaM
barhapincha lasanmauliM sharacchandra nibhAnanam

3. राजीव लोचनं राजत् वेणुना भूषिताधरं ।
दीर्घपीन महाबाहुं श्रीवत्साङ्कित वक्षसम् ॥
rAjIva lochanaM rAjat veNunA bhUShitAdharaM
dIrghapIna mahAbAhuM SrIvatsA~gkita vakShasam

4. भूभार हरणोद्युक्तं कृष्णं गीर्वाण पूजितं ।
निष्कलं देव देवेशं नारदादिभिरर्चितम् ॥
bhUbhAra haraNodhyuktaM kRuShNaM gIrvANa pUjitaM
niShkalaM deva deveshaM nAradAdibhirarchitam

5. नारायणं जगन्नाथं मन्दस्मित विराजितं ।
जपेदेवमिमं भक्त्या मन्त्रं सर्वार्थ सिद्धिदम् ॥
nArAyaNaM jagannAthaM mandasmita virAjitaM
japedevamimaM bhaktyA mantraM sarvArtha siddhidam

6. वसुदेव सुतः पातु मूर्धानं मम सर्वदा ।
ललाटं देवकीसुनुर्भ्रूयुग्मं नन्द नन्दनः ॥
vasudeva sutaH pAtu mUrdhAnaM mama sarvadA
lalATaM devakIsunurbhrUyugmaM nanda nandanaH

7. नयनौ पूतना हन्ता नासां शकटमर्दनः ।
यमलार्जुन हृत् कर्णौ कपोलौ नागमर्दनः ॥
nayanau pUtanA hantA nAsAM shakaTamardanaH
yamalArjuna hRut karNau kapolau nAgamardanaH

8. दन्तान् गोपालकः पातु जिह्वां हैयङ्गवीनभृत् ।
ओष्टं धेनुकजित् पायादधरं केशि नाशनः ॥
dantAn gopAlakaH pAtu jihvAM haiya~ggavInabhRut
oShTaM dhenukajit pAyAdadharaM keshi nAshanaH

9. अक्रूर सहितः कण्ठं कक्षौ दन्तिवरान्तकः ।
भुजौ चाणूरहारिर्मे करौ कंसनिषूदनः ॥
akrUra sahitaH kaNThaM kakShau dantivarAntakaH
bhujau chANurahArirme karau kaMsaniShUdanaH

10. वक्षो लक्ष्मीपतिः पातु हृदयं जगदीश्वरः ।
उदरं मथुरानाथो नाभिं द्वारवतीपतिः ॥
vakSho lakShmIpatiH pAtu hRudayaM jagadIshvaraH
udaraM mathurAnAtho nAbhiM dvAravatIpatiH

11. रुक्मिणीवल्लभः पृष्ठं जघनं शिशुपालहा ।
ऊरू पाण्डवदूतो मे जानुनी पार्थसारथि: ॥
rukmiNIvallabhaH pRuShThaM jaghanaM shishupAlahA
UrU pANDavadUtome jAnunI pArthasArathiH

12. विश्वरूपधरो जङ्घे प्रपदे भूमिभारहृत् ।
चरणौ यादवः पातु विष्णुः पात्वखिलं वपुः ॥
vishvarUpadharo jangghe prapade bhUmibhArahRut
charaNau yAdavaH pAtu viShNuH pAtvakhilaM vapuH

13. दिवा पायाज्जगन्नाथो रात्रौ नारायणः स्वयं |
सर्वकालमुपासीत सर्वकामार्थ सिद्धये ॥
divA pAyAjjagannAtho rAtrau nArAyaNaH svayaM
sarvakAlamupAsIta sarvakAmArtha siddhaye

14. इदं कृष्णबलोपेतं यः पठेत् कवचं नरः ।
सर्वदार्ति भयान्मुक्तः कृष्णभक्तिं समाप्नुयात् ॥
idaM kRuShNabalopetaM yaH paThet kavachaM naraH
sarvadArti bhayAnmuktaH kRuShNabhaktiM samApnuyAt

Meaning:
1. I shall now spell out Sri Krishna Kavacham that shalt bestow wealth, fame and victory as also render protection to humans in the midst of dense forests, deep chasms and on their travel path.

2. The One whose complexion resembles the dark rain-bearing clouds and whose head shines with the diadem of peacock feathers and dark, curly tresses of hair and whose face resembles the autumn-moon;

3. The One who has lotus-like eyes with resplendent flute decorating his lips, with long and heavy arms and whose bosom is decorated by the ‘Srivatsa’ mark

4. That Krishna who incarnated to destroy the burden on the Earth and who is worshipped by the Devas, the formless One, the God of all gods and One who is propitiated by Sage Narada and the like;

5. Meditating on Lord Narayana – The Lord of the Worlds and the One who is self-radiant with a smile, may this Mantra, which bestows all kinds of riches in abundance, be thus chanted with devotion –

6. May He who is Vasudeva’s son protect my head, Devaki’s child protect my forehead, Nanda’s son protect my pair of eyebrows;

7. May the destroyer of Putana protect my eyes, slayer of Shakatasura protect my nose, feller of the twin Arjuna trees protect my ears, the subduer of the snake (Aghasura) protect my cheek;

8. May the protector of cows protect my teeth, the butter-thief protect my tongue, Dhenukasura’s victor protect my upper-lip, killer of Keshi protect my lower-lip;

9. May the one in Akrura’s company protect my neck, slayer of the supreme tusker (Kuvalayapita) protect my armpits, vanquisher of Chanura protect my arms and killer of Kamsa protect my hands;

10. May Lakshmi’s consort protect my chest, the Lord of the Worlds protect my heart, the head of Mathura protect my stomach; the Lord of Dwaraka protect my navel;

11. May the Lord of Rukmini protect my back, the slayer of Shishupala protect my hip and loins, the messenger of Pandavas protect my thighs, Arjuna’s charioteer protect my knees;

12. May the One who took Vishwaroopa (the colossal form) protect my ankles, the destroyer of the Earth’s burden protect my forefeet, Yadava protect my feet , Vishnu protect my entire body;

13. May the Lord of the Worlds protect me during the day, that very Narayana protect me at night! One shalt worship Him always for the fruition of all wants.

14. One who reads this ‘Kavacham’ which is filled with Krishna’s prowess shall be freed from the fear of suffering and attain devotion unto Krishna.