Brahmāṇḍamohana Durgā Kavaca
The Brahmāṇḍamohana Durgā Kavaca is the kavaca (armour-prayer) of Devī Durgā that charms all the worlds. It is found in the Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakṛti Khaṇḍa, chapter 66. It is one of the most exalted kavacas of that Purāṇa. Bhagavān Kṛshṇa first gave it to Brahmā. Brahmā taught it to Dharma at the Gaṅgā, and Dharma taught it to Nārada at Pushkara.
Many wore it and gained great gifts from it: Bhagavān Śiva before the war with the Tripurāsuras, Brahmā against Madhu and Kaiṭabha, Bhadrakālī, Indra and others.
How the kavaca came down
- Bhagavān Kṛshṇa gave it to Brahmā. This was the first giving.
- Brahmā gave it to Dharmarāja at the tīrtha on the Gaṅgā.
- Dharmarāja gave it to Nārada in the kshetra of Pushkara.
The greatness of the kavaca
Before he gives the kavaca itself, Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa tells Nārada its history.
- Bhagavān Śiva wore this kavaca and so destroyed the Tripurāsuras.
- Brahmā wore it and so lost his fear of Madhu and Kaiṭabha.
- Bhadrakālī wore it and so destroyed Raktabīja and the rākshasas.
- Indra wore it and so won back his lost rājyalakshmī (royal sovereignty).
- Mahākāla became a cirajīvī (one who lives through all time) by the power of this kavaca.
- Nandiśvara wore it and became a mahājñānī (a great knower).
- Śrī Rāmacandra wore it and became a mahājñānī.
- Durvāsa Maharshi wore it and so became equal to Bhagavān Śiva.
The mantras of the kavaca
The root mantra of the kavaca is the six-syllable shaḍakshara mantra:
Oṃ Durgā Devyai svāhā
It is called a kalpa-vṛksha (wish-fulfilling tree) for devotees. The ṛshi and the chandas of the kavaca are known through guru-paramparā (the line of gurus).
One who gets this mantra from the mouth of a guru becomes equal to Bhagavān Śiva.
Protection of the body
| Part of the body | Mantra | Name of Durgā |
|---|---|---|
| Head (śiras) | Oṃ Durgāyai namaḥ | Durgā |
| Face (mukha) | Oṃ Durgāyai namaḥ | Durgā |
| Throat (kaṇṭha) | Oṃ Durgirakshaya | Durgi (protectress) |
| Throat (second mantra) | Oṃ hrīṃ śrīṃ Durgāyai namaḥ | Durgā with the śrī-bīja |
| Back (pṛshṭha) | Oṃ hrīṃ klīṃ Durgāyai namaḥ | Durgā with hrīṃ and klīṃ |
| Chest (vakshaḥ) | Hrīṃ | Hrīṃ (the śakti-bīja) |
| Hands (hasta) | Śrīṃ | Śrīṃ (the lakshmī-bīja) |
| All limbs, in sleep and waking | Oṃ śrīṃ hrīṃ klīṃ | The three bījas together |
Protection of the directions
| Direction | Name of Durgā |
|---|---|
| East (Pūrva) | Durgā |
| Southeast (Āgneya) | Caṇḍikā |
| South (Dakshiṇa) | Bhadrakālī |
| Southwest (Nairṛta) | Māheśvarī |
| West (Paścima) | Vārāhī |
| Northwest (Vāyavya) | Sarvamaṅgalā |
| North (Uttara) | Vaishṇavī |
| Northeast (Īśāna) | Śivapriyā |
Protection everywhere
Jagadambikā, the mother of the world, protects in water (jala), on land (sthala) and in the sky (antariksha) at all times.
Who may receive the kavaca
Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa warns Nārada that this kavaca is not to be given to everyone. One who wants to receive it must do three things.
- Go to a guru who is fit to teach it.
- Worship the guru as the śāstra says, with ornaments, gandha (sandalwood paste) and honours.
- Receive the kavaca through guru-anugraha (the grace of the guru).
One who has been blessed in this way and wears the kavaca becomes Vishṇu-tulya (equal to Bhagavān Vishṇu in spiritual standing).
The phala
- Wearing this kavaca gives puṇya equal to visiting all the holy tīrthas and walking once round the whole earth (bhū-pradakshiṇā).
- Reciting or wearing it five lakh (500,000) times (pañca-laksha) gives siddhi of the kavaca.
- One who has the kavaca perfected (siddha-kavacin) cannot be touched by any weapon.
- Even if he falls into water or fire, he will not die, by the power of the kavaca.
- The wearer becomes jīvan-mukta (freed while living) and sarvā-siddheśvara (master of all siddhis).
- The siddha-kavacin becomes Vishṇu-samāna (equal to Bhagavān Vishṇu).
The closing words
Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa says to Nārada: “I have now told you the Prakṛti Khaṇḍa, which is higher even than the Amṛta Khaṇḍa.” He adds that Durgā Devī is Mūlaprakṛti. Gaṇapati is her son. He was born through Durgā’s practice of the Kṛshṇa-vrata, after which Bhagavān Kṛshṇa himself took birth as Gaṇapati through his own aṃśa.
One who hears this Prakṛti Khaṇḍa from a brāhmaṇa should honour that brāhmaṇa with a feast and with dāna of gold, cows with calves, garments, ornaments and garlands of flowers. The book itself is to be worshipped with flowers and devotion.
Sources
- Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa, Prakṛti Khaṇḍa, Chapter 66