Kanda Sashti Kavacham is a devotional poem by Sri Devaraya Swamigal, praying to Lord Muruga for protection and blessings. It is chanted especially during the six-day Skanda Sashti festival, which marks Lord Muruga's victory over the demon Soorapadman. Regular chanting is believed to remove life's hardships and bring prosperity and peace. Below are the full lyrics (Tamil in transliteration) with English meanings (translation by P.R. Ramachander).
| Lyrics | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Kural Venpa — Prayer | |
| Thuthiporkku val vinai pom, thunbam pom Nenjil pathiporkku selvam palithu kadithongum Nishtayum kaikoodum Nimalar Arul kanthar sashti kavacham thanai | The sufferings great will vanish for those who pray; the riches will increase for those who paste it in their mind; all penance will surely bear fruit, by this Sashti Kavacham written by the grace of God. |
| Kaappu — Protection | |
| amarar idar theera amaram purintha kumaranadi nenjeh kuri. | Mind, oh mine, meditate on the feet of that Young God who waged the war to end the problems of the devas. |
| The Kavacham — Armour | |
| sashtiyai nokka saravana bavanaar sishtarukku uthavum sengkathir velon paatham irandil panmani sathangai geetham paada kinkini yaada maiya nadam seiyum mayil vahananaar (5) Kayil velal ennai kakavendru uvandu Vara vara vela yuthanar varuga varuga varuga miyoloan varuga Indiran mudhala Endisai potra mandira vadivel varuga varuga (10) | Welcome to thee Oh Lord who rides on the peacock, who comes to help his devotees, accompanied by sweet songs and the pleasing sound of ringing anklets. I pray Lord Saravana Bhava to bless this poem on Sashti. Come, come, holder of the Vel. |
| vaasavan maruhaa varuha varuha nesak kuramahal ninaivon varuha aarumuham padaitha aiyaa varuha neeridum velavan nitham varuha sirahiri velavan seekkiram varuha (15) | Come, come son-in-law of Indra; come darling of the lady of the mountain; come my master who has six faces; come daily, he who holds the Vel and applies the ash; come with speed, Oh Lord of Sira Mountain. |
| saravana bavanaar saduthiyil varuha rahana bavasa ra ra ra... rihana bavasa ri ri ri... vinabava sarahana veeraa namo nama nibava sarahana nira nira nirena (20) | Oh Lord Saravana bhava, come with speed. Salutations to the great hero. (Some words are the interplay of letters that make "Saravana Bhava" in Tamil, added for the verse to be musical.) |
| vasara hanabava varuha varuha asurar kudi kedutha aiyaa varuha yennai yaalum ilaiyon kaiyil pannirendu aayutham paasaan gusamum parantha vizhihal pannirandu ilanga (25) | Come, come friend who lives within me; come lord who spoiled the lives of Asuras; come with wide open twelve graceful eyes, with weapons and pasa and angusa in your twelve hands, Oh young lord who rules over me. (Pasa is the rope, Angusa a weapon to control.) |
| virainthu yenaik kaakka velon varuha aiyum kiliyum adaivudan sauvum uyyoli sauvum uyiraiyum kiliyum kiliyum sauvum kilaroli yaiyum nilai petrenmun nithamum olirum (30) | Come Oh Lord of the Vel to protect me fast. Let Aaim, Klim and Saum (the seed invocation denoting Lord Skanda) stand and shine before me. |
| shanmuhan neeyum thaniyoli yovvum kundaliyaam siva guhan thinam varuha aaru muhamum animudi aarum neeridu netriyum neenda puruvamum panniru kannum pavalach chevvaayum (35) | Come Oh six-headed one with your brilliant light; come daily without fail, great Lord who has attained the Kundalini, with six faces and six crowns, holy ash on your forehead, long eyebrows, twelve eyes and coral-like mouth. |
| nanneri netriyil navamanich chuttiyum eeraaru seviyil ilahu kundalamum aariru thinpuyathu azhahiya maarbil palboo shanamum pathakkamum tharithu nanmanipoonda navarathna maalaiyum (40) | Come Oh Lord with decorations of nine gems on your forehead, pretty ear rings in your twelve ears, several ornaments and pendant, handsome trunk with twelve arms, and garland of nine gems. |
| muppuri noolum muthani maarbum sepppazhahudaiya thiruvayir unthiyum thuvanda marungil sudaroli pattum navarathnam pathitha nartchee raavum iru thodai azhagum enai muzhanthalum | Come with the holy three-string thread, chest decorated with pearls, pretty abdomen, silken sash and girdle, nine-gem chain on your robes, and the beauty of the two thighs and knees. |
| thiruvadi yathanil silamboli muzhanga seha gana seha gana... moga moga moga moga... naha naha naha naha... digu kuna digu digu... ra ra ra... ri ri ri... du du du... dagu dagu digu digu dangu dingugu vinthu vinthu mayilon vinthu (50) | Come with anklets on your holy feet that make jingling sounds. Oh Lord who rides the peacock, come quickly. |
| munthu munthu muruhavel munthu yenthanai yaalum yehraha selva mainthan vehndum varamahizhnth thuthavum laalaa laalaa laalaa vehshamum leelaa leelaa leelaa vinothanendru (60) unthiru vadiyai uruthi yendrennum | Rush, my Lord who has the Vel; Oh Lord of Swami Malai who rules over me, so prettily dressed and playful—grant this boon with a smile to your son. (With firm faith in your feet.) |
| yen thalai vaithun yinaiyadi kaaka yennuyirk uyiraam iraivan kaaka panniru vizhiyaal baalanaik kaaka adiyen vathanam azhahuvel kaaka (65) | Please save me who has firm faith in your feet and has placed his head on your feet. Oh God who is my soul of souls, protect; protect this child with your twelve eyes; let your pretty Vel protect my face. |
| podipunai netriyaip punithavel kaaka kathirvel irandu kanninaik kaaka vithisevi irandum velavar kaaka naasihal irandum nalvel kaaka pesiya vaaythanai peruvel kaaka (70) | Let your pure Vel protect my ash-adorned forehead; your shining Vel my two eyes; he who holds the Vel my two ears; your good Vel my two nostrils; your great Vel the mouth that speaks. |
| muppathirupal munaivel kaaka seppiya naavai sevvel kaaka kannam irandum kathirvel kaaka yennilang kazhuthai iniyavel kaaka maarbai irathna vadivel kaaka (75) | Let your sharp Vel protect my thirty-two teeth; your perfect Vel my tongue; your shining Vel my two cheeks; your sweet Vel my tender neck; your gem-studded Vel my chest. |
| serila mulaimaar thiruvel kaaka vadivel iruthol valamberak kaaka pidarihal irandum peruvel kaaka azhahudan muthuhai arulvel kaaka pazhu pathinaarum paruvel kaaka (80) | Let your holy Vel protect my chest; your straight Vel my two shoulders; your great Vel my two napes; your graceful Vel my back; your youthful Vel my sixteen ribs. |
| vetrivel vayitrai vilangave kaaka sitridai azhahura sevvel kaaka naanaam kayitrai nalvel kaaka aan penn kurihalai ayilvel kaaka pittam irandum peruvel kaaka (85) | Let your victorious Vel protect my abdomen; your pretty Vel my thin waist; your good Vel my waist thread; your pretty Vel the reproductive organs; your big Vel my two kidneys. |
| vattak kuthathai valvel kaaka panai thodai irandum paruvel kaaka kanaikaal muzhanthaal kathirvel kaaka aiviral adiyinai arulvel kaaka kaihal irandum karunaivel kaaka (90) | Let your big Vel protect my round colon; your heavy Vel my two thighs; your bright Vel my knees and calves; your graceful Vel my two feet; your merciful Vel my two hands. |
| munkai irandum muranvel kaaka pinkai irandum pinnaval irukka naavil sarasvathi natrunai yaaha naabik kamalam nalvel kakka muppaal naadiyai munaivel kaaka (95) | Let your strong Vel protect my two forearms; let Goddess Lakshmi reside in my arms and Goddess of knowledge in my tongue; your good Vel my navel; your sharp Vel the three nerve currents. |
| yeppozhuthum yenai yethirvel kaaka adiyen vasanam asaivula neram kaduhave vanthu kanahavel kaaka varum pahal thannil vachravel kaaka arai irul thannil anaiyavel kaaka (100) | Let your great Vel always protect me; your golden Vel come fast to protect me as long as I live; your diamond Vel by day and your glittering Vel in darkness. |
| yemathil saamathil yethirvel kaaka thaamatham neeki chathurvel kaaka kaaka kaaka kanahavel kaaka noaka noaka nodiyil noaka thaakka thaakka thadaiyara thaakka (105) | Let his flowing Vel protect me through all sections of the night; his craft Vel from delays; the golden Vel protect; let it be seen quickly and strike and remove all my problems. |
| paarka paarka paavam podipada billi soonyam perumpahai ahala valla bootham valaashtihap peihal allal paduthum adangaa muniyum pillaihal thinnum puzhakadai muniyum kollivaayp peihalum kuralaip peihalum penkalai thodarum bramaraa chatharum adiyanaik kandaal alari kalangida. (110) | Please see that my sins are powdered. Let black magic and great enmity go away; great devils and those who shake their tails; the uncontrollable Muni; the backyard Muni that eats babies; ghosts with fire in their mouth; ghosts that steal speech; Brahma Rakshasas that follow ladies—run away screaming when they see me. |
| irisi kaatteri ithunba senaiyum yellilum iruttilum yethirpadum mannarum kana pusai kollum kaaliyodu anaivarum vittaan gaararum migu pala peihalum thandiyak kaararum sandaalar halum yen peyar sollavum idi vizhunthodida. (115) | Let Irusi Katteri and Idumba sena; Mannar seen everywhere at night; Kali and all who kill on meeting; Vittan Karar and other ghosts and devils; Thandai Karar and debased humans—as soon as they hear my name, run away as if struck by thunder. |
| aanai adiyinil arum paavaihalum poonai mayirum pillaihal enpum nahamum mayirum neenmudi mandaiyum paavaihal udane pala kalasathudan manaiyil puthaitha vanjanai thanaiyum ottiya paavaiyum ottiya serukkum (125) kaasum panamum kaavudan sorum othu manjanamum oruvazhi pokum adiyanaik kandaal alainthu kulainthida maatran vanjahar vanthu vanangida kaala thoothaal yenai kandaal kalangida (130) | Dolls with spells, cat hair, bones of babies, claws, hairs, skulls with long hair, dolls in pots, buried in the house, pierced dolls and shapes, coins, money, rice with vegetables, spell-cast balms—let all these get confused and afraid on seeing me; make them shiver; make strangers and bad men salute me. (Signs of black magic.) |
| anji nadungida arandu purandida vaay vittalari mathi kettoda padiyinil mutta paasak kayitraal kattudan angam katharida kattu katti uruttu kaal kai muriya (135) | Make them afraid of me, roll on the floor, shout and go mad; let them dash their heads on my doorstep; tie them with your Pasa rope, tie them tight, roll them, break their hands and legs. |
| kattu kattu katharida kattu muttu muttu muzhihal pithungida sekku sekku sethil sethilaaha sokku sokku soorpahai sokku kuthu kuthu koorvadi velaal (140) patru patru pahalavan thanaleri thanaleri thanalathuvaaha viduvidu velai verundathu oda. | Tie them till they cry out; dash them till joints split; step on them till they break in the mud; pierce them with your Vel; catch the fire of the Sun, set fire till they wilt; throw your Vel till they run in fear. |
| puliyum nariyum punnari naayum yeliyum karadiyum inithodarnthu oda (145) thelum paambum seyyaan pooraan kadivida vishangal kadithuyar angam yeriya vishangal yelithudan iranga | Let tiger, fox, wolf, rat and bear run away from me. Let the poisons of scorpion, snake, millipede that have entered my body after being bitten come out with great speed. |
| polippum sulukkum oruthalai noyum vaatham sayithiyam valippu pitham (150) soolai sayam kunmam sokku sirangu kudaichal silanthi kudalvip purithi pakka pilavai padarthodai vaazhai kaduvan paduvan kaithaal silanthi parkuthu aranai paru arai yaakkum (155) yellap piniyum yendranaik kandaal nillaa thoda nee yenak arulvaay | Let wounds, sprains, one-sided headache, arthritis, cold fever, fits and bile, piles, fistula, carbuncles, strains, diseases of intestines, skin itching, partial paralysis, ringworm, bites of cat, dog and spider, toothache and all diseases vanish and run away when they see me; Lord bless me so these do not tarry. |
| eerezhula hamum yenak uravaaha aanum pennum anaivarum yenakkaa mannaal arasarum mahizhnthura vaahavum (160) | Let the seven worlds be my friends; let men and women and kings who rule become my relations with pleasure and happiness. |
| unnai thuthikka un thirunaamam saravana bavane sailoli bavanee thirupura bavane thigazholi bavane paripura bavane pavamozhi bavane arithiru maruhaa amaraa pathiyai kaathu thevarkal kadum sirai viduthaay kanthaa guhane kathir velavane kaarthihai mainthaa kadambaa kadambanai idumbanai yendra iniyavel muruhaa (165) | Let me praise your holy names: He who originated from Saravana, from flashing light, from Tripura, from holy sound; he whose feet are adorned with anklets; he who severs the cords of attachment; nephew of Vishnu and Lakshmi; who protected the devas and released them from prison; Skanda and Guha; holder of the resplendent Vel; son of the Karthika maidens; who lives in Kadamba forest; Muruga with the sweet Vel who defeated Idumba and Kadamba asuras. |
| thanihaa salane sangaran puthalvaa katirkaa mathurai kathirvel muruhaa pazhani pathivaazh baala kumaaraa aavinan kudivaazh azhahiya vela senthil maamalai yuryum sengalva raayaa samaraa purivaazh shanmuha tharase (175) | Hey lord on Thiruthani mountains; lord who is the son of Shiva; Lord Muruga with shining Vel; Lord in Kathirgamam; young Kumara in Pazhani; pretty Vela in Thiruvavingudi; Sengalva raya on Senthil mountains; king Shanmuga in Samarapuri. (The six sacred abodes of Skanda.) |
| kaarar kuzhalaal kalaimahal nandraay yennaa irukka yaan unai paada yenai thodarnthu irukkum yenthai muruhanai padinen aadinen paravasa maaha aadinen naadinen aavinan poothiyey (180) | When the Goddess of knowledge with her dark tresses placed herself on my tongue, I sang of you and of my father Murugan, danced, went into ecstasy, and sought the company of the great Lord of Thiruvavinkudi. |
| nesamudan yaan netriyil aniya paasa vinaihal patrathu neengi unpatham perave unnarulaaha anbudan rakshi annamum sonnamum metha methaaha velaayu thanaar (185) sithi petradiyen sirappudan vazhga. | When I adorned my forehead with your sacred ash, the ropes of fate were untied and I reached your feet. So protect me with love, give me food and wealth, Oh Velayudha slowly and gracefully; bless me and let me live in a great manner. |
| vaazhga vaazhga mayilon vaazhga vaazhga vaazhga vadivel vaazhga vaazhga vaazhga malai guru vaazhga vaazhga vaazhga malai kura mahaludan (190) vaazhga vaazhga vaarana thuvasam vaazhga vaazhga yen varumaihal neenga | Long live the rider of the peacock; long live the holder of the Vel; long live the god of the mountains; long live he with the mountain girl Valli; long live he with the flag of the cock; long live, and let my poverty be driven out. |
| yethanai kuraihal yethanai pizhaihal yethanai adiyen yethanai seiyinum petravan neeguru poruppathu unkadan (195) petraval kuramahal petravalaame pillai yendranbaay piriya malithu mainthan yenmeethu unmanam mahizhntharuli thanjam yendradiyaar thazhaithida arulsey kanthar sashti kavasam virumbiya (200) | You are my father and teacher, Goddess Valli my mother; it is your duty to pardon any number of errors and mistakes I make. Without parting from this your child, love this son of yours and give protection to all devotees who seek and love this Skanda Sashti Kavacham. |
| baalan theva raayan paharn thathai kaalaiyil maalaiyil karuthudan naalum aasaa rathudan angam thulakki nesamudan oru ninaivathu vaahi kanthar sashti kavasam ithanai (205) sindhai kalangaathu thiyaani pavarhal orunaal muppathaa ruru kondu othiyeh jebithu uhanthu neeraniya ashta thikkullor adangalum vasamaay thisai mannar yenmar seyalathu arulvar (210) maatrala rellaam vanthu vananguvar navakol mahizhnthu nanmai alithidum navamatha nenavum nallezhil peruvar enthanaalum eerettaay vaazhvar kantharkai velaam kavasa thadiyai (215) | Daily in the morning and evening, those who clean themselves with religious fervor and read this Skanda Sashti Kavacham thirty-six times (or with concentration, wearing sacred ash) will receive the blessings of all devas from the eight directions and the guardians; strangers will come and salute them; the nine planets will be happy and shower blessings; they will shine and live happily. This Kavacham is equivalent to a Vel. |
| vazhiyaay kaana meiyaay vilangum vizhiyaal kaana verundidum peigal pollathavarai podi podi yaakkum nallor ninaivil nadanam puriyum sarva sathuru sankaa rathadi (220) | If seen as a way, this Kavacham shows the truth; ghosts who see it with their eyes will get scared; it will powder the bad and make the good dance with joy; all enemies will be exterminated. |
| arintha yenathullaam ashta letchmihalil veera letchmikku virun thunavaaha soora bathmaavaith thunithagai yathanaal iruba thezhvarkku uvan thamuthalitha gurubaran pazhani kundrinil irukkum (225) chinna kuzhanthai sevadi potri | Oh Lord, let my mind that has understood you pray to Veera Lakshmi among the Ashta Lakshmis. My salutations to the feet of the small baby of Pazhani whose hands killed Soora Padman, who gave deathless nectar to the twenty-seven, and who is my teacher on the Pazhani Mountain. |
| yenai thadu thaatkola yendrana thullum meviya vadivurum velava potri thevargal senaa pathiye potri kuramahal manamahizh kove potri (230) | Salutations to Skanda with the Vel who has occupied my mind so I am always His; to the commander of the devas; to the darling of Valli, daughter of the mountain tribe. He whose form is strong and dazzling, praise be to Thee; he who conquered Idumba, praise be to Thee. |
| thiramihu thivya thehaa potri idumbaa yuthane idumbaa potri kadambaa potri kanthaa potri vetchi punaiyum veleh potri uyargiri kanaha sabaikor arase (235) | Salutations to the ablest of Gods with a very holy form; to him who conquered Idumba; to him who wears Kadamba flowers; to Kanda; to the Vel that wears Vetchi flowers; to the king of the golden hall of the mountain. |
| mayilnada miduvoy malaradi saranam saranam saranam saravanabava Om saranam saranam shanmuhaa saranam saranam saranam shanmuhaa saranam (239) | I surrender to the flowery feet of my Lord who travels on the peacock. I surrender, surrender, surrender to Saravanabhava; I surrender, surrender, surrender to Shanmuga. |