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Siva-Kavacham

Rishi Rishabha spoke to the prince:
Om! My Salutations unto Lord Neelakantha, the Beloved of Uma, the three-eyed and
thousand-armed Sambhu, who destroys the enemies by His mighty valour!

I now, for your good, reveal the supreme secret of all penances, possessing which you will
be ever successful, redeemed from all sins and pains.
After adoring the Omnipresent Lord, I declare the esoteric truth of Siva-Kavacha, for the
weal and welfare of the human beings.
Having seated himself in composure, in a sacred place, one should contemplate upon the
Imperishable Siva, with all his senses subdued and Pranas controlled.
He is to meditate upon the Subtle and Infinite, having installed Him in the lotus of the heart,
who is all-pervading and beyond the senses.
Having disentangled himself from the bond of actions, by constant meditation and merging
wholly in the Supreme Bliss, and with his heart ever intent on the Shadakshara, “Om Namah
Sivaya”, he is to protect himself thus wearing the armour of Siva (Siva-Kavacha).
May that Supreme Divinity raise me from the dark fathomless well of Samsara, and may His
glorious name destroy my sins in their totality.
May He render me free from all fears in all places, who exists in all forms, who is
all-blissful, who is smaller than the smallest and is possessed of Mighty Power.
May the eightfold form of Siva who supports the universe as earth, protect me from all
earthly ailments, and may He who gives life to humanity as water, remove all my fears from water.
May the Kala Rudra, who having burnt the worlds at the end of Kalpa, engages Himself in
Tandava rescue me from all troubles from wild conflagrations and wind.
May He, the four-headed Trinayana, who is resplendent like lightning and gold, look after
me in the East, and He who holds axe, Veda, hook, noose, trident and rosary in His hands, whose
colour is dark and glossy as the raining clouds, in the South.
I adore Him who is pure and spotless as jasmine, moon, conch and crystal, who bears the
Vedas and rosary in His hands, as the emblems of bestowing boons and fearlessness, for my safety
in the West; and Him who shines like the filament of a blossoming lotus, in the North.
May the five-faced Isvara, who is white and transparent as the crystal, who holds hook,
noose, hatchet, skull, drum and trident in His hands and also the Vedas and a rosary as the token of
security, protect me above.
I pray to Lord Chandramauli to take care of my head, Phalanetra to look after my forehead,
and Him, the destroyer of lust, for the protection of my eyes.
I worship Visvanatha, who is renowned in Vedas and who holds a skull in His hand to keep
my nose, ears and skull, safe and sound.

The five-faced Lord, whose tongue is the very Vedas, may protect my face and tongue; the
blue-necked One who holds Pinaka in His hands may protect my throat and my hands.
May the Lord, the destroyer of the sacrifice of Daksha, whose arms are the very
embodiment of Dharma, guard my chest and arms against all dangers and evils.
May my hip, waist, stomach, navel, be in the care of Dhurjati, the destroyer of Cupid, and
who holds the mountain as His bow.
I leave my thighs, knees and feet to His grace who is all graceful.
In the first watch of the day, may Mahesa be my protector; in the second, Vamadeva;
Trilochana in the third and Vrishaketu in the fourth.
Sasishekara may keep me from all the evils in the evening, Gangadhara during midnight,
Gauripati at dawn and Mrityunjaya at all times.
May Sankara be my protector when I am in, Sthanu, when I am out, Pasupati in the
intermediate region and Sadasiva in all places.
May He, who is known by the Vedas, be my saviour when sitting, the Lord of the Pramathas
while walking and the Sovereign Ruler of the universe while at rest.
May Nilakantha, the formidable foe of the three cities, dispel my fears and dangers while on
the way, and amidst impassable mountainous peaks and valleys.
May the All-powerful Almighty save me from the cruel clutches of the wild animals, while
journeying through thick forests.
I offer my hearty prayers to Lord Virabhadra who is as fierce as Yama at the end of Kalpa
and whose terrible laughter causes the worlds to tremble, for destroying my fears in crossing the
terrible ocean of formidable foes.
I worship the Lord, to destroy the fearful hosts of the enemy armies, arrayed against with the
four divisions, infantry, cavalry, chariots and elephants with the sharp and ferocious edge of his
sword.
May the blazing fire emitted by the trident of the Lord, reduce the desperadoes to ashes and
His bow, Pinaka, frighten the wild beasts such as tigers, lions and bears.
May He protect me from all evils arising from inauspicious dreams and omens, from all
mental and bodily agonies, and from all the calamities of different types.
I bow down to that Lord Sadasiva, who is that Supreme Truth, who is the very form of holy
hymns and sacred rites, who is beyond all knowledge and truth, who is the incarnation of Brahma
and Rudra, whose very eyes are the sun, moon and fire, who has a body smeared with white holy

ashes, who wears a crown and artless jewellery, studded with various gems and diamonds, who is
the creator, sustainer and destroyer of the whole universe, who destroyed Daksha’s sacrifice, who
kills the tide of time, who resides alone in Muladhara, who transcends the categories of knowledge,
upon whose head the holy Ganga makes her permanent abode, who is immanent in all beings, who
possesses the six qualities, who is the truth and essence of philosophy, who is the means to attain the
three Vargas (Dharma, Artha and Kama), who is the Lord of the worlds, who wears the eight
serpent-kings round His neck and who is the very form of Pranava.
I adore Him who is the embodiment of consciousness, whose form is of ether and the
directions, who wears the necklace of stars and planets, who is pure and spotless, who is the
preceptor of all the worlds, who is the Supreme Witness of the whole universe, who is the Supreme
Secret of all Vedas, who transcends all philosophy, who bestows boons upon all His devotees and
who showers mercy upon the poor and ignorant.
I pray to the all-merciful Lord who is ever pure and all-blissful, who is free from all lust,
greed and sorrow, who is bereft of all flaws and qualities, who is devoid of desire, disease, ego and
attachment, who is all-pervading, endless and eternal, who is beyond the chains of causes and
effects, in whom all pains and pleasures, pride, power and pomp, fears and dangers, sins and
sufferings sink and die.
I worship Him, who is the embodiment of Pure Consciousness, in whom doubts are dried
and actions cease, who is beyond all change, time and destruction, who is full, pure, mute and
eternal, who is Satchidananda (Existence-Absolute, Knowledge-Absolute and Bliss-Absolute),
who is the incommunicable place personified, who is all-effulgence and effulgence embodied, who
is the beneficent One, the radiant vision of Infinite Beauty and Beatitude. O my Lord! Victory on
Thee. Thou art the incarnation of Rudra, Raudra and Bhadra. Thou art that Mahabhairava,
Kalabhairava. Thy garlands are the necklaces of skulls and Thou holdest the divine weapons
Khatvanga, sword, skin (Charma), noose, hook, drum, trident, bow, arrow, club, Sakti (a weapon)
and the like in Thy hands. O thousand-faced God! Thou art fearful to look at with Thy terrible teeth
and Thy pealing laughter pierces through all the worlds. Serpents are Thy ear-rings, Thy garlands
and bracelets. Thou wearest elephant-skin on Thy body. Thou art the conqueror of death, the
destroyer of the three cities, O three-eyed God!
Thou art all-existent, Immanence of things, Essence of Peace, and the Supreme Bliss and
Silence, O Sambhu! Thou art verily the Brahman of Veda and Vedanta. Thou art all-pervading,
ancient and eternal. Save me, my Lord! Dispel my fears from unnatural death and dangers, destroy
my enemies, with Thy trident and chop them off with the edge of Thy sword. Frighten the bands of
Betala, Kushmanda and the like with the bow and arrows. Save me from falling into the pit of
fearful hell and render me free and fearless. Cover me with Thy armour and protect me always. I am
poor, meek, humble and helpless. I dedicate all at Thy feet and leave myself at Thy disposal. Thou
art my only prop and saviour. O Lord Sadasiva! Mrityunjaya! Tryambaka! Salutations to Thee
again and again.
Rishabha spoke: In this manner, I have unfolded the supreme secret of Siva-Kavacha which
grants every boon and gratifies all desires and which relieves one from all pains and sufferings.

Always, one clad in this (Armour of Siva), is free from all fears, all dangers and downfall,
by His divine Grace.
One, released from chronic diseases and premature death, enjoys long life and Eternal Bliss.
This Armour (of Siva) strikes at the root of evil and elevates one to the lofty heights of peace
and prosperity.
One, in the end, redeemed from all sins and obstacles, attains the blissful seat of salvation by
its mighty power.
Therefore my boy! Wear this presented by me with full faith, by which you will be very
happy.
Suta said: Having spoken thus, sage Rishabha gave the prince a big conch, a mighty sword
with which he would be able to conquer his enemies in no time.
Then he sprinkled some holy ashes on his body and gave the magnetic touch which rendered
him feel the strength of twelve thousand elephants.
Having obtained such strength, power and courage, the prince shone with the glory of the
autumn sun!
The Sage again told him: This sword given by me is purified by sacred Mantras, by whose
mere sight, the enemy will become lifeless. Death itself will be terrified and take to his heels.
Hearing the thundering sound of this conch, the enemies will fall down unconscious, with
their weapons cast aside.
These are the two instruments which will destroy the opposing armies and encourage your
own.
Clad in Siva’s Armour, you will destroy your enemies with these two divine weapons. You
will obtain your ancestral kingdom and become the sovereign ruler of this earth.
Consoling him thus, with all his blessings, the Sage after receiving due respects and
honours, departed.