Lakshmana Kavacham

Lakshmana Kavacham

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(Lakshmana the younger brother of Lord Rama is considered as incarnation of Adhi Sesha. There is a temple dedicated o him in Moozhikulam Kerala. There is also a temple for him in Khajuraho, Orissa . This rare prayer addressed to him is taken from a Malayalam book, “49 Kavachangal” published by Vidhyarambham press..)

Agasthya Uvacha:-
Soumithrim raghu nayakasya charana dwandwekshanam, shyamalam
Bhibrantham swakarena rama sirasi chathram vichithrambaram.
Bhibrantham Raghunayakasya sumahath kodhanda banasane,
Tham Vande kamalekshanam janakaja vakhye sada thathparam.

Sage Agasthya told:-

My salutations to the lotus eyed one,
Who is the son of queen Sumithra,
Who always sees the pair of feet,
Of the Lord of the Raghu clan and is black,
Who with his own hands holds ,
The umbrella over Rama’s head and wears pretty cloths,
Who carries the great Kodanda bow ,
Of the leader of Raghu clan in his hand,
And who is always interested in ,
The words of Rama who is like his father.

Asya Sri Lakshmana Kavacha manthrasya , agasthya rishi, anushtup chanda, Sri Lakshmana devatha, sesha ithi bheejam , Sumithra nandana ithi Shakthi, Ramanuja ithi keelakam, Rama dasa ithyasthram, , Raghu vamsatha ithi kavacham Soumithrir ithi mantra, Sri Lakshmana preethyartham , sakala mano abhilashitha sidhyartham jape viniyoga.

For the arm our of Lakshmana, the sage is Agasthya, the meter is anushtup, The god addressed is Lakshmana, The seed is Adhi Sesha, the power is the son of Sumithra , the nail is the brother of Rama, the arrow is the servant of Rama , The one who belongs to Raghu’s clan is the armour , the chant is son of Sumithra and this is being chanted to please Lakshmana as well as to attain all the desires of the mind.

Adha Kara Nyasa:-
Now the rituals with hand:-

Om Lakshmanaya Angushtabhyam nama
Om Seshaya Tharjaneebhyam nama
Om Sumithra nandanaya madhyamabhyam nama
Om Ramanujaya anamikabhyam nama
Om Rama dasaya kanishtikabhyam nama
Om Raghu vamsajaya kara thala kara prushtabhyam nama

Om salutations to Lakshmana touch with the thumb
Om Salutations to Adhi Sesha , touch with the second finger
Om salutations to son of Sumithra touch with the middle finger
Om salutations to brother of Rama touch with the fourth finger
Om Salutations to the servant of Rama touch with the little finger
Om salutations to the one of Raghu clan touch with the front and back of the hand.

Adha anga Nyasa
Now rituals with organs

Om Lakshmanaya Hrudayaya nama
Om SEshaya sirase swaha
Om Sumithra nandanaya shikhayai voushat
Om Ramanujaya kavachaya hoom,
Om Rama dasaya nethraya voushat
Om Raghu vamsaya Ashthraya phat
Om Soumithraye ithi dig bandha
Ithi Hrudhyadhi Shadanga Nyasa

Om salutations to Lakshmna with touching of the heart
Om Salutation to Sesha with touching of head,
Om salutations to son of Sumithra touching the hair,
Om brother of Rama thinking of the armour
Om salutations to servant of Rama, touching the eye
Om salutations to the member of Raghu clan , meditate on the arrow
Om Son of Sumithra and tie all the directions

Thus complete the ritual of the six organs.

Adha dhyanam
Now meditation

1.Rama prushta sthitham , ramyam , rathna kundala dharinam,
Neelothpala dala shyamam, rathna kankana manditham.

Meditate on him who is in the back side of Rama,
Who is pretty , wears gem studded ear globes,
Who is black like the blue lotus and wears gem studded bangles.

2.Ramasya masthake divyam , bhibratham chatham uthamam,
Vara peethambara daram , mukatenathi shobhitham

He who holds the great Umbrella over the divine head of Rama,
Who wears the blessed yellow silk and shines with his crown.

3.Thuneeram karmukam chapi bhibratham cha smithananam,
Rathna mala dharam divyam pushpa mala virajitham.

Carrying the bow and arrow case, having a smiling face ,
Wearing a gem studded necklace and also wearing a holy flower garland.

4.Evam dhyathwa Lakshmanam cha Ragahava anyastha lochanam,
Kavacham japaneeyam hi thatho Bhakthyathra manavai

After meditating on Lakshmana like this and seeing Rama in the other eye,
Later the devotes would chant this armour .

5.Lakshmana pathu may poorvam , dakshine Raghavanuja,
Pratheechyam pathu Soumithri, pathu udeechyam Raghuthama

Let Lakshmana protect my east , Let brother of Rama protect my south,
Let son of Sumithra protect my west and the good son of Raghu clan protect my north .

6.Adha pathu Maha veera , schordhwam pathu nrupathmaja,
Madhye pathu Rama dasa, sarvadha Sathya palaka

Let my beginning be protected by the great hero,
My top by the son of the king , middle by the servant of Rama,
And all my form by the protector of truth.

7.Smithanana sira pathu, Phalam cha thu Urmiladhava,
Brovor madhye dhanur dhari, sumithranandhano akshini.

Let the smiling faced one protect my head,
Let my forehead be protected by the husband of Urmila,
Let he who is armed with a bow protect the place in between my eyes,
And let the son of Sumithra protect my eyes.

8.Kaple Rama manthri cha sarvadha pathu vai mama,
Karna moole sada pathu Kabanda bhuja khandana.

Let the minister of Rama always protect my skull,
Let the tip of my ears be protected by he who cut off the hands of Kabandha.

9.Nasagram may sada pathu Sumithrananda vardhana,
Ramanyasthe Kshana pathu sada may athra mukham bhuvi.

Let he who increases the happiness of Sumithra protect the tip of my nose,
Let my mouth be protected by he who protects Rama always.

10.Sita vakya kara pathu may vanim sada thrahi,
Soumya roopa pathu jihwam, anatha pathu dwijaan.

Let he who obeys the word of Sita always protect my voice,
Let the calm looking one protect my toungue ,
And let the God Anantha protect the Brahmins.

11.Chibukam pathu rakshogna, kandam pathwa suradhana,
Skandhou pathu jitharathir , bhujou pankaja lochana

Let the killer of Rakshasa protect my chin,
Let the killer of Asuras protect my neck,
Let he who has won over the night protect my shoulders,
Let the lotus eyed one protect my arms.

12.Karou kankana dhari cha nakhaan rathna nakhovathu,
Kukshim pathu vinidhro may Vaksha pathu Jithendriya

Let my hands be protected by one who wears bracelet,
Let my nails be protected by one who has pearl like nails,
Let the sleepless one protect my abdomen,
And let the one who has won over his senses protect my breast

13.Parsve Raghava prushtastha, prushtadesam mano rama,
Nabhim Gambheera nabhisthu, katim charukma mekhala.

Let my sides be protected by he who is behind Rama,
Let my back be protected by the one entertains the mind,
Let my navel be protected by one who has a great navel,
Let my hip be protected by one who has a pretty girdle.

14.Guhyam pathu saharasrasya, pathu lingam haripriya,
Ooru pathu Vishnu thulya, Sumukho aavathu jahnuni

Let my private parts be protected by the thousand tongued one,
Let the friend of Vishnu protect my penis,
Let my thigh be protected by one equal to Vishnu,
And let the pleasant one protect my knee.

15.Nagendra pathu may jange , gulphou noopuravaan mama,
Pada vanga thatho avyath, pathwangini sulochana.

Let the king of serpents protect my thigh,
Let my ankle be protected by he who wears anklets,
Let my feet be protected by father of Vanga,
And let the good eyed one protect my smart limbs

16.Chithra Kethu pitha pathu mama padanguli sada,
Romani may sada pathu ravi vamsa samudhbhava.

Let the father of Chithra Kethu always protect my fingers of legs,
Let my hair be protected by one who was born in clan of Sun.

17.Dasaratha sutha pathu nisayaam mama sadaram,
Bhoogoladhari maam pathu divase divase sadaa

Let the son of Dasaratha protect me at night with care,
Let the one who lifts the earth protect me during day time

18.Sarva kaleshu maam indra jit hantha aavathu sarvada,
Evam soumithri kavacham Sutheeshna kaditham yo.

Let at all times I may be protected by the killer of Indra jit.
This is the armour of Lakshmana as told by Sutheeshna.

19.Idham pratha samuthaya ye padanthyathra manava,
They dhanya manavaa loke theshaam cha saphalo bhava.

If this can be read by man as soon as he rises up in the morning,
That blessed man would achieve positive results.

20.Soumithre kavachasyasya padaan nischayena hi,
Puthrarthi labhathe puthran , dhanarthi dhanam aapnuyath,

It is definitely true that if this armour of Lakshmana is read,
He who wants to get a son will get a son,
And one who is interested in wealth will get wealth.

21.Pathnee kamo labeth pathnim , go dhanarthyi thu godhanam,
Dhanyarthi prapnuyath dhanyam , rajyarthi Rajyamapnuyath.

He who wishes for a wife will get a wife,
He who wishes for wealth of cows with get cow wealth,
He who is interested in grains would get grains.
And he who wants a kingdom will get a kingdom.

22.Paditham Rama kavacham , Soumithri kavacham vinaa,
Gruthena heenam naivedhyam , thena datham na samsaya

Reading of armour of Rama without reading this armour of Lakshmana,
Is without doubt like offering food offering to God without ghee.

23.Kevalam rama kavacham paditham manavair yadhi,
Thath padenaa thu santhushto ne bhaved Raghu nandana,

Those people who read only the armour of Lord Rama,
Should know that Rama will not become happy by this.

24.Atha prayathnatha chedam Soumithri kavacham narai,
Padaneyam sarva dhaiva sarva vanchitha dayakam.

This reading of Armour of Lakshmana would give a man,
All that he wishes and would please all gods.

Ithi Srimad Ananda Ramayane Sutheeshnaa agasthya samvadhe ,
Sri Lakshmna Kavacham sampoornam.

Thus ends the armour of Lakshmana which occurs in the
Conversation between Agasthya and Sutheeshna which occurs in Ananda Ramayana.