ଶ୍ରୀ କୃଷ୍ଣ କଵଚମ୍

An armour for the road, and its second verse says so plainly — protection for men always, in the wilderness, on the path, and in a difficult pass. It opens by bowing to the lord of brahmins, to Sarasvati, and to all the sages skilled in every science, then gives the form to hold: dark as a blue rain-cloud, dark curling hair, a peacock feather bright at the crown, a face like the autumn moon, lotus-eyed, the lip adorned by the flute, long full arms, the Shrivatsa on the chest. The armour itself works down the body, and its particular interest is that each limb is given not a syllable but a deed. Vasudeva's son guards the head, Devaki's son the forehead, Nanda's son the brows, the killer of Putana the eyes, the crusher of the cart the nose. Its close divides the day between two names — by day Jagannatha, by night Narayana himself.