Kalika Kavacham

Kalika Kavacham

Translated By
P.R.Ramachander

(This is the version of the prayer as given in a book in Malayalam The prayer obviously belongs to thanthra method of worship of the Goddess. An entirely different version of the Kavacha is given in hindupurohit.weebly.com/uploads/7/3/5/.../kalikavachamenglish.doc.

“O Mother, even a dullard becomes a poet who meditates upon thee raimented with space, three-eyed, creatrix of the three worlds, whose waist is beautiful with a girdle made of numbers of dead men's arms, and who on the breast of a corpse, as thy couch in the cremation ground, enjoyest Mahakala - Karpuradistotra, VII (Woodroffe tr)
Kali's paramount place of worship is in the cremation ground, preferably at the dead of night, on a suitable day of the waning Moon. Here, her nature becomes clear and apparent. For an adept in the worship, the whole world is a cremation ground, and She, the true form of time, who by herself creates and destroys all, is personified as the pyre. There, after life, all mortals and their wishes, dreams and reflections come to their fruition, a pile of worthless ashes.”
Quoted from http://www.shivashakti.com/kali.htm)


1.Kailasa shikaraseenaam deva deva Jagat Gurum,
Sankaram pari pracha Parvathi Parameshwaram.

Sitting on the top of the Kailasa mountain Pravathi in return asked,
Sankara who is the teacher of all devas as well as the universe.

Parvathyuvacha:-
Parvathi asked:-

2.Bhagwan , deva devesa, devaanaam bhoghada prabho,
Prabroohi may Mahadeva gopyam chedh yadhi hey Prabho.

3.Shathroonaam yena nasa syadhathmano rakshaanam bhaveth,
Parameswaryamathulam labhedhyena hi thad vada.

Oh God, Oh deva of devas, Oh lord of the pleasure of the devas,
Oh Great God , please tell me that secret, if it is permitted,
By which enemies can be destroyed and souls can be protected,
As I want it from your word as you are the incomparable God.

Bhairava Uvacha:-
Bhairava told:-

4.Vakshyami they maha devi Sarva dharma vidhamvara,
Adbutham kavacham devyaa Sarva kama prasadakam.

I am seeing you who is the great goddess who formulated all Dharmas,
And would tell you that wonderful armour of the Goddess which helps to fulfill all wishes.

5.Viseshatha shathru nasam sarva rakshakaram nrunaam,
Sarvarishta prasamanam , sarvaabhadra vinasanam.

Specially it destroys all enemies and protects all beings,
And pacifies all problems and destroys all great dangers.

6.Sugadham bhogadham chaivavaseekaranamuthamam,
Shatru sanga kshayam yanthi bhavanthi vyadhi peeditha.

It leads to pleasures, makes available enjoyments and also results in great attraction,
And it reduces the number among groups of enemies and they would all be affected by illness.

7.Dukhino , jwarnam chaiva Swabheeshta drohina sthadha,
Bhoga moksha pradham chaiva kalika kavacham padeth.

For those with sorrows or fever or those with selfish enemies ,
A reading of the armour of Kalika grants enjoyment and salvation

Om asya Sri Kalika kavachasya Bhairava rishi , anushtup Chanda , sri Kalika devatha , Shatru samharattham jape viniyoga

Om for the armour of Mahakali , the sage is Bhairava , the meter is anushtup , the goddess is Maha Kali and it is being read to kill all ones enemies.

Dhyanam
Meditative verses.

8.Dhyayeth kalim Maha mayaam , trinethraam bahu roopineem,
Chathur bhujaam lalajihwam , poorna chandra nibhananaam.

I meditate on that Kali, who is a great enchantress, has three eyes,
Who has several forms, who has four hands. Who has a wagging toungue,
And who resembles the full moon in her form.

9.Neelothpala dala shyaamaam , shathru sanga vidharineem,
Nara mundam thadha gadgam, kamalam cha varam thadha.

She is of the colour of the petal of the flower of the blue lily,
She drives away the enemy crowd and she carries in her hand,
The headless corpse of men and carries a sword, lotus flower and shows the hand in form of blessing.

10.Nirbhayaam Raktha vadanaam , damshtrali ghora roopineem,
Sa aatahasa asana sthudhaam , devim sarvadaan cha digamaram.

She is without any fear , has a blood drenched face,
She is fierce looking, , She is worshipped by saints,
She is Sitting on yogic pose, She is goddess who is everywhere,
And has a clothing resembling the eight directions.

11.Savasana sthithaam kalim munda mala vibhooshithaam,
Ithi dhyathwaa Maha Kalim thasthu kavacham padeth.

Meditating on Mahakali as sitting in the yogic pose of corpse ,
And decorating herself with a garland of severed heads,
You have to read this armour.

Kavacham
Armour

12.Om Kalika ghora roopa, sarva kama phala pradha shubha,
Sarva deva sthutha devi shathru nasam karothu may.

Oh Kalika who has a fierce form and who is pure and fulfills all our wishes.
Oh Goddess who is prayed by all gods , destroy all my enemies.

13.Om hreem hreem roopineem chaiva ,
Hraam hreem hraam roopineem thadha,
Hraam hreem kshom kshoum swaroopa saa,
Sadaa shathroon vidharayeth.

Om Goddess of the form of “ Hreem and Hreem”
And also Goddess of the form of “Hraam, hreem and Hraam”,
And also the Goddess of the form, “Hraam, hreem, Kshom and Kshoum”,
Always scatter my enemies to far off places.

14.Sree hreem iym roopini , bhava bandha vimochani ,
Hoom roopini , maha kali , rakshasmaan devi Sarvadhaa.

Oh Goddess whose form is “Sreem Hreem Iym “ and who releases us from ties of this world,
Oh Goddess whose from is “Hoom” , Oh great Kali , please protect me always.

15.Yaya shumbho hatho dhaithyo , Nishumbascha Mahasura,
Vairi nasaya vandhe tham kalikaam Sankara priyaam.

Oh Goddess who killed Shumbhasura and then the great asura called Nishumbha,
I salute you , who is Kalika and one dear to Lord Shiva for destruction of my enemies

16.Brahmi, Shaivi, Vaishnavi cha Vaarahi , Narasimhika.
Kaumari , iyndri cha Chamunda Khadanthu mama vidwisha.

Oh Brahmi, Oh Shaivi, Oh Vaishnavi , Oh Varahi , Oh Narasimhi,
Oh Kaumari , oh Iyndree , Oh Chamunda please eat away those who hate me.

17.Sureswari Ghora roopa Chanda munda vinasini,
Munda mala vruthangi cha sarvatha pathu maam sadaa.

Oh goddess of devas. Oh one with fierce form . Oh killer of Chanda and Munda,
Oh One who wears garland of severed heads , Always protect me from every one.

18. Hreem, hrem hreem Kalike , ghore damshtrva rudhira priye,
Rudhiraa poorna vakthre cha rudhiranavrutha sthani ,

19.Mama shatroon Khadaya, Khadaya , himsa, himsa, maraya, maraya,
Bhindi, bhindi, Chindi, chindi, uchataya , uchataya ,
DRavaya , dravaya , soshaya , soshaya swaha.

Oh Kalika who is “Hreem, hreem , hreem” ,who is terrible ,\
Oh goddess who likes blood in her teeth ,whose mouth is full of blood,
And whose breasts are drenched in blood.

Eat, eat , trouble, trouble , kill ,kill, tear , tear , break, break,
Tear , tear , ruin, ruin , erode , erode , enfeeble , enfeeble, All my enemies.

20.Hraam , hrrem Kalikayai mama shathroon samarpayami swaha.

Hraam, Hreem , I am submitting my enemies to you, Oh Kalika.

21.Om jaya , jaya , kiri , kiri , kiti kiti , kata , kata Mardha, mardha , mohaya , mohaya,
Hara, hara mama ripoon dwamsa, dwamsa, Bhakshaya, Bhakshaya, trotaya, trotaya, yathu dhanaan Chamunde sarva jannan , raja purushaan, sthriyo mama vasyaan kuru , kuru, thanu, thanu Danyam Dhanam may aswan . gajaan , rathnaani , divya kamini , puthran, raja sriyam dehi. Yacha Kshaam ksheem kshum ksaim kshoum Kshaa swaha.

Om victory, victory , praise , praise , fry, fry , beat , beat , attract, attract , kill,kill , Annihilate my enemies, destroy, destroy , eat, eat , break, break the demons and asuras, Oh Chamunda , Put under my control all people including kings and ladies. Give me grain , wealth , horses, elephants , gems , divine damsels , sons and the wealth like a king. And now Kshaam ksheem kshum ksaim kshoum Kshaa swaha

22.Ithyedath kavacham divyam kaditham Sambhoonaa puraa,
Ye padanthi sada theshaam druvam nasyanthi sathrava.

If this armour which had been composed by Lord Shiva in ancient times,
Is read , then certainly all our enemies would be destroyed.

23.Vairina pralayam yanthi vyaadhithaa vaa bhavanthi hi,
Balaheenaa puthraheenaa Sasthra vasthasya sadhaa.

His enemies , with the speed of flood would be affected by disease,
And his enemies will always be weak and without sons.

24.SAhasra padanath sidhi kavachasya bhaveth thada,
Thath karyaani cha sidhyanthi yadha Sankara bashitham.

Those who read it one thousand times would get mastery,
And his jobs would be very easily done like the talk of Lord Shiva.

25.Smasana angaaramaadhaya choornam kruthwa prayathnatha,
Padhodhakena pishtwaa thallikhelloha sakhaya,

26.Bhoomou sathrun heena roopanthara sirasa sthadha,
Hastham dathwa thu hrudaye kavacham thu swayam padeth.

27.Sathro prana prathishtam thu kuryath manthrena manthra vith,
Hanyadasthra prakarena Sathro gacha yamakshayam.

28.Jabhad angara thapena bhavanthi jwaritha brusam,
Prochannair vamapadena daridro bhavathi druvam.

( I am not translating these slokas as I am not at all conversant with Thanthric forms of worship of the Goddess and I may give a wrong and dangerous import to these verses.)

29.Vairi nasakaram proktham kavacham vasyakarakam ,
Paramaiswarydham chaiva puthra pouthra vrudhikaram.

Apart from resulting in destruction of enemies, this prayer ,
Can attract people , result in great wealth and increase, the number of your sons and grand sons.

30.Prabhata samaye chaiva poojaa kale cha yathnatha,
SAyamkale thadha paatath sarva sidhir bhaved dhruvam

If read in the morning or at the time of worship,
Or in the evening , it is definite that you would get occult powers.

31.Sathru rucchadanam yathi desaath vaa vichytho bhaveth,
Paschad kinkarathamethi sathyam sathyam na samsaya.

Chanting it against enemies , you would be able to free your country,
And later make them your slaves. This no doubt is the truth.

32. Sathru nasa kare devi sarva sampath kare shubhe ,
Sarva deva sthuthe devi Kalike thwaam namamyaham.

I salute you Kalika who is the goddess who kills the enemies,
Who is capable of blessing with all type of wealth,
Who is auspicious and is the prayed by all devas.

Ithi Rudra Yamale Kalika kavacham sampoornam
Thus ends the armour of Kali which occurs in Rudra Yamala.