38 - Lakshmi kavacha 

Narayana said - О Brahmana, after the king, Suchandra met with his end in the battle-field, Pushakaraksha came forward in the battle-field for waging a war. He happened to be the best of the kings and was accompanied by three Akshauhini armies. 

The king who belonged to the solar dynasty, happened to be the eldest son of Suchandra, adored Mahalakshmi and had immense fortune and glory resembling the sun-rays. 

The pleasant kavacha of Mahalakshmi always adorned around his neck. He was lord of immense fortune and had conquered all the three worlds. 

Finding him there, Parashurama's brothers came forward to fight with him holding several weapons in their hands and the prince covered all of them with his arrows and the great warrior also did not lag behind in destroying the net of the arrows. 

Thereafter, those warriors shot five arrows at the king, killing his charioteer with five arrows, the charioteer and horses with ten arrows, the bow with seven arrows and the quiver with five arrows. With the use of the trident of Shiva, they destroyed all the brothers. 

The three Akshuhini armies of the king were also playfully destroyed with the shooting of the arrow and the trident of Shiva, but the trident of Shiva touching the neck of the king became like a garland of flowers. 

Thereafter, getting enraged like the burning fire-flame, the Brahmanas shot shaktis, parighas, bhushundis, mudgaras and gadas. 

О great sage, with the very touch of the body of the king, all the weapons were reduced to pieces. This surprised immensely the brothers of Bhrugu. 

Thereafter Kartavirya himself deployed the army soldiers with chariots, bows and various types of other weapons. 

О sage, the great warrior king Pushakaraksha mounted on the chariot, immensely started showering arrows. 

The warriors also faced them holding weapons in their hands, shooting arrows and destroyed the net of arrows. The king then cast a swoon on all of them and overpowered them with sleep. 

Thereafter Parashurama's brothers, who were the great warriors got wounded in the battle-field who were removed by him carefully from the battle-field. He therefore himself came forward holding a battle-axe in the hand. The hand of the king was cut-off who fell on the ground.  Parashurama caught hold of it.

Thereafter he used the trident of Shiva reciting the mantra, which cut off the kundalas of the king and went back to Shiva. 

The king on the other hand shot arrows creating a net around Parashurama but Bhrugu on his part shattered the same. 

The king however used many weapons which were destroyed by Parashurama the great archer. 

Bhrugu also used many types of weapons available with him, which were easily destroyed by the king, Parashurama then thought of attacking the king with Brahmastra but the king on coming to know about the intention of Parashurama playfully destroyed the same. 

Thereafter Parashurama was enraged and he shot the Pashupata arrow, besides several other weapons which were in turn neutralised by the king. 

О sage, then Parashurama bowed in reverence to Shiva and held the Pashupata weapons again. At that very moment Narayana, taking to the form of a Brahmana came to him with a request. 

The Brahmana said - О son, О Parashurama, you are best among the intellectuals. What is all this being done by you. You are using the great Pashupata weapon just for the killing of the ordinary human. By doing so the entire universe would be reduced to ashes together with Shiva because everything else gets destroyed by its use except lord Krishna. 

Not only this, in order to over-power Pashupata, the Sudarshana-chakra of lord Krishna will be of no consequence. It destroys all the weapons and the enemies. 

Therefore, the Pashupata of Shiva and Sudarshana-chakra of lord Krishna are believed to be the best of all the weapons. 

Therefore, О Brahmana you place the Pashupata weapon aside and listen to my words. I shall let you know the way to be victorious on Pushakaraksha. I am also going to tell you the way to become victorious over Kartavirya. You listen to me attentively. 

The king Pushakaraksha is wearing around his right arm the inaccessible kavacha of Mahalakshmi.

 The son of Pushkaraksha has also tied the kavacha of goddess Durga around his right arm. With the influence of the kavachas both of them are competent enough to over-power the entire universe. Therefore, till such time as the kavachas are worn by them, no one can defeat them. 

О sage, I am therefore proceeding to both of them begging for the kavachas after which you will meet with success." 

On hearing the words of the Brahmana, the mind of Parashurama feit panicky and with a painful heart, he spoke to the Brahmana. 

Parashurama said - О great intellectual, I am not aware, as to who you are and why you have appeared in the form of an old Brahmana. First of all, you enlighten a foolish person like me on this and then proceed to the king." 

On hearing the words of Jamadagni, Brahmana smiled and said - "I am Vishnu."  Thereafter the lord Vishnu went for begging alms. 

Approaching both of them he begged for the kavachas. Both of them influenced by the illusion of Vishnu handed over their respective kavachas to him and lord Vishnu went back to Vishnuloka carrying both of them with him. 

Narada said - О great sage, who had bestowed the kavacha of Mahalakshmi? I am anxious to know about it. 

Who gave the invaluable kavacha of Durga to Pushkaraksha? You tell me all this. 

You kindly tell me, О teacher of the universe, all about both the kavachas and the relevant mantras and the result thereof. 

Narayana said - The kavacha of Mahalakshmi has the ten-letter mantra, secret stotra, her life story as brought out in the Samaveda, the dhyanam and the method of adoration which was revealed to Pushkaraksha by Sanatkumara. 

In the earlier times the Durga-kavacha was endowed by Durvasa to the king and the secret stotra and the ten-letter mantra. 

The extremely astonishing kavacha of the goddess Durga shall be told to you later, which was handed over to the kings at the start of the great war. Currently I am revealing the mantra of Mahalakshmi to you Om Kamalavaasinyai Svaha This is the best of the mantras. 

О sage, the dhyanam, the method of adoration, whatever was revealed by Sanatkumara to Puskaraksha is being retold by me. You please listen to it. 

Mahalakshmi, the beloved of lord Vishnu, is lodged on the lotus of a thousand petals. She is chaste, lotus-faced, having the eyes like lotus flowers and she is like the lotus flowers. She sleeps on the bed of lotus flowers and holds the lotus stalk in her hand. She wears garlands of lotus flowers and is also adorned with the ornaments of lotus flowers. She increases the glory of lotus flowers, looks at the forest of lotus flowers and she is the one who wears a serene smile on her face. I serve her with devotion. 

One should write it on the lotus with ten petals and should adorn her with lotus flowers; her attendants should also be adored and the offerings of sixteen types should be made to her, after making prayers. Thereafter, the devotees should bow before her with devotion. (O Brahmana, now you listen from me about the essence of all the kavachas from me. 

Narayana said - О best of the Brahmana, this is the best kavacha of Lakshmi which was bestowed by lord Padmanabha on Brahma who emerged seated on a lotus from the navel of Vishnu. Brahma after receiving the kavacha started the creation of the universe seated on the lotus and with the grace of Lakshmi, he achieved all the riches. 

After receiving a boon from Lakshmi, Brahma, the lord of the universe then imparted the knowledge of the kavacha to his intelligent son Sanatkumara. О Narada, the same kavacha was bestowed by Sanatkumara to Pushkaraksha. 

By wearing and reciting the same Brahma became the great lord and was bestowed with all the fortunes and riches. 

By wearing this, Kubera became the lord of riches and wealth and by wearing this Manu became Svayambhuva. 

О sage, by wearing this Priyavrata and Uttanapada gained all the riches and the king Pruthu became the king of his kingdom.

With the grace of this kavacha Daksa became Prajapati. By the grace of this kavacha, dharma became the witness of all and by wearing it around the right arm, Vishnu became the dweller of the ocean of milk and with the grace of Narayana, Sesha became devoted to the lord. 

By wearing it, Kashyapa became Prajapati and achieved Vamana as a son. Mahendra also became the lord of the gods with the same. 

By wearing it Maruta became the lord; the great king Nahusha became the lord of the three worlds. By reciting it or wearing it, the king Khatvanga conquered the entire universe and Mucukunda the son of king Mandhata became the great lord. 

The kavacha which bestows all the fortune and riches has Prajapati as its Rsi, Bruhati as the metre, Lakshmi herself is the goddess and one should resolve to achieve dharma, artha, kamа and moksa with this mantra. This is quite an astonishing kavacha and is the sacred seed for becoming glorious. 

Om Hreem Kamalavaasinyai Svaha should protect my forehead. Sreem should protect my head. Sri Sriyai Namah should protect my eyes. 

Om Sreem Sriyai Svaha should protect my ears. Om Sreem Kleem Mahalakshmyai Svaha should protect my nose. 

Om Sreem Padanalayay Svaha should protect my teeth. Om Sreem Krishna Priyayai Namah should protect nostrils.

Om Sreem Narayaneshayai should protect my neck. Om Sreem Keshava Kanhayai should protect my shoulders. 

Om Sreem Padanvaasinyai Svaha should protect my navel. Om Hreem Sreem Samsaramatre should protect my chest. 

Om Sreem Krishna Kantayai Svaha should protect my back. Om Hreem Sreem Sriyai Svaha should protect my hands. 

Om Sreem Nivasakantayai should protect my feet. Om Hreem Sreem Sriyai Svaha should protect all my limbs. 

The eastern direction should be protected by Mahalakshmi, south-east by Kamalalaya, southern direction by Padma, south-west by Haripriya, western direction by Padmalaya, north-west should be protected by the goddess herself. The northern region should be protected by Kamala, the north-east by Sindhu-kanya. 

The upper region should be protected by Narayani and the lower region by Vishnu Priya.  Vishnupranadhika protects all directions.

0 son, thus I have explained to you the kavacha which bestows the fortune and is the best of all the mantras, being the astonishing one. 

The merit one gets by giving in charity heaps of gold measuring the Meru mountain will be of no consequence as compared to the merit one derives by reciting this kavacha. 

One should wear this kavacha round the neck or around the right arm, adoring the teacher in a proper manner and by doing so one becomes lord of Lakshmi in all one's births. 

The goddess of riches resides in his house up to hundred generations. He remains infallible from the gods and the demons. 

The one who wears the kavacha around his neck always becomes virtuous, intelligent, a performer of all the yajnas and earns the merit of taking a bath in all the sacred places. 

Therefore, it should not be parted with because of greed, passion and fear to anyone else. It should be given to a person who is devoted to his teacher and takes refuge under him. 

The one who adores Lakshmi the mother of the universe, without knowing folly well about it, cannot succeed with this mantra even after reciting it crores of times.