Tulsi Kavacha

[Paramananda das]

Tulsi Kavacha :


atha nyāsaḥ


Nyāsa mantra


oṃ asya śrī-tulasī-kavaca-stotra-mahā-mantrasya


śrī-mahādeva ṛṣiḥ


anuṣṭup chandaḥ


śrī-tulasī devatā


mano ‘bhīṣṭa-kāmāni sarva-vidyārthe jape viniyogaḥ


This Tulasi-kavaca stotra (prayer) great mantra whose ṛṣi (preceptor) is Lord Śiva, chandas (Vedic poetic meter) is anuṣṭubh, devatā (object of worship) is Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī, viniyoga (application) is to fulfill one’s cherished mental desires and gain all knowledge–is being chanted now.


aha dhyānam


Meditation


tulasi amṛta-janmāsi


sadā tvaṁ keśava-priye


prasīda vara-de devi


viṣṇoḥ priya-kāri sadā


O Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī, You are born from the nectar resulting from the churning of the milk ocean and You are always dear to Lord Keśava. Lord Viṣṇu is always delighted by you, O goddess bestowing boons, so please be kind to me.






See the source image



atha kavacam


Now begins the kavaca–armor of protection


Text 1


tulasi śrī-mahā-devi


namaḥ paṅkaja-dhāriṇi


śiro me tulasī pātu


bhālaṁ pātu yaśasvinī


I offer my respects to the great Goddess Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī who holds a lotus flower in Her hand. May She protect my head, and may the glorious one protect my forehead.


Text 2


dṛśau me padma-nayanā


śrī-sakhī śravaṇe mama


ghrāṇaṁ pātu sugandhā me


mukhaṁ ca sumukhī mama


May She whose eyes resemble lotuses protect my eyes. May the friend of Śrīmatī Lakṣmī Devī protect my ears. May the sweet-scented one protect my nose. And may the beautiful-faced one protect my face.


Text 3


jihvāṁ me pātu śubha-dā


kaṇṭhaṁ vidyā-mayī mama


skandhau kalhāriṇī pātu


hṛdayaṁ viṣṇu-vallabhā


May the bestower of auspiciousness protect my tongue. May the personification of knowledge protect my neck. May She who has a charming garland of white water-lilies (kalhāra) on Her shoulders protect my shoulders. May Lord Viṣṇu’s beloved protect my heart.


Text 4


puṇya-dā pātu me madhyaṁ


nābhiṁ saubhāgya-dāyinī


kaṭiṁ kuṇḍalinī pātu


ūrū nārada-vanditā


May the bestower of the results of pious activity protect my middle. May the giver of good fortune protect my navel. May She who wears earrings (or tantric kuṇḍalinī chakra energy) protect my hips. May She who is praised by Nārada Muni protect my thighs.


Text 5


jananī jānunī pātu


jaṅghe sakala-vanditā


nārāyaṇa-priyā pādau


sarvāṅgaṁ sarva-rakṣiṇī


May the universal mother protect my knees. May She who is praised by all protect the lower part of my legs areas. May the darling of Lord Nārāyaṇa protect my feet. May She who protects everyone and everything, protect all my limbs.


Text 6


saṅkaṭe viṣame durge


bhaye vāde mahāhave


nityaṁ dvi-sandhyayoḥ pātu


tulasī sarvataḥ sadā


In danger, in distress, in difficulty, in fear, in quarrel, in great battle, during dawn and dusk may Śrīmatī Tualsi Devi invariably protect me at all times and in all respects.


atha phala-śrutiḥ


Now begins the description of the results obtained by chanting this kavaca


Text 7


itīdaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ


tulasyāḥ kavacāmṛtam


martyānām amṛtārthāya


bhītānām abhayāya ca


Thus ends this very secret armor of Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī which is like nectar. It gives immortality to mortals and fearlessness to those in fear.


Text 8


mokṣāya ca mumukṣūṇāṁ


dhyāyināṁ dhyāna-yoga-kṛt


vaśāya vaśya-kāmanāṁ


vidyāyai veda-vādinām


This protective hymn bestows liberation unto those seeking it, the result of dhyāna-yoga to those absorbed in meditation, authority to those who want to have power over others, and knowledge to the followers of the Vedas.


Text 9


draviṇāya daridrāṇāṁ


pāpināṁ pāpa-śāntaye


annāya kṣudhitānāṁ ca


svargāya svargam icchatām


This armor of Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī provides wealth to the poor, extinction of the sins of the sinners, food for the hungry, and the passage of heaven to those who want to go there.


Text 10


paśavyaṁ paśu-kāmānāṁ


putra-daṁ putra-kāṅkṣiṇām


rājyāya bhraṣṭa-rājyānām


aśāntānāṁ ca śāntaye


It is beneficial for the animals of those who want to possess them. It gives sons to those desirous to have sons, kingdom to those deprived of kingdom, and peace to those bereft of peace.


Text 11


bhakty-arthaṁ viṣṇu-bhaktānāṁ


viṣṇau sarvāntar-ātmani


jāpyaṁ tri-varga-siddhy-arthaṁ


gṛha-sthena viśeṣataḥ


This protective hymn should be particularly chanted for developing the devotion to the soul of everything, Lord Viṣṇu, by His devotees; and by the householders for attaining success in religion, economic development, and sense gratification.


Text 12


udyantaṁ caṇḍa-kiraṇam


upasthāya kṛtāñjaliḥ


tulasī-kānane tiṣṭhann


āsīno vā japed idam


Prayerfully folding one’s hands with great respect, while exposing oneself towards the early morning rising sun, one should chant this protective hymn daily while sitting, or otherwise standing, in the forest of Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī.


Text 13


sarvān kāmān avāpnoti


tathaiva mama sannidhim


mama priya-karaṁ nityaṁ


hari-bhakti-vivardhanam


One who chants this armor gets all his desires fulfilled, and also attains vicinity to me (Lord Śiva), pleases me constantly, and gets his devotion to Lord Hari increased.


Text 14-15


yā syān mṛta-prajā nārī


tasyā aṅgaṁ pramārjayet


sā putraṁ labhate dīrgha-


jīvinaṁ cāpy arogiṇam


vandhyāyā mārjayed aṅgaṁ


kuśair mantreṇa sādhakaḥ


sā ‘pi saṁvatsarādeva


garbhaṁ dhatte mano-haram


For a woman who bears dead children one should clean her body by chanting this armor hymn, and then she will give birth to a long-lived and healthy son. And for a childless woman such worshiper of this armor should clean her body with the mantra and kuśa grass, and then she will beget a charming child (which will steal her mind) within one year.


Text 16


aśvatthe rāja-vaśyārthī


japed agneḥ surūpa-bhāk


palāśa-mūle vidyārthī


tejo- ‘rthy ādbhimukho raveḥ


One should chant this hymn under an Aśvattha tree for controlling a king, facing the fire for attaining beauty, at the base of a Palāśa tree for acquiring knowledge, and facing the sun for achieving good health.


Text 17


kanyārthī caṇḍikā-gehe


śatru-hatyai gṛhe mama


śrī-kāmo viṣṇu-gehe ca


udyāne strī-vaśā bhavet


This hymn should be chanted in a temple of Goddess Caṇḍikā for getting a beautiful girl in marriage, in my (Lord Śiva) temple for killing an enemy, by those desirous of riches in Lord Viṣṇu’s temple, and in a garden or park by a barren woman.


Text 18


kim atra bahunoktena


śṛṇu sainyeśa tattvataḥ


yaṁ yaṁ kāmam abhidhyāyet


taṁ taṁ prāpnoty asaṁśayam


What is the use of speaking more about it? Listen O commander of great armies, indeed whatever wishes one might consider; those are fulfilled accordingly. There is no doubt about it.


Text 19-20


mama gehe gatas tvaṁ tu


tārakasya vadhecchayā


japan strotraṁ ca kavacaṁ


tulasī-gata-mānasaḥ


maṇḍalāt tārakaṁ hantā


bhaviṣyasi na saṁśayaḥ


You also, as you intend to kill the demon Tāraka, should go to my temple and chant this protective hymn fixing your mind on Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī. Thus, after forty days (or after completing all mentioned above) you will undoubtedly become the killer of Tāraka.


iti brahmāṇḍa-purāṇe śivopadiṣṭaṁ tulasī-kavacaṁ saṁpūrṇam


Thus ends the Tulasī-kavaca from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa which was taught by Lord Śiva

[Paramananda das]

This prayer can be found in the Brahmanda Purana. When engaged in fight with Tharakasura, Lord Subrahmanya becomes tired and prays Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva appears before him and teaches him this great stotra. Later by the power gained by reciting the Stotra, Lord Subrahmanya kills Tharaka.