Lyrics · Meaning · Audio
The armour of Dakshina Kali, revealed by the Goddess herself to Bhairava — Kali guards the front, Kapalini the back, and her many forms protect every part of the body, “above, below and in all directions.”
From the Kalikula Sarvasva (also said to be from the Bhairavi Tantra); the Goddess speaks to Bhairava
Listen
Dakshina Kali Kavacham
Son of Kali · Power of Kali
Each line shows an easy way to say it, with its English meaning. Turn on the Sanskrit, the exact pronunciation or the word-by-word meaning whenever you want to go deeper.
कालिका या महाविद्या कथिता भुवि दुर्लभा ।
Kalika Ya Mahavidya Kathita Bhuvi Durlabha
kālikā yā mahāvidyā kathitā bhuvi durlabhā
Kalika, the great wisdom, has been described — rare to find on earth;
तथापि हृदये शल्यमस्ति देवि कृपां कुरु ॥ १ ॥
Tathapi Hridaye Shalyamasti Devi Kripam Kuru
tathāpi hṛdaye śalyamasti devi kṛpāṃ kuru
yet there is still a thorn in my heart, O Goddess; please be kind.
कवचन्तु महादेवि कथयस्वानुकम्पया ।
Kavachantu Mahadevi Kathayasvanukampaya
kavacantu mahādevi kathayasvānukampayā
Tell me her armour, great Goddess, out of compassion;
यदि नो कथ्यते मातर्व्विमुञ्चामि तदा तनुम् ॥ २ ॥
Yadi No Kathyate Matarvvimunchami Tada Tanum
yadi no kathyate mātarvvimuñcāmi tadā tanum
if it is not told to me, Mother, I will give up this body.
शङ्कापि जायते वत्स तव स्नेहात् प्रकाशितम् ।
Shankapi Jayate Vatsa Tava Snehat Prakashitam
śaṅkāpi jāyate vatsa tava snehāt prakāśitam
I hesitate, my child, but out of love for you I reveal it;
न वक्तव्यं न द्रष्टव्यमतिगुह्यतरं महत् ॥ ३ ॥
Na Vaktavyam Na Drashtavyamatiguhyataram Mahat
na vaktavyaṃ na draṣṭavyamatiguhyataraṃ mahat
it is not to be spoken of or shown; it is great and most secret.
कालिका जगतां माता शोकदुःखविनाशिनी ।
Kalika Jagatam Mata Shokaduhkhavinashini
kālikā jagatāṃ mātā śokaduḥkhavināśinī
Kalika is the mother of the worlds, destroyer of grief and sorrow,
विशेषतः कलियुगे महापातकहारिणी ॥ ४ ॥
Visheshatah Kaliyuge Mahapatakaharini
viśeṣataḥ kaliyuge mahāpātakahāriṇī
and especially in the Kali age, remover of great sins.
काली मे पुरतः पातु पृष्ठतश्च कपालिनी ।
Kali Me Puratah Patu Prishthatashcha Kapalini
kālī me purataḥ pātu pṛṣṭhataśca kapālinī
May Kali protect me in front, and Kapalini behind;
कुल्ला मे दक्षिणे पातु कुरुकुल्ला तथोत्तरे ॥ ५ ॥
Kulla Me Dakshine Patu Kurukulla Tathottare
kullā me dakṣiṇe pātu kurukullā tathottare
may Kulla protect me on the right, and Kurukulla on the left.
विरोधिनी शिरः पातु विप्रचित्ता तु चक्षुषी ।
Virodhini Shirah Patu Viprachitta Tu Chakshushi
virodhinī śiraḥ pātu vipracittā tu cakṣuṣī
May Virodhini protect my head, and Viprachitta my eyes;
उग्रा मे नासिकां पातु कर्णौ चोग्रप्रभा मता ॥ ६ ॥
Ugra Me Nasikam Patu Karnau Chograprabha Mata
ugrā me nāsikāṃ pātu karṇau cograprabhā matā
may Ugra protect my nose, and Ugraprabha my ears;
वदनं पातु मे दीप्ता नीला च चिबुकं सदा ।
Vadanam Patu Me Dipta Nila Cha Chibukam Sada
vadanaṃ pātu me dīptā nīlā ca cibukaṃ sadā
may Dipta protect my face and Nila my chin always;
घना ग्रीवां सदा पातु बलाका बाहुयुग्मकम् ॥ ७ ॥
Ghana Grivam Sada Patu Balaka Bahuyugmakam
ghanā grīvāṃ sadā pātu balākā bāhuyugmakam
may Ghana always protect my neck, and Balaka my two arms;
मात्रा पातु करद्वन्द्वं वक्षोमुद्रा सदावतु ।
Matra Patu Karadvandvam Vakshomudra Sadavatu
mātrā pātu karadvandvaṃ vakṣomudrā sadāvatu
may Matra protect my hands, and Mudra my chest always;
मिता पातु स्तनद्वन्द्वं योनिमण्डलदेवता ॥ ८ ॥
Mita Patu Stanadvandvam Yonimandaladevata
mitā pātu stanadvandvaṃ yonimaṇḍaladevatā
may Mita protect my breasts, and the goddess of the sacred circle my lower body;
ब्राह्मी मे जठरं पातु नाभिं नारायणी तथा ।
Brahmi Me Jatharam Patu Nabhim Narayani Tatha
brāhmī me jaṭharaṃ pātu nābhiṃ nārāyaṇī tathā
may Brahmi protect my belly and Narayani my navel;
ऊरु माहेश्वरी नित्यं चामुण्डा पातु लिङ्गकम् ॥ ९ ॥
Uru Maheshvari Nityam Chamunda Patu Lingakam
ūru māheśvarī nityaṃ cāmuṇḍā pātu liṅgakam
Maheshvari my thighs always, and Chamunda my private parts;
कौमारी च कटीं पातु तथैव जानुयुग्मकम् ।
Kaumari Cha Katim Patu Tathaiva Januyugmakam
kaumārī ca kaṭīṃ pātu tathaiva jānuyugmakam
may Kaumari protect my waist and also my knees;
अपराजिता च पादौ मे वाराही पातु चाङ्गुलीन् ॥ १० ॥
Aparajita Cha Padau Me Varahi Patu Changulin
aparājitā ca pādau me vārāhī pātu cāṅgulīn
Aparajita my feet, and Varahi my toes.
सन्धिस्थानं नारसिंही पत्रस्था देवतावतु ।
Sandhisthanam Narasimhi Patrastha Devatavatu
sandhisthānaṃ nārasiṃhī patrasthā devatāvatu
May Narasimhi protect my joints, and the goddess of the leaf my whole body.
रक्षाहीनन्तु यत्स्थानं वर्जितं कवचेन तु ॥ ११ ॥
Rakshahinantu Yatsthanam Varjitam Kavachena Tu
rakṣāhīnantu yatsthānaṃ varjitaṃ kavacena tu
Whatever place is left unprotected, not covered by this armour,
तत्सर्वं रक्ष मे देवि कालिके घोरदक्षिणे ।
Tatsarvam Raksha Me Devi Kalike Ghoradakshine
tatsarvaṃ rakṣa me devi kālike ghoradakṣiṇe
protect all of it for me, O Goddess Kalika, terrible and gracious;
ऊर्द्धमधस्तथा दिक्षु पातु देवी स्वयं वपुः ॥ १२ ॥
Urddhamadhastatha Dikshu Patu Devi Svayam Vapuh
ūrddhamadhastathā dikṣu pātu devī svayaṃ vapuḥ
above, below and in every direction, may the Goddess herself protect my body.
हिंस्रेभ्यः सर्वदा पातु साधकञ्च जलाधिकात् ।
Himsrebhyah Sarvada Patu Sadhakancha Jaladhikat
hiṃsrebhyaḥ sarvadā pātu sādhakañca jalādhikāt
May she always protect the seeker from wild beasts and from the dangers of water;
दक्षिणाकालिका देवी व्यपकत्वे सदावतु ॥ १३ ॥
Dakshinakalika Devi Vyapakatve Sadavatu
dakṣiṇākālikā devī vyapakatve sadāvatu
may Goddess Dakshina Kalika, who pervades all, always protect me.
इदं कवचमज्ञात्वा यो जपेद्देवदक्षिणाम् ।
Idam Kavachamajnatva Yo Japeddevadakshinam
idaṃ kavacamajñātvā yo japeddevadakṣiṇām
Whoever repeats the mantra of the Goddess without knowing this armour
न पूजाफलमाप्नोति विघ्नस्तस्य पदे पदे ॥ १४ ॥
Na Pujaphalamapnoti Vighnastasya Pade Pade
na pūjāphalamāpnoti vighnastasya pade pade
does not gain the fruit of worship and meets obstacles at every step.
कवचेनावृतो नित्यं यत्र तत्रैव गच्छति ।
Kavachenavrito Nityam Yatra Tatraiva Gacchati
kavacenāvṛto nityaṃ yatra tatraiva gacchati
Covered always by this armour, wherever one goes,
तत्र तत्राभयं तस्य न क्षोभं विद्यते क्वचित् ॥ १५ ॥
Tatra Tatrabhayam Tasya Na Kshobham Vidyate Kvachit
tatra tatrābhayaṃ tasya na kṣobhaṃ vidyate kvacit
there one is fearless and is never disturbed.
Dakṣiṇa Kālī is Kali in her gracious, boon-giving form — the most widely worshipped image of Kali, standing with her right foot forward on Shiva. Her kavacham is a short protective hymn found in the Kalikula Sarvasva, a Kali tantra.
It opens as a dialogue. Bhairava says that although he has heard of Kali’s great wisdom, there is still a thorn in his heart — he begs to hear her armour. The Goddess reveals it out of affection, calling Kali “mother of the worlds, destroyer of grief and sorrow, and especially in the Kali age, remover of great sins.”
Then the armour: Kali in front, Kapalini behind, Kulla on the right, Kurukulla on the left, and goddesses such as Ugra, Dipta, Nila, Ghana, Brahmi, Narayani, Maheshvari, Chamunda, Kaumari, Aparajita, Varahi and Narasimhi on each part of the body. The last verses say that the armour must accompany Kali’s worship, and that the wearer is fearless wherever they go.
Dakṣiṇa means “right” and also “generous, skilful.” In the familiar image, Dakshina Kali steps forward with her right foot, her right hands granting fearlessness and blessings.
Another tradition says the name comes from the dakṣiṇā — the gift — that she gives: liberation itself.
When to chant
How many times
Once.
Light a lamp before Kali and offer a red flower.
Chant the opening dialogue to set the intention.
As each goddess is named, picture her guarding that place on your body.
Close with the Kali Gayatri or a moment of silence.
The sounds that trip people up most in this hymn, and how to say them.
dakṣiṇa
duk-shi-na.
kurukullā
ku-ru-kul-laa.
pātu
paa-tu — “may she protect.”
What is the Dakshina Kali Kavacham?
A protective hymn from the Kalikula Sarvasva in which forms of Kali are invoked to guard every direction and every part of the body.
Who is Dakshina Kali?
The gracious, boon-giving form of Kali, the most commonly worshipped image of her, especially in Bengal.
Why does the hymn say not to reveal it?
Tantric texts often ask that their teachings be kept from those without sincerity. In practice the kavacham is widely chanted by devotees with respect.