About this stotra
The Hanuman Kavacham is a protective hymn invoking Lord Hanuman, the mighty son of Vāyu and devoted servant of Śrī Rāma. Cast in the traditional kavaca (armour) format, it opens with a formal dedication citing the sage Vasiṣṭha as its seer, Anuṣṭup as its metre, and the sacred epithets Mārutātmaja, Añjanāsūnu, and Vāyuputra as its seed, power, and binding elements respectively.
The verses celebrate Hanuman's legendary exploits—leaping across the ocean, dispelling Sītā's grief, and setting Laṅkā ablaze—while also extolling his incomparable qualities: speed rivalling the mind and wind, mastery over the senses, and supreme wisdom. Each stanza reinforces his role as the divine messenger of Rāma, worthy of salutation with folded hands and bowed head.
Recitation of this kavacham is traditionally believed to invoke Hanuman's protective grace, shielding the devotee from obstacles and negative influences while bestowing courage, strength, and steadfast devotion.
Hanuman Kavacham lyrics and meaning
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Verse 1
अस्य श्री हनुमत् कवचस्तोत्रमहामन्त्रस्य वसिष्ठ ऋषिः अनुष्टुप् छन्दः श्री हनुमान् देवता मारुतात्मज इति बीजं अञ्जनासूनुरिति शक्तिः वायुपुत्र इति कीलकं हनुमत्प्रसाद सिद्ध्यर्थे जपे विनियोगः ॥
asya śrī hanumat kavachastōtramahāmantrasya vasiṣṭha ṛṣiḥ anuṣṭup Chandaḥ śrī hanumān dēvatā mārutātmaja iti bījaṃ añjanāsūnuriti śaktiḥ vāyuputra iti kīlakaṃ hanumatprasāda siddhyarthē japē viniyōgaḥ ॥
Dedication (Viniyoga): Of this Śrī Hanumat Kavaca Stotram Mahāmantra: the seer is Vasiṣṭha; the metre is Anuṣṭup; the deity is Śrī Hanumān; the seed-syllable is "Mārutātmaja"; the power is "Añjanāsūnu"; the pin is "Vāyuputra". Its application is declared for the attainment of Hanumān's grace.
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Verse 2
उल्लङ्घ्य सिन्धोस्सलिलं सलीलं
यश्शोकवह्निं जनकात्मजायाः ।
आदाय तेनैव ददाह लङ्कां
नमामि तं प्राञ्जलिराञ्जनेयम् ॥ 1
ullaṅghya sindhōssalilaṃ salīlaṃ
yaśśōkavahniṃ janakātmajāyāḥ ।
ādāya tēnaiva dadāha laṅkāṃ
namāmi taṃ prāñjalirāñjanēyam ॥ 1
I bow with folded hands to Āñjanēya (Hanumān) — who leaped playfully across the ocean's waters, who took the fire of Jānakī's (Sītā's) sorrow and with that very fire burned Laṅkā itself. (1)
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Verse 3
मनोजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं
जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठम् ।
वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं
श्रीरामदूतं शिरसा नमामि ॥ 2
manōjavaṃ mārutatulyavēgaṃ
jitēndriyaṃ buddhimatāṃ variṣṭham ।
vātātmajaṃ vānarayūthamukhyaṃ
śrīrāmadūtaṃ śirasā namāmi ॥ 2
Swift as thought, equal in speed to the wind, conqueror of the senses, foremost among the wise — born of the Wind, chief of the monkey host, the divine messenger of Śrī Rāma — to him I bow with my head. (2)
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Verse 4
उद्यदादित्यसङ्काशं उदारभुजविक्रमम् ।
कन्दर्पकोटिलावण्यं सर्वविद्याविशारदम् ॥ 3
udyadādityasaṅkāśaṃ udārabhujavikramam ।
kandarpakōṭilāvaṇyaṃ sarvavidyāviśāradam ॥ 3
Like the rising sun in brilliance, of noble strength of arms, beautiful as ten million Kāmadevas, expert in all branches of knowledge — (3)
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Verse 5
श्रीरामहृदयानन्दं भक्तकल्पमहीरुहम् ।
अभयं वरदं दोर्भ्यां कलये मारुतात्मजम् ॥ 4
śrīrāmahṛdayānandaṃ bhaktakalpamahīruham ।
abhayaṃ varadaṃ dōrbhyāṃ kalayē mārutātmajam ॥ 4
— the delight of Śrī Rāma's heart, the wish-fulfilling Kalpa tree for devotees, one who bestows fearlessness and boons with both arms — I meditate on the son of Mārutas. (4)
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Verse 6
श्रीराम राम रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे ।
सहस्रनाम तत्तुल्यं रामनाम वरानने ॥ 5
śrīrāma rāma rāmēti ramē rāmē manōramē ।
sahasranāma tattulyaṃ rāmanāma varānanē ॥ 5
"Śrī Rāma Rāma Rāma" — I delight in Rāma, in the mind-enchanting Rāma. The name "Rāma" is equal to a thousand (divine) names — such is the greatness of Rāma's name, O fair-faced one. (5)
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Verse 7
पादौ वायुसुतः पातु रामदूतस्तदङ्गुलीः ।
गुल्फौ हरीश्वरः पातु जङ्घे चार्णवलङ्घनः ॥ 6
pādau vāyusutaḥ pātu rāmadūtastadaṅguḻīḥ ।
gulphau harīśvaraḥ pātu jaṅghē chārṇavalaṅghanaḥ ॥ 6
May Vāyusuta (son of the Wind) protect my feet; may Rāmadūta (messenger of Rāma) protect my toes. May Harīśvara (lord of Hari's monkeys) protect my ankles; may Arṇavalaṅghana (the ocean-leaper) protect my calves. (6)
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Verse 8
जानुनी मारुतिः पातु ऊरू पात्वसुरान्तकः ।
गुह्यं वज्रतनुः पातु जघनं तु जगद्धितः ॥ 7
jānunī mārutiḥ pātu ūrū pātvasurāntakaḥ ।
guhyaṃ vajratanuḥ pātu jaghanaṃ tu jagaddhitaḥ ॥ 7
May Mārutī protect my knees; may Asurāntaka (destroyer of demons) protect my thighs. May Vajratanu (of diamond body) protect my private parts; may Jagaddhita (benefactor of the world) protect my hips. (7)
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Verse 9
आञ्जनेयः कटिं पातु नाभिं सौमित्रिजीवनः ।
उदरं पातु हृद्गेही हृदयं च महाबलः ॥ 8
āñjanēyaḥ kaṭiṃ pātu nābhiṃ saumitrijīvanaḥ ।
udaraṃ pātu hṛdgēhī hṛdayaṃ cha mahābalaḥ ॥ 8
May Āñjanēya protect my waist; may Saumitrijīvana (giver of life to Lakṣmaṇa) protect my navel. May Hṛdgēhī (dweller in the heart) protect my abdomen; may Mahābala (the supremely powerful) protect my heart. (8)
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Verse 10
वक्षो वालायुधः पातु स्तनौ चाऽमितविक्रमः ।
पार्श्वौ जितेन्द्रियः पातु बाहू सुग्रीवमन्त्रकृत् ॥ 9
vakṣō vālāyudhaḥ pātu stanau chā'mitavikramaḥ ।
pārśvau jitēndriyaḥ pātu bāhū sugrīvamantrakṛt ॥ 9
May Vālāyudha (one whose weapon is his tail) protect my chest; may Amitavikrama (of immeasurable valor) protect my breast. May Jitēndriya (conqueror of the senses) protect my sides; may Sugrīvamantrakṛt (counselor of Sugrīva) protect my arms. (9)
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Verse 11
करावक्ष जयी पातु हनुमांश्च तदङ्गुलीः ।
पृष्ठं भविष्यद्र्बह्मा च स्कन्धौ मति मतां वरः ॥ 10
karāvakṣa jayī pātu hanumāṃścha tadaṅguḻīḥ ।
pṛṣṭhaṃ bhaviṣyadrbahmā cha skandhau mati matāṃ varaḥ ॥ 10
May Akṣajayī (victor over Akṣa) protect my hands; may Hanumān protect my fingers. May Bhaviṣyadbrahmā (the future Brahmā) protect my back; may Mati-matām-vara (best among the wise) protect my shoulders. (10)
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Verse 12
कण्ठं पातु कपिश्रेष्ठो मुखं रावणदर्पहा ।
वक्त्रं च वक्तृप्रवणो नेत्रे देवगणस्तुतः ॥ 11
kaṇṭhaṃ pātu kapiśrēṣṭhō mukhaṃ rāvaṇadarpahā ।
vaktraṃ cha vaktṛpravaṇō nētrē dēvagaṇastutaḥ ॥ 11
May Kapiśrēṣṭha (foremost among monkeys) protect my throat; may Rāvaṇadarpahā (destroyer of Rāvaṇa's pride) protect my face. May Vaktṛpravaṇa (gifted with eloquent speech) protect my mouth; may Dēvagaṇastuta (praised by the host of gods) protect my eyes. (11)
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Verse 13
ब्रह्मास्त्रसन्मानकरो भ्रुवौ मे पातु सर्वदा ।
कामरूपः कपोले मे फालं वज्रनखोऽवतु ॥ 12
brahmāstrasanmānakarō bhruvau mē pātu sarvadā ।
kāmarūpaḥ kapōlē mē phālaṃ vajranakhō'vatu ॥ 12
May the one who accepted the Brahmāstra with equanimity protect my eyebrows always. May Kāmarūpa (one who assumes any form at will) protect my cheeks; may Vajranakha (of thunderbolt claws) protect my forehead. (12)
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Verse 14
शिरो मे पातु सततं जानकीशोकनाशनः ।
श्रीरामभक्तप्रवरः पातु सर्वकलेबरम् ॥ 13
śirō mē pātu satataṃ jānakīśōkanāśanaḥ ।
śrīrāmabhaktapravaraḥ pātu sarvakaḻēbaram ॥ 13
May Jānakīśōkanāśana (destroyer of Jānakī's sorrow) always protect my head. May Śrīrāmabhaktapravara (chief among devotees of Śrī Rāma) protect my entire body. (13)
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Verse 15
मामह्नि पातु सर्वज्ञः पातु रात्रौ महायशाः ।
विवस्वदन्तेवासी च सन्ध्ययोः पातु सर्वदा ॥ 14
māmahni pātu sarvajñaḥ pātu rātrau mahāyaśāḥ ।
vivasvadantēvāsī cha sandhyayōḥ pātu sarvadā ॥ 14
May Sarvajña (the all-knowing) protect me by day; may Mahāyaśas (of great renown) protect me by night. May the disciple of the Sun (trained by Sūrya himself) protect me at both twilights, always. (14)
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Verse 16
ब्रह्मादिदेवतादत्तवरः पातु निरन्तरम् ।
य इदं कवचं नित्यं पठेच्च शृणुयान्नरः ॥ 15
brahmādidēvatādattavaraḥ pātu nirantaram ।
ya idaṃ kavachaṃ nityaṃ paṭhēchcha śṛṇuyānnaraḥ ॥ 15
May the one who received boons from Brahmā and the gods protect me without cease. The person who daily recites and listens to this kavacham — (15)
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Verse 17
दीर्घमायुरवाप्नोति बलं दृष्टिं च विन्दति ।
पादाक्रान्ता भविष्यन्ति पठतस्तस्य शत्रवः ।
स्थिरां सुकीर्तिमारोग्यं लभते शाश्वतं सुखम् ॥ 16
dīrghamāyuravāpnōti balaṃ dṛṣṭiṃ cha vindati ।
pādākrāntā bhaviṣyanti paṭhatastasya śatravaḥ ।
sthirāṃ sukīrtimārōgyaṃ labhatē śāśvataṃ sukham ॥ 16
— attains a long life, gains strength and clarity of vision. The enemies of the one who recites it shall be crushed underfoot; one obtains enduring good reputation, health, and eternal happiness. (16)
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Verse 18
इति निगदितवाक्यवृत्त तुभ्यं
सकलमपि स्वयमाञ्जनेय वृत्तम् ।
अपि निजजनरक्षणैकदीक्षो
वशग तदीय महामनुप्रभावः ॥ 17
iti nigaditavākyavṛtta tubhyaṃ
sakalamapi svayamāñjanēya vṛttam ।
api nijajanarakṣaṇaikadīkṣō
vaśaga tadīya mahāmanuprabhāvaḥ ॥ 17
O Āñjanēya — all your own deeds have now been spoken in these verse-clusters, for you. O one devoted solely to the protection of your own people — the power of the great mantra of Rāma is ever at your command. (17)
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Verse 19
इति श्री हनुमत् कवचम् ॥
iti śrī hanumat kavacham ॥
Thus ends the Śrī Hanumat Kavacham.
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