॥ १ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 1
(ब्रह्मवैवर्त महापुराणान्तर्गतं)
(brahmavaivarta mahāpurāṇāntargataṃ)
From the Brahmavaivarta Mahāpurāṇa.
About this stotra
The Sarasvati Kavacham is a protective hymn dedicated to Goddess Sarasvati, drawn from the Prakṛti Khaṇḍa of the Brahmavaivarta Mahāpurāṇa. Presented as a dialogue between the sage Bhṛgu and Lord Brahma, this kavacham contains mantras intended to invoke the goddess's protection over the devotee's body, mind, and speech. The verses systematically call upon Sarasvati to guard various aspects of one's being, following the traditional kavacham structure of seeking divine armour.
As the presiding deity of learning, wisdom, and the arts, Sarasvati's protective grace is especially sought by students, scholars, musicians, and anyone engaged in intellectual or creative pursuits. The hymn includes sections on meditation (dhyāna), worship procedures (pūjā vidhāna), and praise (stotra), making it a comprehensive text for devotion to the goddess. Regular recitation is said to bestow eloquence, clarity of thought, and victory in scholarly endeavours.
Sarasvati Kavacham lyrics and meaning
॥ २ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 2
भृगुरुवाच ।
ब्रह्मन्ब्रह्मविदांश्रेष्ठ ब्रह्मज्ञानविशारद ।
सर्वज्ञ सर्वजनक सर्वपूजकपूजित ॥ 60
bhṛguruvācha ।
brahmanbrahmavidāṃśrēṣṭha brahmajñānaviśārada ।
sarvajña sarvajanaka sarvapūjakapūjita ॥ 60
Bhṛgu said: O Brahman, O most excellent among knowers of Brahman, O expert in Brahma-knowledge, O all-knowing, O father of all, O one worshipped by all worshippers —
॥ ६१ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 61
सरस्वत्याश्च कवचं ब्रूहि विश्वजयं प्रभो ।
अयातयाममन्त्राणां समूहो यत्र संयुतः ॥ 61 ॥
sarasvatyāścha kavachaṃ brūhi viśvajayaṃ prabhō ।
ayātayāmamantrāṇāṃ samūhō yatra saṃyutaḥ ॥ 61 ॥
Please tell me the kavacham of Sarasvatī that conquers the world, O Lord — the one that contains the assembly of fresh, undepleted mantras.
॥ ६२ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 62
ब्रह्मोवाच ।
शृणु वत्स प्रवक्ष्यामि कवचं सर्वकामदम् ।
श्रुतिसारं श्रुतिसुखं श्रुत्युक्तं श्रुतिपूजितम् ॥ 62 ॥
brahmōvācha ।
śṛṇu vatsa pravakṣyāmi kavachaṃ sarvakāmadam ।
śrutisāraṃ śrutisukhaṃ śrutyuktaṃ śrutipūjitam ॥ 62 ॥
Brahmā said: Listen, O dear son, I will tell you the kavacham that grants all desires — the essence of scripture, pleasing to scripture, declared by scripture, honored by scripture.
॥ ६३ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 63
उक्तं कृष्णेन गोलोके मह्यं वृन्दावने वने ।
रासेश्वरेण विभुना रासे वै रासमण्डले ॥ 63 ॥
uktaṃ kṛṣṇēna gōlōkē mahyaṃ vṛndāvanē vanē ।
rāsēśvarēṇa vibhunā rāsē vai rāsamaṇḍalē ॥ 63 ॥
Declared by Kṛṣṇa in Goloka, to me in Vṛndāvana forest — by the Lord of the Rāsa dance, the all-pervading one, during the Rāsa circle.
॥ ६४ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 64
अतीव गोपनीयञ्च कल्पवृक्षसमं परम् ।
अश्रुताद्भुतमन्त्राणां समूहैश्च समन्वितम् ॥ 64 ॥
atīva gōpanīyañcha kalpavṛkṣasamaṃ param ।
aśrutādbhutamantrāṇāṃ samūhaiścha samanvitam ॥ 64 ॥
Most secret, equal to the wish-granting tree, supremely excellent — endowed with clusters of unheard and wondrous mantras.
॥ ६५ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 65
यद्धृत्वा पठनाद्ब्रह्मन्बुद्धिमांश्च बृहस्पतिः ।
यद्धृत्वा भगवाञ्छुक्रः सर्वदैत्येषु पूजितः ॥ 65 ॥
yaddhṛtvā paṭhanādbrahmanbuddhimāṃścha bṛhaspatiḥ ।
yaddhṛtvā bhagavāñChukraḥ sarvadaityēṣu pūjitaḥ ॥ 65 ॥
By wearing and reciting which, O Brahmin, Bṛhaspati became supremely intelligent; by wearing which, Bhagavān Śukra became worshipped among all the demons.
॥ ६६ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 66
पठनाद्धारणाद्वाग्मी कवीन्द्रो वाल्मिकी मुनिः ।
स्वायम्भुवो मनुश्चैव यद्धृत्वा सर्वपूजिताः ॥ 66 ॥
paṭhanāddhāraṇādvāgmī kavīndrō vālmikī muniḥ ।
svāyambhuvō manuśchaiva yaddhṛtvā sarvapūjitāḥ ॥ 66 ॥
By reciting and wearing which, Vālmīki the sage became eloquent and chief of poets; by wearing which, Svāyambhuva Manu and others became universally worshipped.
॥ ६७ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 67
कणादो गौतमः कण्वः पाणिनिः शाकटायनः ।
ग्रन्थं चकार यद्धृत्वा दक्षः कात्यायनः स्वयम् ॥ 67 ॥
kaṇādō gautamaḥ kaṇvaḥ pāṇiniḥ śākaṭāyanaḥ ।
granthaṃ chakāra yaddhṛtvā dakṣaḥ kātyāyanaḥ svayam ॥ 67 ॥
Kaṇāda, Gautama, Kaṇva, Pāṇini, Śākaṭāyana — by wearing which, Dakṣa and Kātyāyana himself also composed their texts.
॥ ६८ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 68
धृत्वा वेदविभागञ्च पुराणान्यखिलानि च ।
चकार लीलामात्रेण कृष्णद्वैपायनः स्वयम् ॥ 68 ॥
dhṛtvā vēdavibhāgañcha purāṇānyakhilāni cha ।
chakāra līlāmātrēṇa kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaḥ svayam ॥ 68 ॥
Having worn which, having divided the Vedas and composed all the Purāṇas — Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) accomplished all this as mere play.
॥ ६९ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 69
शातातपश्च संवर्तो वसिष्ठश्च पराशरः ।
यद्धृत्वा पठनाद्ग्रन्थं याज्ञवल्क्यश्चकार सः ॥ 69 ॥
śātātapaścha saṃvartō vasiṣṭhaścha parāśaraḥ ।
yaddhṛtvā paṭhanādgranthaṃ yājñavalkyaśchakāra saḥ ॥ 69 ॥
Śātātapa, Saṃvarta, Vasiṣṭha, and Parāśara — by wearing and reciting which, Yājñavalkya too composed his texts.
॥ ७० ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 70
ऋष्यशृङ्गो भरद्वाजश्चास्तीको देवलस्तथा ।
जैगीषव्योऽथ जाबालिर्यद्धृत्वा सर्वपूजितः ॥ 70 ॥
ṛṣyaśṛṅgō bharadvājaśchāstīkō dēvalastathā ।
jaigīṣavyō'tha jābāliryaddhṛtvā sarvapūjitaḥ ॥ 70 ॥
Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, Bharadvāja, Āstīka, Devala, Jaigīṣavya, and Jābāli — by wearing which, they became universally worshipped.
॥ ७१ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 71
कवचस्यास्य विप्रेन्द्र ऋषिरेष प्रजापतिः ।
स्वयं बृहस्पतिश्छन्दो देवो रासेश्वरः प्रभुः ॥ 71 ॥
kavachasyāsya viprēndra ṛṣirēṣa prajāpatiḥ ।
svayaṃ bṛhaspatiśChandō dēvō rāsēśvaraḥ prabhuḥ ॥ 71 ॥
Of this kavacham, O best of Brahmins, the seer is Prajāpati (Brahmā himself); the meter is Bṛhaspati himself; and the presiding deity is the Lord of the Rāsa (Kṛṣṇa).
॥ ७२ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 72
सर्वतत्त्वपरिज्ञाने सर्वार्थेऽपि च साधने ।
कवितासु च सर्वासु विनियोगः प्रकीर्तितः ॥ 72 ॥
sarvatattvaparijñānē sarvārthē'pi cha sādhanē ।
kavitāsu cha sarvāsu viniyōgaḥ prakīrtitaḥ ॥ 72 ॥
The application [of this kavacham] is declared to be: for knowing all tattvas, for accomplishing all aims, and for all forms of poetry.
॥ ७३ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 73
( कवचं )
ॐ ह्रीं सरस्वत्यै स्वाहा शिरो मे पातु सर्वतः ।
श्रीं वाग्देवतायै स्वाहा भालं मे सर्वदाऽवतु ॥ 73 ॥
( kavachaṃ )
ōṃ hrīṃ sarasvatyai svāhā śirō mē pātu sarvataḥ ।
śrīṃ vāgdēvatāyai svāhā bhālaṃ mē sarvadā'vatu ॥ 73 ॥
Oṃ Hrīṃ Sarasvatyai Svāhā — may [she] protect my head in all directions. Śrīṃ Vāgdēvatāyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect my forehead.
॥ ७४ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 74
ॐ ह्रीं सरस्वत्यै स्वाहेति श्रोत्रे पातु निरन्तरम् ।
ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं भगवत्यै सरस्वत्यै स्वाहा नेत्रयुग्मं सदाऽवतु ॥ 74 ॥
ōṃ hrīṃ sarasvatyai svāhēti śrōtrē pātu nirantaram ।
ōṃ śrīṃ hrīṃ bhagavatyai sarasvatyai svāhā nētrayugmaṃ sadā'vatu ॥ 74 ॥
Oṃ Hrīṃ Sarasvatyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect my ears. Oṃ Śrīṃ Hrīṃ Bhagavatyai Sarasvatyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect my two eyes.
॥ ७५ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 75
ऐं ह्रीं वाग्वादिन्यै स्वाहा नासां मे सर्वदाऽवतु ।
ह्रीं विद्याधिष्ठातृदेव्यै स्वाहा चोंष्ठ सदाऽवतु ॥ 75 ॥
aiṃ hrīṃ vāgvādinyai svāhā nāsāṃ mē sarvadā'vatu ।
hrīṃ vidyādhiṣṭhātṛdēvyai svāhā chōṃṣṭha sadā'vatu ॥ 75 ॥
Aiṃ Hrīṃ Vāgvādinyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect my nose. Hrīṃ Vidyādhiṣṭhātṛdēvyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect my lips.
॥ ७६ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 76
ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं ब्राह्म्यै स्वाहेति दन्तपङ्क्तिं सदाऽवतु ।
ऐमित्येकाक्षरो मन्त्रो मम कण्ठं सदाऽवतु ॥ 76 ॥
ōṃ śrīṃ hrīṃ brāhmyai svāhēti dantapaṅktiṃ sadā'vatu ।
aimityēkākṣarō mantrō mama kaṇṭhaṃ sadā'vatu ॥ 76 ॥
Oṃ Śrīṃ Hrīṃ Brāhmyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect my row of teeth. Aiṃ — this single-syllable mantra — may [she] ever protect my throat.
॥ ७७ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 77
ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं पातु मे ग्रीवां स्कन्धं मे श्रीं सदाऽवतु ।
ॐ ह्रीं विद्याधिष्ठातृदेव्यै स्वाहा वक्षः सदाऽवतु ॥ 77 ॥
ōṃ śrīṃ hrīṃ pātu mē grīvāṃ skandhaṃ mē śrīṃ sadā'vatu ।
ōṃ hrīṃ vidyādhiṣṭhātṛdēvyai svāhā vakṣaḥ sadā'vatu ॥ 77 ॥
Oṃ Śrīṃ Hrīṃ — may [she] protect my neck; Śrīṃ — may [she] ever protect my shoulders. Oṃ Hrīṃ Vidyādhiṣṭhātṛdēvyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect my chest.
॥ ७८ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 78
ॐ ह्रीं विद्यास्वरूपायै स्वाहा मे पातु नाभिकाम् ।
ॐ ह्रीं क्लीं वाण्यै स्वाहेति मम पृष्ठं सदाऽवतु ॥ 78 ॥
ōṃ hrīṃ vidyāsvarūpāyai svāhā mē pātu nābhikām ।
ōṃ hrīṃ klīṃ vāṇyai svāhēti mama pṛṣṭhaṃ sadā'vatu ॥ 78 ॥
Oṃ Hrīṃ Vidyāsvarūpāyai Svāhā — may [she] protect my navel. Oṃ Hrīṃ Klīṃ Vāṇyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect my back.
॥ ७९ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 79
ॐ सर्ववर्णात्मिकायै पादयुग्मं सदाऽवतु ।
ॐ रागाधिष्ठातृदेव्यै सर्वाङ्गं मे सदाऽवतु ॥ 79 ॥
ōṃ sarvavarṇātmikāyai pādayugmaṃ sadā'vatu ।
ōṃ rāgādhiṣṭhātṛdēvyai sarvāṅgaṃ mē sadā'vatu ॥ 79 ॥
Oṃ Sarvavarṇātmikāyai — may [she] ever protect my two feet. Oṃ Rāgādhiṣṭhātṛdēvyai — may [she] ever protect all my limbs.
॥ ८० ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 80
ॐ सर्वकण्ठवासिन्यै स्वाहा प्रच्यां सदाऽवतु ।
ॐ ह्रीं जिह्वाग्रवासिन्यै स्वाहाऽग्निदिशि रक्षतु ॥ 80 ॥
ōṃ sarvakaṇṭhavāsinyai svāhā prachyāṃ sadā'vatu ।
ōṃ hrīṃ jihvāgravāsinyai svāhā'gnidiśi rakṣatu ॥ 80 ॥
Oṃ Sarvakaṇṭhavāsinyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect the East. Oṃ Hrīṃ Jihvāgravāsinyai Svāhā — may [she] protect the south-east (fire-direction).
॥ ८१ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 81
ॐ ऐं ह्रीं श्रीं सरस्वत्यै बुधजनन्यै स्वाहा ।
सततं मन्त्रराजोऽयं दक्षिणे मां सदाऽवतु ॥ 81 ॥
ōṃ aiṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ sarasvatyai budhajananyai svāhā ।
satataṃ mantrarājō'yaṃ dakṣiṇē māṃ sadā'vatu ॥ 81 ॥
Oṃ Aiṃ Hrīṃ Śrīṃ Sarasvatyai Budhajananyai Svāhā — this king of mantras, may [she] ever protect me in the South.
॥ ८२ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 82
ॐ ह्रीं श्रीं त्र्यक्षरो मन्त्रो नैरृत्यां मे सदाऽवतु ।
कविजिह्वाग्रवासिन्यै स्वाहा मां वारुणेऽवतु ॥ 82 ॥
ōṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ tryakṣarō mantrō nairṛtyāṃ mē sadā'vatu ।
kavijihvāgravāsinyai svāhā māṃ vāruṇē'vatu ॥ 82 ॥
Oṃ Hrīṃ Śrīṃ — the three-syllable mantra — may [she] ever protect me in the south-west. Kavijihvāgravāsinyai Svāhā — may [she] protect me in the West.
॥ ८३ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 83
ॐ सदम्बिकायै स्वाहा वायव्ये मां सदाऽवतु ।
ॐ गद्यपद्यवासिन्यै स्वाहा मामुत्तरेऽवतु ॥ 83 ॥
ōṃ sadambikāyai svāhā vāyavyē māṃ sadā'vatu ।
ōṃ gadyapadyavāsinyai svāhā māmuttarē'vatu ॥ 83 ॥
Oṃ Sadambikāyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect me in the north-west. Oṃ Gadyapadyavāsinyai Svāhā — may [she] protect me in the North.
॥ ८४ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 84
ॐ सर्वशास्त्रवासिन्यै स्वाहैशान्यां सदाऽवतु ।
ॐ ह्रीं सर्वपूजितायै स्वाहा चोर्ध्वं सदाऽवतु ॥ 84 ॥
ōṃ sarvaśāstravāsinyai svāhaiśānyāṃ sadā'vatu ।
ōṃ hrīṃ sarvapūjitāyai svāhā chōrdhvaṃ sadā'vatu ॥ 84 ॥
Oṃ Sarvaśāstravāsinyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect in the north-east. Oṃ Hrīṃ Sarvapūjitāyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect from above.
॥ ८५ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 85
ऐं ह्रीं पुस्तकवासिन्यै स्वाहाऽधो मां सदावतु ।
ॐ ग्रन्थबीजरूपायै स्वाहा मां सर्वतोऽवतु ॥ 85 ॥
aiṃ hrīṃ pustakavāsinyai svāhā'dhō māṃ sadāvatu ।
ōṃ granthabījarūpāyai svāhā māṃ sarvatō'vatu ॥ 85 ॥
Aiṃ Hrīṃ Pustakavāsinyai Svāhā — may [she] ever protect me below. Oṃ Granthābījarūpāyai Svāhā — may [she] protect me in all directions.
॥ ८६ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 86
इति ते कथितं विप्र सर्वमन्त्रौघविग्रहम् ।
इदं विश्वजयं नाम कवचं ब्रह्मारूपकम् ॥ 86 ॥
iti tē kathitaṃ vipra sarvamantraughavigraham ।
idaṃ viśvajayaṃ nāma kavachaṃ brahmārūpakam ॥ 86 ॥
Thus, O Brahmin, have I told you the embodiment of all mantra-hosts — this world-conquering kavacham which is in the form of Brahmā himself.
॥ ८७ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 87
पुरा श्रुतं धर्मवक्त्रात्पर्वते गन्धमादने ।
तव स्नेहान्मयाऽऽख्यातं प्रवक्तव्यं न कस्यचित् ॥ 87 ॥
purā śrutaṃ dharmavaktrātparvatē gandhamādanē ।
tava snēhānmayā''khyātaṃ pravaktavyaṃ na kasyachit ॥ 87 ॥
In former times, I heard this from Dharma-lord on the Gandhamādana mountain. Out of love for you I have disclosed it — it must not be told to just anyone.
॥ ८८ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 88
गुरुमभ्यर्च्य विधिवद्वस्त्रालङ्कारचन्दनैः ।
प्रणम्य दण्डवद्भूमौ कवचं धारयेत्सुधीः ॥ 88 ॥
gurumabhyarchya vidhivadvastrālaṅkārachandanaiḥ ।
praṇamya daṇḍavadbhūmau kavachaṃ dhārayētsudhīḥ ॥ 88 ॥
The wise one should duly worship the guru with garments, ornaments, and sandalwood; prostrate flat on the ground like a staff; then wear the kavacham.
॥ ८९ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 89
पञ्चलक्षजपेनैव सिद्धं तु कवचं भवेत् ।
यदि स्यात्सिद्धकवचो बृहस्पति समो भवेत् ॥ 89 ॥
pañchalakṣajapēnaiva siddhaṃ tu kavachaṃ bhavēt ।
yadi syātsiddhakavachō bṛhaspati samō bhavēt ॥ 89 ॥
By five lakh recitations, the kavacham becomes accomplished (siddha). If one has a siddha-kavacham, one becomes equal to Bṛhaspati.
॥ ९० ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 90
महावाग्मी कवीन्द्रश्च त्रैलोक्यविजयी भवेत् ।
शक्नोति सर्वं जेतुं स कवचस्य प्रभावतः ॥ 90 ॥
mahāvāgmī kavīndraścha trailōkyavijayī bhavēt ।
śaknōti sarvaṃ jētuṃ sa kavachasya prabhāvataḥ ॥ 90 ॥
One becomes a great orator and chief among poets, a conqueror of all three worlds. By the power of this kavacham, such a one can conquer everything.
॥ ९१ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 91
इदं ते काण्वशाखोक्तं कथितं कवचं मुने ।
स्तोत्रं पूजाविधानं च ध्यानं वै वन्दनं तथा ॥ 91 ॥
idaṃ tē kāṇvaśākhōktaṃ kathitaṃ kavachaṃ munē ।
stōtraṃ pūjāvidhānaṃ cha dhyānaṃ vai vandanaṃ tathā ॥ 91 ॥
O sage, this kavacham of the Kāṇva-śākhā tradition has been told to you, along with the stotram, the procedure for worship, dhyāna, and the hymn of praise.
॥ ९२ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 92
इति श्री ब्रह्मवैवर्ते महापुराणे प्रकृतिखण्डे नारदनारायणसंवादे सरस्वतीकवचं नाम चतुर्थोऽध्यायः ।
iti śrī brahmavaivartē mahāpurāṇē prakṛtikhaṇḍē nāradanārāyaṇasaṃvādē sarasvatīkavachaṃ nāma chaturthō'dhyāyaḥ ।
Thus [ends] the Sarasvatī Kavacham, named the Fourth Chapter, in the Nārada-Nārāyaṇa dialogue, in the Prakṛti-Khaṇḍa of the Śrī Brahmavaivarta Mahāpurāṇa.