Rama Kavacham

Sri Rama Kavacham
By Sage Sutheeshna
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

1. Aajanu bahum aravindalayathaksham,
Aajanma shuddha rasa hasa mukha prasadam,
Shyamam graheeths sara chapa mudhara roopam,
Ramam sa ramamabhiramamanusmarami.

I think about Rama who is every second pretty,
Who has hands reaching up to his thighs, who has lotus like eyes,
Who is pure all his life, who has a smiling face,
Who is black, who holds bow and arrow and has a generous form.

Asya Sri Rama Kavachasya Agasthya rishi, anushtup Chanda, Sita lakshmnaopetha Sri Ramachandra devathaa, Sri Ramachandra prasada sidhyarthe jape viniyoga.

For the armour of Sri Rama, the sage is Agasthya, the meter is Anushtup, The god addressed is Rama with his brother Lakshmana and Sita and the chanting is done to get the grace of Sri Ramachandra.

Dhyanam
Meditation

2. Neela jeemootha sangasam Vidhyud varnambara vrutham,
Komalangam Visalaksham yuvannam athi sundaram,

He is of the colour of blue cloud, wears shining coloured cloths,
Has pretty limbs, has broad eyes, is a lad and is very pretty.

3. Seetha soumithri sahitham jata makuta dharinam,
Sasi thoona dhanur bana panim dhanava mardhanam.

He is with Sita and Lakshmana, has his tufted locks as crown,
He is armed with a sword, bow and arrows and kills asuras.

4. Yadha chora bhaye, shatru bhaye thadhaa,
Dhyathwaa Raghupathim krudham kalanala sama prabham.

He becomes angry at the thieves and enemies and has the radiance of the deadly fire,
If someone out of fear for thieves or enemy remembers him as Lord of Raghu clan.

5. Cheera krishnajina dharam, basmodhoolitha vigraham,
Aakarna krushta shikha kodanda bhuja manditham.

He wears the hide of deer as cloth, his body is coated with ashes,
He has a strong hand by which he pulls his bow Kodanda till his ear.

6. Rane ripun Ravanadheem stheeshna margana vrushtibhi,
Samharantham Maha veera mugra maindra Radha sthitham.

He rode on the chariot given by Indra and by using rain of arrows,
Killed his enemy Ravana in a war, he being a great valorous hero.

7. Lakshmanaadhyair maha veerai vrutham Hanumadhadhibhi,
Sugrwvadhyair Maha veerai shaila vruksha karodhyathai

8. Vegath karala humkarair bhubhukara maharavai,
Nadhadhbhi parivadhadhbhi samara Ravanam prathi,

He was supported by the penance of the great Hero Lakshmana as well as Hanuman and others,
Who was supported by great heroes Like Sugreeva who were armed with trees and mountains,
Accompanied by fast and dark utterance of "Hum" and creating great sounds like "bhu, bhu",
And also supported by his devotees and others in the war against Ravana.

9. Sri Rama shatru sandhaan may hana mardhaya, khadhaya,
Bhootha pretha pisachadheen Sri Ramasu vinasaya.

Oh Rama, aim at the enemies and kill them, beat them and eat them,
And Oh Rama quickly destroy ghosts, dead souls and devils .

10. Yevam dhyathwa Japed Rama Kavacham Sidhi Dhayakam,
Sutheeshna vajra kavacham srunu Vakshyamyanuthamam.

Meditaing like this, chant the armour of Rama which grants you strength,
And which is a sharp diamond armour . Please hear that matchless armour.

Adha kavacham
Now the armour

11. Sri Rama pathu may moordhni poorve cha Raghuvamsaja,
Dakshine may Raghuvara, Paschime pathu pavana

Let Sri Rama protect my head,
Let my east side be protected by him who belongs to Raghu clan,
Let my south side be protected by the great one of Raghu clan,
Let the pure one protect my west side.

12. Uthare may Raghupathir, phalam Dasarathathmaja,
Broovor dhoorva dala shyama asthayor Madhya Janardhana.

Let Lord of Raghu protect my north,
Let son of Dasaratha protect my forehead,
Let my eyelids be protected by him who is black like the leaf of birch tree,
And let the middle of my bones be protected by Janardhana.

13. Srothram pathu Rajendro drusou Rajeeva lochana,
Granam pathu Rajarshir Gandou may Janakipathi.

Let my ears be protected by Rajendra,
Let my eyes be protected by the lotus eyed one,
Let my nose be protected by the Royal sage,
And let my neck be protected by the Lord of Janaki.

14. Karnamoole Kharadwamsi, phalam may RAghuvallabha,
Jihwam may Vakpathi pathu Dandhapankthi Raguthama.

Let the root of my ears be protected by the killer of Khara,
Let my forehead be protected by Lord of Raghu clan,
Let my toungue be protected by the Lord of words,
And the best among Raghus protect my row of teeth.

15. Oshtou Sri Ramachandro may Mukham pathu parathpaa,
Kantam pthu Jagat vandhya, skandhou may Ravananthaka

Let my lips be protected by Sri Ramachandra,
Let my face be protected by the ultimate God,
Let my neck be protected by him who is worshipped by universe,
And let my shoulder be worshipped by killer of Ravana.

16. Dhanur bana dhara pathu Bhujou, may Bali mardhana,
Sarvanyanguli parvana hasthou may Rakshanthaka.

Let my arms be protected by one who is armed with bow and arrow,
Let all my fingers be protected by the killer of Bali,
And let my hands be protected by killer of Rakshasas.

17. Vaksho may pathu Kakustha, pathu may Hrudayam Hari,
Sthanou Sithapathi pathu parswam may Jagadheeswara.

Let Kakustha protect my chest,
Let Hari protect my heart,
Let my breasts be protected by Lord of Sita,
And let my ribs be protected by God of the universe.

16. Madhyam may pathu Lakshmeeso, nabhim may Raghunayaka,
Kousalyeya kati pathu, prushtam durgathi nasana

Let my middle be protected by Lord of Lakshmi,
Let my navel be protected by the chief of Raghu clan,
Let my waist be protected by son of Kausalya,
And let my back be protected by he who destroys bad future.

17. Guhyam pathu hrishikesa, sakdhini Sathya Vikrama,
OOru sarngadhara pathu Januni Hanumath Priya.

Let my private parts be protected by Hrishikesa,
Let my thigh be protected by hero of truth,
Let my thigh be protected by holder of Sarnga,
Let my knee be protected by he who is liked by Hanuman.

18. Jange pathu Jagat vyapi, Padhou may Thadakanthaka,
Sarvangam pathu may Vishnu,Sarva sandhhen anamaya.

Let my shanks be protected by he who has spread all over the universe,
Let my feet be protected by killer of Thadaga,
Lat all my body parts be protected by Lord Vishnu,
And let my all my joints be protected by he who is free from all diseases.

19. Jnanendriyani pranaadheen pathu may Madhusoodhana,
Pathu Sri Ramabhadro may Sabhdhadheen vishayanapi.

Let killer of Madhu protect all my senses of discrimination and my different airs,
Let Ramabhadra protect all my sounds and faculties .

20. Dwipadhadheeni bhoothani math sambandhini yani cha,
Jamadagnya maha darpa dalana pathu thani may.

Let all my human assistants, and spirits and all that,
Is concerning me be protected by the one,
Who removed the conceit of the son of Jamadagni.

21. Soumithri poorvaja pathu vagvadinidriyani cha,
Romanguranyaseshani pathu Sugreeva rajhyadha.

Let my organs necessary to control voice be protected by Elder brother of Lakshmana,
Let my hair pores and other organs be protected by he wjho made Sugreeva, the king.

22. Vang mano budhi ahankarait Jnana Ajnana kruthani cha,
Janmanthara kruthaneeha paapani vividhani cha

23. Thani sarvani dhdhwasu hara kodanda bandhana,
Pathu maam sarvatho rama Sarnga bana dhara sadaa.

Let all the various type of sins done in various births by,
Speech, mind, wisdom, egoism, intelligence and ignorance,
May be pardoned by the Lord who tied the Kodanda bow,
Oh Rama, Oh holder of Saranga always protect me.

24. Ithi Ramachandrasya kavacham Vajra samjnitham,
Guhyad guhyathamam divyam Sutheeshna muni sathama

This is the armour of Ramachandra which is termed as diamond,
And is the divine secret of secrets written by sage Sutheeshna.

25. Ya padeth srunayad vaa api sravaayedh vaa samahitha,
Sa yathi paramam sthanam Ramachandra prasadatha.

If this complete armour is read or heard or made to be heard by others,
Then by the grace of God Ramachandra he would attain a great place.

26. Maha pathaka yuktho vaa ghoghno vaa broonahaa thadhaa,
Sri Ramachandra kavacham padanath shudhimapnuyath.

One who has done great crimes, has killed a cow or induced abortion,
Would be made greatly pure by reading the armour of Ramachandra.

27. Brahma hathyabhi paapair muchyathe nathra samsaya,
Bho Sutheeshna yadha prushtam thwaya mama puraa shubham,
Thatha sri Rama Kavacham mayaa they viniveditham.

He would without any doubt get rid of sins like Brahma hathya,
So writes Sutheeshna to me so that I would be auspicious,
And thus I announce the armour of Sri Ramachandra.

Ithi Rama Kavacham sampoornam
Thus ends the armour of Sri Rama.