The Kavacha Stotra of Lord Balabhadra
From the Garga Samhita translation of Kushakratha dasa prabhu.
Chapter Twelve
Shri Balabhadra-stotra-kavaca
The Prayer and Armor of Lord Balaraama
Text 1
duryodhana uvaaca
gopibhyaam kavacam dattam
gargaacaaryena dhimataa
sarva-rakshaa-karam divyam
dehi mahyam mahaa-mune
duryodhana uvaaca-Duryodhana said; gopibhyaam-to the gopis; kavacam-the armor; dattam-given; gargaacaaryena-by Garga Muni; dhimataa-intelligent; sarva-raksha-karam-giving all protection; divyam-transcendental; dehi-please give; mahyam-to me; mahaa-mune-O great sage.
Duryodhana said: O great sage, please give me the transcendental Balaraama-kavaca, which wise Garga Muni gave to the gopis, and which gives all protection.
Text 2
shri-praadvipaaka uvaaca
snaatvaa jale kshauma-dharah kushaasanah
pavitra-paanih krita-mantra-marjanah
smritvaatha natvaa balam acyutaagrajam
sandhaarayed dharma-samaahito bhavet
shri-praadvipaaka uvaaca-Shri Praadvipaaka Muni said; snaatvaa-bathing; jale-in water; kshauma-dharah-wearing clean cotton garments; kushaasanah-sitting on a kusha grass mat; pavitra-paanih-clean hands; krita-mantra-marjanah-purified by mantra; smritvaa-meditating; atha-then; natvaa-bowing; balam-to Lord Balaraama; acyutaagrajam-the elder brother of Lord Krishna; sandhaarayet-should meditate; dharma-samaahitah-concentrating; bhavet-should be.
Shri Praadvipaaka Muni said: After bathing and dressing in clean cotton garments, a person should sit on a kusha-grass mat, purify his hands with mantras, bow down, and with fixed intelligence meditate on Lord Krishna's elder brother, Lord Balaraama.
Text 3
goloka-dhaamaadhipatih pareshvarah
pareshu maam paatu pavitra-kirtanahbhu-mandalam sarshapavad vilakshyate
yan-murdhni maam paatu sa bhumi-mandale
goloka-dhaamaadhipatih-the master of the realm of Goloka; pareshvarah-the supreme controller; pareshu-among all controllers; maam-me; paatu-may protect; pavitra-pure; kirtanah-glories; bhu-mandalam-the circle of the earth; sarshapavat-like a mustard seed; vilakshyate-is characterized; yan-murdhni-on whose head; maam-me; paatu-may protect; sa-he; bhumi-mandale-in the circle of the earth.
May Lord Balaraama, who is the master of Goloka, who is the supreme controller of all controllers, and whose fame is spotless, protect me. May Lord Balaraama, who on His head holds the earth as if it were a single mustard seed, protect me in this world.
Text 4
senaasu maam rakshatu sira-paanir
yuddhe sadaa rakshatu maam hali ca
durgeshu caavyaan musali sadaa maam
vaneshu sankarshana aadi-devah
senaasu-among armies; maam-me; rakshatu-may protect; sira-paanih-who holds a plow in His hand; yuddhe-in battle; sadaa-always; rakshatu'may protect; maam-me; hali-holding a plow; ca-and; durgeshu-in fortresses; ca-and; avyaat-may protect; musali-holding a club; sadaa-always; maam-me; vaneshu-in forests; sankarshana-Lord Balaraama; aadi-devah-the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
May Lord Balaraama protect me when I am surrounded by many armies. May Lord Balaraama, who holds a plow, always protect me in battle. May Lord Balaraama, who holds a club, always protect me in many fortresses. May Lord Balaraama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead protect me in the forest.
Text 5
kalindajaa-vega-haro jaleshu
nilaambaro rakshatu maam sadaagnau
vaayau ca raamo 'vatu khe balash ca
mahaarnave 'nanta-vapuh sadaa maam
kalindajaa-of the Yamunaa; vega-the power; harah-removing; jaleshu-in water; nilaambarah-dressed in blue garments; rakshatu-may protect; maam-me; sadaa-always; agnau-in fire; vaayau-in wind; ca-and; raamah-Lord Balaraama; avatu-may protect; khe-in the sky; balah-Lord Balaraama; ca-and; mahaarnave-in the great ocean; ananta-vapuh-whose form has no end; sadaa-always; maam-me.
May Lord Balaraama, who wears blue garments and who stopped the Yamunaa, always protect me in fire. May Lord Balaraama protect me in the wind. May Lord Balaraama protect me in the sky. May Lord Balaraama, who is Lord Ananta Himself, always protect me in the great ocean.
Text 6
shri-vaasudevo 'vatu parvateshu
sahasra-shirshaa ca mahaa-vivaade
rogeshu maam rakshatu rauhineyo
maam kaama-paalo 'vatu va vipatsu
shri-vaasudevah-the son of Vasudeva; avatu-may protect; parvateshu-in the mountains; sahasra-shirshaa-who has a thousand heads; ca-and; mahaa-vivaade-in great disputes; rogeshu-in diseases; maam-me; rakshatu-may protect; rauhineyah-the son of Rohini; maam-me; kaama-paalah-the fulfiller of desires; avatu-may protect; vaa-or; vipatsu-in calamities.
May Lord Balaraama, who is Vasudeva's son, protect me on mountains. May Lord Balaraama, who has a thousand heads, protect me in great disputes. May Lord Balaraama, who is Rohini's son, protect me from diseases. May Lord Balaraama, who fulfills desires, protect me from catastrophes.
Text 7
kaamaat sadaa rakshatu dhenukaarih
krodhaat sadaa maam dvivida-prahaari
lobhaat sadaa rakshatu balvalaarir
mohaat sadaa maam kila maagadhaarih
kaamaat-from lust; sadaa-always; rakshatu-may protect; dhenukaarih-the enemy of Dhenuka; krodhaat-from anger; sadaa-always; maam-me; dvivida-prahaari-the killer of Dvivida; lobhaat-from greed; sadaa-always; rakshatu-may protect; balvalaarih-the enemy of Balvala; mohaat-from illusion; sadaa-always; maam-me; kila-indeed; maagadhaarih-the enemy of Jaraasandha.
May Lord Balaraama, who is the enemy of Dhenukaasura, always protect me from lust. May Lord Balaraama, who killed Dvivida, always protect me from anger. May Lord Balaraama, who is the enemy of Balvala, always protect me from greed. May Lord Balaraama, who is the enemy of Jaraasandha, always protect me from illusion.
Text 8
praatah sadaa rakshatu vrishni-dhuryah
praahne sadaa maam mathuraa-purendrah
madhyandine gopa-sakhah prapaatu
svaraat paraahne 'vatu maam sadaiva
praatah-at sunrise; sadaa-always; rakshatu-may protect; vrishni-dhuryah-the greatst of the Vrishnis; praahne-in the morning; sadaa-always; maam-me; mathuraa-purendrah-the king of Mathura' City; madhyandine-at noon; gopa-sakhah-the friend of the gopas; prapaatu-may protect; svaraat-independent; paraahne-in the afternoon; avatu-may protect; maam-me; sadaa-always; eva-indeed.
May Lord Balaraama, who is the best of the Vrishnis, always protect me at sunrise. May Lord Balaraama, who is the king of Mathura' City, always protect me in the morning. May Lord Balaraama, who is the friend of the gopas, always protect me at midday. May Lord Balaraama, who is supremely independent, always protect me in the afternoon.
Text 9
saayam phanindro 'vatu maam sadaiva
paraat paro rakshatu maam pradoshe
purne nishithe ca duranta-viryah
pratyusha-kaale 'vatu maam sadaiva
saayam-at sunset; phanindrah-the king of serpents; avatu-may protect; maam-me; sadaa-always; eva-indeed; paraat-than the greatest; parah-greater; rakshatu-may protect; maam-me; pradoshe-in the evening; purne-full; nishithe-in the middle of the night; ca-and; duranta-viryah-whose power is invicible; pratyusha-kaale-at the next sunrise; avatu-may protect; maam-me; sadaa-always; eva-indeed.
May Lord Balaraama, who is the king of serpents, always protect me at sunset. May Lord Balaraama, who is greater than the greatest, always protect me in the evening. May Lord Balaraama, whose power is invicible, always protect me in the middle of the night. May Lord Balaraama always protect me at every sunrise.
Text 10
vidikshu maam rakshatu revati-patir
dikshu pralambaarir adho yadudvahah
urdhvam sadaa maam balabhadra aaraat
tathaa samantaad baladeva eva hi
vidikshu-in the directions; maam-me; rakshatu-may protect; revati-patih-the husband of Revati; dikshu-in the directions; pralambaarih-the enemy of Pralamba; adhah-below; yadudvahah-the best of the Yaadavas; urdhvam-above; sadaa-alwys; maam-me; balabhadra-Balaraama; aaraat-near and far; tathaa-so; samantaat-everywhere; baladeva-Lord Balaraama; eva-indeed; hi-indeed.
May Lord Balaraama, who is the master of Revati, protect me from every direction. May Lord Balaraama, who is the enemy of Pralamba, protect me from every direction. May Lord Balaraama, who is the best of the Yaadavas, protect me from below. May Lord Balaraama always protect me from above. May Lord Balaraama protect me from near and far. May Lord Balaraama protect me everywhere.
Text 11
antah sadaavyaat purushottamo bahir
naagendra-lilo 'vatu maam mahaa-balah
sadaantaraatmaa ca vasan harih svayam
prapaatu purnah parameshvaro mahaan
antah-within; sadaa-always; avyaat-may protect; purushottamah-the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bahih-without; naagendra-lilah-who enjoys pastimes as the king of serpents; avatu-may protect; maam-me; mahaa-balah-very powerful; sadaa-always; antaraatmaa-within the heart; ca-and; vasan-residing; harih-Lord Hari; svayam-personally; prapaatu-may protect; purnah-perfect and complete; parameshvarah-the supreme controller; mahaan-great.
May Lord Balaraama, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, always protect me from within. May powerful Lord Balaraama, who enjoys pastimes as the king of serpents, protect me from without. May Lord Balaraama, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul residing in everyone's heart, always protect me.
Text 12
devaasuraanaam bhaya-naashanam ca
hutaashanam paapa-cayendhanaanaam
vinaashanam vighna-ghatasya viddhi
siddhaasanam varma-varam balasya
devaasuraanaam-of the demigods and demons; bhaya-of fear; naashanam-the destruction; ca-and; hutaashanam-the fire; paapa-cayendhanaanaam'of the fuel of a host sins; vinaashanam-destruction; vighna-ghatasya-of a host of obstacles; viddhi-please know; siddhaasanam-the abode of perfection; varma-varam-the best of armors; balasya-of Lord Balaraama.
Please know that this kavaca of Lord Balaraama is the best of armors. It destroys the fears of the demigods and demons. It is a blazing fire that burns up the fuel of a host of sins. It is the death of a host of obstacles. It is the abode of spiritual perfection.
Vosso servo
Prahladesh Dasa
