Narayana Kavacham occurs in Srimad Bhagavatham 6th canto, 8th chapter. The following are for a quick reference of the meanings. The various naamaas of Narayana used in this Kavacham, all His weapons, Vahanaa and His Roopa dhyanam makes it a powerful mantra and protects the one who recites, from all directions, at all times.
S.B.6.8.12
Roopa dhyanam: Lord Narayana with His lotus feet on the back of Garuda with 8 hands and 8 sidhis
4 right hands
Sudarshana chakram – thigiri – becomes manas
Nandakam – sword – Gyana – its sheath is agyana, covered by ignorance
Arrows – 10 irudeegam , Hrisheeka – sense organs 5*2
Paasham
4 left hands
Koumodhaki – gada – becomes budhi
Paancha janyam – conch – tamasa ahankaram – five elements
Shield – marked with multiple moon like circles
Saranga – bow – raajasa ahankaram
Garuda – Veda swarupam
S.B.6.8.13
Protected by Matsya murthi – on water
Vamana – on land
Vishwarupa – on the sky
S.B.6.8.14
Narasimha – protect me in all directions, forest and battle front
S.B.6.8.15
Varaha murthi – from troubles on the street
Parasurama – on top of the mountains
Sri Rama – on foreign lands
S.B.6.8.16
Narayana – from false religious systems
Nara – from pride
Dattatreya – – from falling into mystic powers while doing bakthi yoga
Kapila – from bondage
S.B.6.8.17
Sanat Kumara – from lust and desire
Lord Hayagriva – from turning away from God, Brahmanas etc.
Narada – Narada Pancha-ratra (principles of doing pooja), 32 offenses in worships
Kurma – from falling into various hellish planets
S.B.6.8.18
Dhanvantari – from undesirable eatbales
Rishabadevar – from fear of duality of heat and cold
Yagya (Narayana as lord of sacrifice) – from infamy and undesirable social positions
Balarama – from serpents and envious people
S.B.6.8.19
Vyasadeva – from ignorance and give Vedic knowledge
Lord Budha – from madness of aetheist influencing bakthas
Kalki Bhagavan – from the illusions of Kali in kali yuga
Day is divided into 6 parts, of 2 hrs each.
Every 2 hrs is divided into 5 ghatikas of 24 minutes each, so 2 hrs will have 5*24=120 minutes. Same for night. Next 3 shlokas explain the various forms of Lord Narayana protecting during the day.
S.B.6.8.20
Kesava(of Mathura)- Gada(Koumodaki) – early morning -6 to 8 am
Govinda (of Vrindavan) – Flute – morning – 8 to 10 am
Narayana– morning -10 to noon
Vishnu – Chakra (Sudarshana) – Noon – 12 to 2 pm
S.B.6.8.21
Madhusudhana – Bow (Saranga) – Fifth part of day – 2 to 4 pm
Madhava (trinity) – Post noon – 4 to 6 pm
Hrishikesha – Beginning of night – 6 to 8 pm
Padmanabha – 2nd & 3rd part of night – 8 to 12 am
S.B.6.8.22
Lord with Srivatsa mark -4th part of night, post midnight -12 to 2 am
Janardhana – Sword (Nandaka) – end of night for 4 ghatikas only i.e. 24*4=96 minutes – 2 to 3:36 am
Damodara – beginning of early dawn (1 ghatika time) – 3:36 am to 4 am – 24 min
Vishveshwara – junction of night and morning – 4 to 6 am
S.B.6.8.23
Sudarshana Chakra – let it burn the enemies to ashes
S.B.6.8.24
Gada (Koumodhaki) – protect from evil beings such as kusmandas, vainayakas, yaksas, raksasas, bhutas and grahas.
S.B.6.8.25
Conch (Panchajanya) – from raksasas, ghosts, pretas, matas, pisasas
S.B.6.8.26
Sword and Shield – marked with a hundred shining moons, blinds the eyes of the evil-minded ones so full of anger and pluck out their sinful eyeballs!
S.B.6.8.27-28
Bhagavan Nama Rupa (Hare Krishna Maha Mantra) – protect from bad planets, meteors, envious human beings, serpents, scorpions and animals like tigers and wolves.
– also from ghosts and material elements like earth, water, fire and air
– also from lightning and our past sins
– no hindrances to our auspicious life
S.B.6.8.29
Lord Garuda – Vedas – from unlimited miseries
Lord Vishwaksena – from all dangers
S.B.6.8.30 – Advaya gyana
Nama, Roopa, Vaahana, Ayudha – protect our intelligence, senses, mind and pranan from all dangers. The Lord is called Advaya gyana, indicating there is no difference between Him and His (Nama, Rupa, Vaahana and weapons).
S.B.6.8.31
Bhagavaan = subtle and gross cosmic manifestation. He is the cause of all causes and He is the effect.
S.B.6.8.32-33
Bhagavaan = living entities, material energy, spiritual energy and the entire creation of all individual substances.
May He always protect us everywhere from all calamities.
S.B.6.8.34
(Prahlada’s) Narasimha – protect us from all fear of dangers in all directions, in all corners, above, below, within and without – protect us from poison, weapons, water, fire and air
नारायण अखिल गुरो भगवन् नमस्ते ।
kNOw-me 