gaṇeśa kavacam

• eṣaḥthis one
• ativery
• capalaḥrestless
• daityānthe demons
• bālyein childhood
• apieven
• nāśayatidestroys
• ahooh
• agrelater on
• kimwhat
• karmadeed
• kartāhe will do
• itithis
• nanot
• jāneI know
• munisattamaO best of sages

anvaya munisattama eṣaḥ ati capalaḥ bālye api daityān nāśayati aho agre kim karma kartā iti na jāne

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

kavaca armour — A kavacha is a hymn that covers the body part by part, naming a form of the god for each limb. It is worn as much as it is recited.

note The hymn opens with a mother watching her child and asking a sage for something to tie round his neck. The armour itself begins four verses later.

• daityāḥdemons
• nānāvidhāḥof many kinds
• duṣṭāḥwicked
• sādhudevadruhaḥwho do harm to good people and to the gods
• khalāḥcruel
• ataḥso
• asyahis
• kaṇṭheat the neck
• kiñcitsomething
• tvamyou
• rakṣāma guard
• sambaddhumto tie
• arhasiought

anvaya nānāvidhāḥ duṣṭāḥ khalāḥ daityāḥ sādhudevadruhaḥ ataḥ tvam asya kaṇṭhe kiñcit rakṣām sambaddhum arhasi

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

rakṣām a guard — Raksha is the thread or amulet tied on a child for protection, the same word as in raksha-bandhana.

note The printed sādhudevadrumaḥ is read sādhudevadruhaḥ, those who do harm to the good and to the gods, and kiñcittyaṃ is read kiñcit tvam.

• dhyāyetone should hold in mind
• siṃhagatamriding a lion
• vināyakamVinayaka
• amumhim
• digbāhumwith arms for all ten directions
• ādyein the first
• yugeage
• tretāyāmin the Treta age
• tuand
• mayūravāhanamriding a peacock
• amumhim
• ṣaḍbāhukamsix-armed
• siddhidamthe giver of success
• dvāparein the Dvapara age
• tuand
• gajānanamelephant-faced
• yugabhujamfour-armed
• raktāṅgarāgamhis body rubbed with red
• vibhumthe mighty one
• turyein the fourth
• tuand
• dvibhujamtwo-armed
• sitāṅgarucirambright with a white body
• sarvārthadamgiving everything asked for
• sarvadāat every time

anvaya ādye yuge amum vināyakam siṃhagatam digbāhum dhyāyet tretāyām tu amum mayūravāhanam ṣaḍbāhukam siddhidam dvāpare tu gajānanam yugabhujam raktāṅgarāgam vibhum turye tu dvibhujam sitāṅgaruciram sarvadā sarvārthadam [dhyāyet]

chandas Śārdūlavikrīḍita, 19 syllables in each of 4 pādas

digbāhum with arms for all ten directions — Ten arms, one for each direction: the four quarters, the four between them, and up and down.

yugabhujam four-armed — Yuga here means a pair, so two pairs of arms. The poet uses the same word that names the ages he is counting through.

turye in the fourth — The fourth age is the Kali age, the one we are in. The form given for it is the plainest: two arms, white, giving whatever is asked.

note One verse for four ages, each with its own mount, its own number of arms and its own colour. A stray ī is printed at the end of the second line.

• vināyakaḥVinayaka
• śikhāmthe crown-lock
• pātumay he protect
• paramātmāthe highest self
• parātparaḥhigher than the high
• atisundarakāyaḥwhose body is very beautiful
• tuand
• mastakamthe head
• sumahotkaṭaḥSumahotkata, hugely towering

anvaya paramātmā parātparaḥ vināyakaḥ śikhām pātu atisundarakāyaḥ sumahotkaṭaḥ tu mastakam [pātu]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

śikhām the crown-lock — The tuft of hair left at the crown of the head. The armour starts at the top and works down.

note From here to verse 18 each half-line hands one part of the body to one form of the god. The verb pātu, may he protect, is often left to be carried over.

• lalāṭamthe forehead
• kaśyapaḥKashyapa
• pātumay he protect
• bhrūyugamthe pair of eyebrows
• tuand
• mahodaraḥMahodara, the big-bellied
• nayanethe two eyes
• bālacandraḥBalachandra, the young moon
• tuand
• gajāsyaḥthe elephant-faced
• oṣṭhapallavauthe two lips, soft as young leaves

anvaya kaśyapaḥ lalāṭam pātu mahodaraḥ tu bhrūyugam bālacandraḥ nayane gajāsyaḥ tu oṣṭhapallavau [pātu]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

kaśyapaḥ Kashyapa — A name of Ganesha in this list, and also the name of the sage who speaks the armour at the end of the hymn.

pallava a young leaf — The new red leaf of a tree, the standard comparison in Sanskrit for a lip.

• jihvāmthe tongue
• pātumay he protect
• gajakrīḍaḥGajakrida, who plays as an elephant plays
• cubukamthe chin
• girijāsutaḥthe son of the mountain's daughter
• vācamspeech
• vināyakaḥVinayaka
• pātumay he protect
• dantānthe teeth
• rakṣatumay he guard
• durmukhaḥDurmukha, hard of face

anvaya gajakrīḍaḥ jihvām pātu girijāsutaḥ cubukam [pātu] vināyakaḥ vācam pātu durmukhaḥ dantān rakṣatu

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

girijāsutaḥ the son of the mountain's daughter — Girija, born of the mountain, is Parvati, daughter of Himavan.

durmukhaḥ Durmukha — Hard to look at in the face. A fierce name, given the teeth it is asked to guard.

• śravaṇauthe two ears
• pāśapāṇiḥthe one with the noose in his hand
• tuand
• nāsikāmthe nose
• cintitārthadaḥwho gives what is thought of
• gaṇeśaḥGanesha
• tuand
• mukhamthe face
• pātumay he protect
• kaṇṭhamthe throat
• pātumay he protect
• gaṇādhipaḥthe lord of the ganas

anvaya pāśapāṇiḥ tu śravaṇau [pātu] cintitārthadaḥ nāsikām [pātu] gaṇeśaḥ tu mukham pātu gaṇādhipaḥ kaṇṭham pātu

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

• skandhauthe two shoulders
• pātumay he protect
• gajaskandhaḥthe elephant-shouldered
• stanethe chest
• vighnavināśanaḥthe destroyer of obstacles
• hṛdayamthe heart
• gaṇanāthaḥthe lord of the ganas
• tuand
• herambaḥHeramba
• jaṭharamthe belly
• mahānthe great one

anvaya gajaskandhaḥ skandhau pātu vighnavināśanaḥ stane [pātu] gaṇanāthaḥ tu hṛdayam [pātu] mahān herambaḥ jaṭharam [pātu]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

herambaḥ Heramba — An old name of Ganesha, taken to mean the one who protects the weak. He is given the belly to guard, the part a child covers first.

• dharādharaḥthe one who holds the earth up
• pātumay he protect
• pārśvauthe two sides
• pṛṣṭhamthe back
• vighnaharaḥthe remover of obstacles
• śubhaḥthe auspicious
• liṅgamthe organ of generation
• guhyamthe private part
• sadāalways
• pātumay he protect
• vakratuṇḍaḥthe one with the curving trunk
• mahābalaḥgreat in strength

anvaya dharādharaḥ pārśvau pātu śubhaḥ vighnaharaḥ pṛṣṭham [pātu] mahābalaḥ vakratuṇḍaḥ liṅgam guhyam sadā pātu

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

• gajakrīḍaḥGajakrida
• jānuthe knee
• jaṅghethe two shanks
• ūrūthe two thighs
• maṅgalakīrtimānhe whose fame brings good fortune
• ekadantaḥthe one-tusked
• mahābuddhiḥgreat in wit
• pādauthe two feet
• gulphauthe two ankles
• sadāalways
• avatumay he protect

anvaya gajakrīḍaḥ jānu jaṅghe [avatu] maṅgalakīrtimān ūrū [avatu] mahābuddhiḥ ekadantaḥ pādau gulphau sadā avatu

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note jaṅgho is printed for jaṅghe, the two shanks.

• kṣipraprasādanaḥthe one who is quickly pleased
• bāhūthe two arms
• pāṇīthe two hands
• āśāprapūrakaḥwho fills up every hope
• aṅgulīḥthe fingers
• caand
• nakhānthe nails
• pātumay he protect
• padmahastaḥthe lotus-handed
• arināśanaḥthe destroyer of enemies

anvaya kṣipraprasādanaḥ bāhū [pātu] āśāprapūrakaḥ pāṇī [pātu] padmahastaḥ arināśanaḥ aṅgulīḥ ca nakhān pātu

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

kṣipraprasādanaḥ the one who is quickly pleased — Kshipra Ganapati, the form worshipped when there is no time to wait: quick to be pleased and quick to answer.

• sarvāṅgāniall the limbs
• mayūreśaḥMayuresha
• viśvavyāpīwho spreads through everything
• sadāalways
• avatumay he protect
• anuktamnot named
• apieven
• yatwhatever
• sthānamplace
• dhūmaketuḥDhumaketu, the smoke-bannered
• sadāalways
• avatumay he protect

anvaya viśvavyāpī mayūreśaḥ sarvāṅgāni sadā avatu yat sthānam anuktam api [tat] dhūmaketuḥ sadā avatu

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

dhūmaketuḥ the smoke-bannered — The old name of fire, whose banner is its smoke, and also the word for a comet.

note The verse closes the list of limbs by covering whatever the list has missed.

• āmodaḥAmoda
• tuand
• agrataḥin front
• pātumay he protect
• pramodaḥPramoda
• pṛṣṭhataḥbehind
• avatumay he protect
• prācyāmin the east
• rakṣatumay he guard
• buddhīśaḥthe lord of wit
• āgneyyāmin the south-east
• siddhidāyakaḥthe giver of success

anvaya āmodaḥ tu agrataḥ pātu pramodaḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ avatu buddhīśaḥ prācyām rakṣatu siddhidāyakaḥ āgneyyām [rakṣatu]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

āmodaḥ Amoda — Amoda and Pramoda, scent and delight, are two of Ganesha's attendants. Here they stand in front of the reciter and behind.

āgneyyām in the south-east — The quarter of Agni. Each of the eight directions is named by the god who keeps it.

note The armour now turns from the body to the space around it: eight directions, then day, night and the turns between.

• dakṣiṇasyāmin the south
• umāputraḥthe son of Uma
• naiṛtyāmin the south-west
• tuand
• gaṇeśvaraḥthe lord of the ganas
• pratīcyāmin the west
• vighnahartāthe taker-away of obstacles
• vyātmay he protect
• vāyavyāmin the north-west
• gajakarṇakaḥthe elephant-eared

anvaya dakṣiṇasyām umāputraḥ [vyāt] naiṛtyām tu gaṇeśvaraḥ [vyāt] pratīcyām vighnahartā vyāt vāyavyām gajakarṇakaḥ [vyāt]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

naiṛtyām in the south-west — The quarter of Nirriti, the goddess of ruin, which is why it is the one guarded most carefully.

• kauberyāmin the north
• nidhipaḥthe keeper of the treasures
• pāyātmay he protect
• īśānyāmin the north-east
• īśanandanaḥthe son of Isha
• divāby day
• vyātmay he protect
• ekadantaḥthe one-tusked
• tuand
• rātrauby night
• sandhyāsuat the turns of the day
• vighnahṛtthe one who takes obstacles away

anvaya kauberyām nidhipaḥ pāyāt īśānyām īśanandanaḥ [pāyāt] divā ekadantaḥ tu vyāt rātrau sandhyāsu vighnahṛt [vyāt]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

nidhipaḥ the keeper of the treasures — The north belongs to Kubera, who keeps the nine treasures; Ganesha is named here in his place.

sandhyāsu at the turns of the day — Dawn, noon and dusk, the joints of the day, which are held to be the times when a person is least guarded.

note The printing runs the words together: pāyādīśānyāviśanandanaḥ is read pāyāt īśānyām īśanandanaḥ, and the yaḥ before vighnahṛt appears to be a slip.

• rākṣasafrom rakshasas
• asuraasuras
• betālavetalas
• grahagrahas
• bhūtabhutas
• piśācataḥand pishachas
• pāśāṅkuśadharaḥthe one who holds the noose and the goad
• pātumay he guard
• rajaḥrajas
• sattvasattva
• tamaḥtamas
• smṛtīḥand the memory

anvaya pāśāṅkuśadharaḥ rākṣasa asura betāla graha bhūta piśācataḥ rajaḥ sattva tamaḥ smṛtīḥ pātu

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

betāla vetalas — A vetala is a spirit that takes hold of a dead body and moves it. The word is usually spelt वेताल.

graha grahas — A graha is a seizer, anything that takes hold of a person from outside, whether a planet or a spirit.

smṛtīḥ the memory — What the mind keeps. The verse asks for the three strands of nature and the memory to be guarded, so that the inner life is covered as the body was.

• jñānamknowledge
• dharmamdharma
• caand
• lakṣmīmwealth
• caand
• lajjāma sense of shame
• kīrtimgood name
• tathāand
• kulamthe family
• vapuḥthe body
• dhanammoney
• caand
• dhānyamgrain
• caand
• gṛhamthe house
• dārānthe wife
• sutānthe children
• sakhīnthe friends

anvaya jñānam dharmam ca lakṣmīm ca lajjām kīrtim tathā kulam vapuḥ dhanam ca dhānyam ca gṛham dārān sutān sakhīn [pātu]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

lajjām a sense of shame — Lajja is the feeling that keeps a person from doing what should not be done. It is counted here among things worth guarding.

note The list moves outward from the person to the household. A stray ī is printed at the end of the first line.

• sarvāyudhadharaḥwho holds every weapon
• pautrānthe grandchildren
• mayūreśaḥMayuresha
• avatātmay he protect
• sadāalways
• kapilaḥthe tawny one
• jānukamthe knee
• pātumay he protect
• gajāśvānthe elephants and horses
• vikaṭaḥVikata, huge of form
• avatumay he protect

anvaya sarvāyudhadharaḥ mayūreśaḥ pautrān sadā avatāt kapilaḥ jānukam pātu vikaṭaḥ gajāśvān avatu

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note Elephants and horses are named because the armour was written for a householder who kept them, as another might ask for his cattle.

• bhūrjapatreon birch bark
• likhitvāhaving written
• idamthis
• yaḥwhoever
• kaṇṭheat the neck
• dhārayetwears it
• sudhīḥa man of sense
• nano
• bhayamfear
• jāyatearises
• tasyafor him
• yakṣafrom yakshas
• rakṣaḥrakshasas
• piśācataḥor pishachas

anvaya yaḥ sudhīḥ idam bhūrjapatre likhitvā kaṇṭhe dhārayet tasya yakṣa rakṣaḥ piśācataḥ bhayam na jāyate

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

bhūrjapatre on birch bark — The thin bark of the Himalayan birch, which was the writing material for amulets before paper. This is the verse that turns the hymn into the thing worn at the neck.

note What the mother asked for in verse 2 is answered here.

• trisandhyamat the three turns of the day
• japaterecites
• yaḥwhoever
• tuand
• vajrasāratanuḥwith a body as hard as diamond
• bhavetbecomes
• yātrākālewhen setting out on a journey
• paṭhetreads it
• yaḥwhoever
• tuand
• nirvighnenawith no obstacle
• phalamthe fruit
• labhetgains

anvaya yaḥ tu trisandhyam japate [saḥ] vajrasāratanuḥ bhavet yaḥ tu yātrākāle paṭhet [saḥ] nirvighnena phalam labhet

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

vajrasāra as hard as diamond — Vajra is both the thunderbolt and the diamond. Sara is the hard core of a thing, the heartwood of a tree.

• yuddhakālein time of war
• paṭhetrecites
• yaḥwhoever
• tuand
• vijayamvictory
• caand
• āpnuyātwould gain
• dhruvamsurely
• māraṇakilling
• uccāṭanadriving away
• ākarṣadrawing to oneself
• stambhaholding fast
• mohanabewildering
• karmaṇiin the rite

anvaya yaḥ tu yuddhakāle paṭhet [saḥ] dhruvam vijayam ca āpnuyāt māraṇa uccāṭana ākarṣa stambha mohana karmaṇi [ca]

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

māraṇoccāṭana killing and driving away — These are names from the old list of six acts of tantra, which also holds peace-making and subduing. The hymn only names them; it gives no rite, and the verses that follow are about counts of recitation.

• saptavāramseven times
• japetshould recite
• etatthis
• dinānāmof days
• ekaviṃśatiḥtwenty-one
• tattatphalamthe fruit of each of them
• avāpnotiobtains
• sādhakaḥthe one who practises
• nano
• atrahere
• saṃśayaḥdoubt

anvaya etat ekaviṃśatiḥ dinānām saptavāram japet [tadā] sādhakaḥ tattatphalam avāpnoti atra saṃśayaḥ na

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note danānām is printed for dinānām, of days.

• ekaviṃśativāramtwenty-one times
• caand
• paṭhetrecites
• tāvatfor that many
• dinānidays
• yaḥwhoever
• kārāgṛhagatamone who has gone to prison
• sadyaḥat once
• rājñāby the king
• vadhyamone condemned to death
• caand
• mocayetsets free

anvaya yaḥ ca tāvat dināni ekaviṃśativāram paṭhet [saḥ] kārāgṛhagatam rājñā vadhyam ca sadyaḥ mocayet

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

• rājadarśanavelāyāmat the hour of an audience with the king
• paṭhetrecites
• etatthis
• trivārataḥthree times
• saḥhe
• rājānamthe king
• vaśamunder his sway
• nītvāhaving brought
• prakṛtīḥthe king's officers
• caand
• sabhāmthe assembly
• jayetwins over

anvaya [yaḥ] rājadarśanavelāyām etat trivārataḥ paṭhet saḥ rājānam vaśam nītvā prakṛtīḥ ca sabhām jayet

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

prakṛtīḥ the king's officers — Prakriti in statecraft means the parts a kingdom is made of: the minister, the store of wealth, the fort, the army and the rest.

• idamthis
• gaṇeśakavacamarmour of Ganesha
• kaśyapenaby Kashyapa
• samīritamwas spoken
• mudgalāyato Mudgala
• caand
• teto you
• nāthaO lord
• māṇḍavyāyato Mandavya
• maharṣayethe great sage

anvaya idam gaṇeśakavacam kaśyapena mudgalāya ca te nātha maharṣaye māṇḍavyāya samīritam

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note saviritam is printed for samīritam, was spoken. The line of transmission is named as it is in older texts: Kashyapa to Mudgala, to the listener, and to Mandavya.

• mahyamto me
• saḥhe
• prāhatold
• kṛpayāout of kindness
• kavacamthe armour
• sarvasiddhidamwhich gives every success
• nanot
• deyamto be given
• bhaktihīnāyato one without devotion
• deyamto be given
• śraddhāvateto one who has trust
• śubhamthe good thing

anvaya saḥ kṛpayā mahyam sarvasiddhidam kavacam prāha [tat] bhaktihīnāya na deyam śubham śraddhāvate deyam

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

śraddhāvate to one who has trust — Shraddha is the settled trust that makes a practice worth doing, rather than belief in a claim.

• anenaby this
• asyafor him
• kṛtāis made
• rakṣāthe guard
• nano
• bādhāharm
• asyato him
• bhavetwould come
• kvacitever
• rākṣasafrom rakshasas
• asuraasuras
• betālavetalas
• daityadaityas
• dānavaor danavas
• sambhavāḥarising

anvaya anena asya rakṣā kṛtā rākṣasa asura betāla daitya dānava sambhavāḥ bādhā asya kvacit na bhavet

chandas Anuṣṭubh (śloka), 8 syllables in each of 4 pādas

note vyācit is printed for kvacit, ever. The hymn ends where it began, with the child guarded against the demons of the opening verse.