Skanda Sashti Kavacham Armour of Skanda Sashti)

Skanda Sashti Kavacham Armour of Skanda Sashti)

By Deva Raya Swamigal

Translated to english by P.R.Ramachander

“Kanda Shasti Kavasam is composed by Devaraya Swamigal. This is a rare and valuable treasure that helps one to be successful in day-to-day life.

In Kanda Sasti Kavacam the author prays to Lord Muruga to shower His grace. It is certain that by regular chanting of this kavacam all the predicaments of life are resolved. People without children will enjoy .. Prosperity and plenty will abound. Peace will prevail at home. The devotee who reads it will enjoy every good fortune under the sun. As a warrior going to battle puts on armour to protect himself, the Kanda Sasti Kavacam also helps one to be safe in day-to-day life”

A few words about Sashti

Sashti is the day the Lord Subramanya defeated the demon Soorapadma and saved
the Earth from his evils. When the devas couldn’t tolerate the evil doings of
this demon, they approached the younger son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. The kind
Lord went on a war against Soorapadman. The war was waged for six days, at the
end of which the Lord vanquished the asura. He threw his weapon at him and
Soorapadman was split into two halves. One half became a peacock, which He took
as His vaahana. The other became a cock and was transformed into his flag.

The devas, who were tormented by Soorapadman, rejoiced – they praised the Lord
and prayed to him for six days. Devotees usually narrate the kanda sashti
kavacham, during this period. Whoever fasts for these six days of Skanda Sashti
and prays to Lord Muruga steadfastly, it is said that they would get the
blessings of Lord Muruga. Those who are unable to fast for a whole day for a
six-day duration, can eat just one meal during this period.

Kural Venpa

Thuthiporkku val vinai pom,

Nenjil pathiporkku selvam palithu kadithongum

Nishtayum kaikoodum

Nimalar Arul kanthar sashti kavacham thanai

Prayer

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

amarar idar theera amaram purintha
kumaranadi nenjeh kuri.

Protection

Mind, oh mine, meditate

On the feet of that Young God,

Who waged the war,

To end the problems of devas, great.

The Kavacham

sashtiyai nokka saravana bavanaar
sishtarukku uthavum sengkathir velon
paatham irandil panmani sathangai
geetham paada kinkini yaada
maiya nadam seiyum mayil vahananaar (5)

Welcome to thee Oh, Lord,

Who rides on the peacock,

Who comes to help his devotees,

Who comes accompanied by sweet songs,

Who comes with pleasing sound of ringing anklets,

Made by numerous bells tied to your feet.

And I pray Lord Saravana Bhava,

To bless this poem on Sashti.

kaiyil velaal yenaik kaakka vendr uvanthu
varavara velah yuthanaar varuha
varuha varuha mayilon varuha
inthiran mudhalaa yendisai potra
manthira vadivel varuha varuha (10)

Having thought to protect me by the Vel in your hand,

Come, come Oh, boon giving Hero with the Vel,

Come, come, he who rides the peacock, come,

Come the Commander in Chief of Indra, come,

With all the eight directions singing your fame,

And please come, come , he who has the magical 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 mountain,

Come my master who has six faces,

Come daily he who holds the Vel^{^*},

And who applies the ash,

Come with speed, Oh Lord of Sira Mountain,

Come with speed, Of holder of the Vel.

saravana bavanaar saduthiyil varuha
rahana bavasa ra ra ra ra ra ra ra
rihana bavasa ri ri ri ri ri ri ri
vinabava sarahana veeraa namo nama
nibava sarahana nira nira nirena (20)

Oh Lord Saravana bhava, Come with speed,

rahana bavasa ra ra ra ra ra ra ra
rihana bavasa ri ri ri ri ri ri ri
vinabava sarahana,

Salutations and salutations to the great hero,

nibava sarahana nira, nira ,nirena

(Some words are reproduced, because they are the interplay of the letters that make “Saravana Bhava” written in Tamil and have been added to make the verse musical. They may have hidden meaning, which this translator is not aware of.)

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 the wide open twelve graceful eyes,

Come with weapons and pasa and angusa in your twelve hands,

Come, Oh young lord, who rules over me.

(Pasa is the rope and Angusa is 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 Vel to protect me fast,

Let Aaim, Klim and Saum which reach to you,

The Saum with its brilliant light,

The Klim which is like the soul,

And Klim, Saum and the sweet sounding Aaim,

Stand and shine before me.

(Aaim, Klim and Saum form the part of the Bhija manthra (seed invocation) that denotes Lord Skanda)

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,

And come with thine six faces with six crowns,

With holy ash applied on your forehead,

With your long eye brows,

And with your twelve eyes and coral like mouth.

(Kundalani is the thousand-petal lotus in the bottom of the brain. It is believed that on opening it ,all knowledge will automatically be yours.)

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 in your forehead,

With pretty ear rings shining in your twelve ears,

With several ornaments and pendant shining.

In thine, handsome trunk with twelve arms,

And with the garland of nine gems inlaid with precious stones.

muppuri noolum muthani maarbum
sepppazhahudaiya thiruvayir unthiyum
thuvanda marungil sudaroli pattum
navarathnam pathitha nartchee raavum

Come Oh Lord,

With the holy three stringed thread,

With your chest decorated with pearls,

With your very pretty abdomen which has been praised,

With silken sash and girdle around your waist,

And with nine gems chain adorning your silken robes.

thiruvadi yathanil silamboli muzhanga
seha gana seha gana seha gana segana
moga moga moga moga moga moga mogana
naha naha naha naha naha naha nahena
digu kuna digu digu digu kuna diguna (50)

ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra
ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri
du du du du du du du du du du du du du du du
dagu dagu digu digu dangu dingugu
vinthu vinthu mayilon vinthu

Come Oh Lord,

With anklets in thine holy feet,

Which make jingling sounds, like,

seha gana seha gana seha gana segana
moga moga moga moga moga moga mogana
naha naha naha naha naha naha nahena
digu kuna digu digu digu kuna diguna

ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra
ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri
du du du du du du du du du du du du du du du
dagu dagu digu digu dangu dingugu
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)

Rush Oh rush, my Lord who has the Vel,

Oh Lord of Swami Malai^{^*}, who rules over me,

Who is so prettily dressed,

And who is so playful.

Grant this boon with smile to your son,

unthiru vadiyai uruthi yendrennum
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 thine feet,

And who has placed his head on your feet,

Oh God who is my soul of souls protect,

Please 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
Let your shining Vel protect my two eyes,

Let he holds the Vel protect my two ears,

Let your good Vel protect my two nostrils,

Let your great Vel protect the mouth, which 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,

Let your perfect Vel protect my tongue, which tells,

Let your shining Vel protect my two cheeks,

Let your sweet Vel protect my tender neck,
Let your gem studded Vel protect 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,

Let your straight Vel protect my two shoulders,

Let your great Vel protect my two napes,

Let your graceful Vel protect my back,

Let your youthful Vel protect 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,

Let your pretty Vel protect my thin waist,

Let your good Vel protect my waist thread,

Let your pretty Vel protect the reproductive organs,

Let your big Vel protect 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,

Let your heavy Vel protect my two thighs,

Let your bright Vel protect the two knees and calves,

Let your graceful Vel protect my two feet,

Let your merciful Vel protect 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,

Let Goddess of knowledge reside in my tongue,

Let your good Vel protect my belly button.

Let your sharp Vel protect 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,

Let your golden Vel come fast,

To protect me as long as I am alive,

Let your diamond Vel protect me in day time,

Let your glittering Vel protect me 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 all the sections of the night,

Let his craft Vel protect me from delays,

Let the golden Vel protect and protect,

Let it be seen quickly and quickly,