Rahu Kavacham
Maṅgalācaraṇa (invocation) 1
śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ ||
Viniyoga (dedication) 1
oṃ asya śrīrāhukavacastotramantrasya candramā ṛṣiḥ, anuṣṭupchandaḥ, rāṃ bījam, namaḥ śaktiḥ, svāhā kīlakam, rāhukṛta pīḍānivāraṇārthe, dhanadhānya, āyurārogya ādi samṛddhi prāptayarthe jape viniyogaḥ ||
Dhyāna (meditation) 1
praṇamāmi sadā rāhuṃ śūrpākāraṃ kirīṭinam | saiṃhikeyaṃ karālāsyaṃ lokānāmabhayapradam || 1||
Kavaca (the armour) 5
nīlāmbaraḥ śiraḥ pātu lalāṭaṃ lokavanditaḥ | cakṣuṣī pātu me rāhuḥ śrotre tvardhaśarīravān || 2||
nāsikāṃ me dhūmravarṇaḥ śūlapāṇirmukhaṃ mama | jihvāṃ me siṃhikāsūnuḥ kaṇṭhaṃ me kaṭhināṅghrikaḥ || 3||
bhujaṅgeśo bhujau pātu nīlamālyāmbaraḥ karau | pātu vakṣaḥsthalaṃ mantrī pātu kukṣiṃ vidhuntudaḥ || 4||
kaṭiṃ me vikaṭaḥ pātu ūrū me surapūjitaḥ | svarbhānurjānunī pātu jaṅghe me pātu jāḍyahā || 5||
gulphau grahapatiḥ pātu pādau me bhīṣaṇākṛtiḥ | sarvāṇyaṅgāni me pātu nīlacandanabhūṣaṇaḥ || 6||
Phalaśruti (fruits of recitation) 1
rāhoridaṃ kavacamṛddhidavastudaṃ yo bhaktyā paṭhatyanudinaṃ niyataḥ śuciḥ san | prāpnoti kīrtimatulāṃ śriyamṛddhimāyu- rārogyamātmavijayaṃ ca hi tatprasādāt || 7||
Samāpana (conclusion) 1
|| iti śrīmahābhārate dhṛtarāṣṭrasañjayasaṃvāde droṇaparvaṇi rāhukavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||
śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ ||
oṃ asya śrīrāhukavacastotramantrasya candramā ṛṣiḥ, anuṣṭupchandaḥ, rāṃ bījam, namaḥ śaktiḥ, svāhā kīlakam, rāhukṛta pīḍānivāraṇārthe, dhanadhānya, āyurārogya ādi samṛddhi prāptayarthe jape viniyogaḥ ||
praṇamāmi sadā rāhuṃ śūrpākāraṃ kirīṭinam | saiṃhikeyaṃ karālāsyaṃ lokānāmabhayapradam || 1||
nīlāmbaraḥ śiraḥ pātu lalāṭaṃ lokavanditaḥ | cakṣuṣī pātu me rāhuḥ śrotre tvardhaśarīravān || 2||
nāsikāṃ me dhūmravarṇaḥ śūlapāṇirmukhaṃ mama | jihvāṃ me siṃhikāsūnuḥ kaṇṭhaṃ me kaṭhināṅghrikaḥ || 3||
bhujaṅgeśo bhujau pātu nīlamālyāmbaraḥ karau | pātu vakṣaḥsthalaṃ mantrī pātu kukṣiṃ vidhuntudaḥ || 4||
kaṭiṃ me vikaṭaḥ pātu ūrū me surapūjitaḥ | svarbhānurjānunī pātu jaṅghe me pātu jāḍyahā || 5||
gulphau grahapatiḥ pātu pādau me bhīṣaṇākṛtiḥ | sarvāṇyaṅgāni me pātu nīlacandanabhūṣaṇaḥ || 6||
rāhoridaṃ kavacamṛddhidavastudaṃ yo bhaktyā paṭhatyanudinaṃ niyataḥ śuciḥ san | prāpnoti kīrtimatulāṃ śriyamṛddhimāyu- rārogyamātmavijayaṃ ca hi tatprasādāt || 7||
|| iti śrīmahābhārate dhṛtarāṣṭrasañjayasaṃvāde droṇaparvaṇi rāhukavacaṃ sampūrṇam ||
About this text
Introduction
The Shri Rahu Kavacham is a protective “armour” hymn dedicated to Rahu, the shadow-planet among the Navagraha, found in the Drona Parva of the Mahabharata within the dialogue of Dhritarashtra and Sanjaya. Invoking Rahu through his many names — Nilambara, Sainhikeya, Svarbhanu, Dhumravarna, Bhujangesha, Vidhuntuda, Grahapati and others — the devotee seeks protection for every limb from head to foot, and the closing verse recounts the merit of daily recitation: fame, prosperity, long life, health and self-mastery.
The Sanskrit text is reproduced verbatim from a canonical source; the meanings are explanatory. For correct pronunciation and practice, guidance from a qualified teacher is advisable.
References 2
- Sanskrit Documents — राहुकवचम् — rAhukavach, proofread ITRANS (Ravin Bhalekar)
संस्कृत मूल पाठ इसी प्रामाणिक स्रोत से अक्षरशः; अर्थ व्याख्यात्मक। धार्मिक समीक्षा अपेक्षित।
Licence: Verified against sanskritdocuments.org
- Hindupedia — Rahu Kavacham — English verse-by-verse meaning (body-part protection + phalashruti)
Meanings are compiled and edited by the Ved Path team, and are being progressively reviewed for accuracy.
