kavacha-lit-evolution

Source: TW

A thread on the evolution of Hindu kavacha literature.

Traits

Typical characteristics of a kavacha are as follows:

  1. They are shlokas invoking various names of the deity.
  2. Each name is invoked for protection.
  3. Typically protection is sought in various directions (East, West,…) And on various parts of the body. Almost always kavachas start with “protect me in the east/front; protect me in west/back; left/north; right/south”.
  4. Simply reciting is sufficient to obtain protection (though the kavachas occurring in tantric literature are accompanied with a ritual deployment).

This literature is voluminous. Collating all material from itihasa-puranas, tantra/agamas. Would be a research endeavor for a PhD student. Some typical samples below -

Samples

Drawing from my own tradition, dvAdashanAma panjaram is popular among vaiShNavas - It begins with “purastAt keshavaH pAtu” - 12 forms of viShNu starting with Keshava are invoked for protection in all 8 directions along with up/down and “inside and outside”. It ends with “I have entered the protective cage of 12 names. I have nothing to fear”.

Narayana and Vishnu kavachas can be found in Garuda and Bhagavata puranas. The one from Bhagavata purana has its scope expanded to include protection at various times and geographic spaces apart from the usual directions/limbs we see in other shlokas.

Gayatri kavacha from devI bhAgavata is another typical composition where sandhyA, sAvitrI, gAyatrI and sarasvati are asked for protection from East, South, West and North. It then proceeds to request protection on various parts of the body.

Early compositions

An interesting question is, what’s the earliest composition we can identify as some form of kavacha. We’ll note this line from Mihir Yasht in passing:

avå pavå pasca pavå
parô pavå spash vîdhaêta
adhaoyamnô frâ anghe vîsaiti
mithrô ýô vouru-gaoyaoitish

Helping & protecting, protection in the back and protecting the front, Mithra, the lord of wide pastures… In taittiriya samhita, we find the mantra in First Kanda (I.2.12.2)

indraghoShas tvA vasubhiH purastAt pAtu
“May the roar of indra with vasus protect you in the front”

manojavAs tvA pitR^ibhir dakshiNataH pAtu
“May the swift-minded ones with the fathers protect you in the right”

prachetAs tvA rudraiH pashchAt pAtu “May the wise one with the rudras protect you from behind”

vishvakarmA tvAdityair uttarataH pAtu
“May vishvakarma with Adityas protect you on the left”

The shrauta application is in the context of soma sacrifice.

During the construction of uttaravedi (high altar) which is to the east of mahavedi (great altar), after markings are done, digging the earth with a wooden sword (sphya), depositing the earch on the altars, washing, leveling, and mixing with sand, these mantras are used to sprinkle the prokashni water. Technically protection is for the altar but one can notice the germ of the kavacha here.

Further in the 3rd kANDa, we see the mantra to indra and bR^ihaspati:

bR^ihaspatirnaH pari pAtu pashchAd
uttarasmAd adharAt aghAyoH| indraH purastAd uta madhyato naH
sakhA sakhibhyo varivaH kR^Notu ||

May brhaspati guard us from the evil schemer from behind, from above and below;
May Indra guard us in front and middle,
friend with friend, grant us expanse.

This is used in a kAmyeShTi to escape from “binding fetters”. Indra is kshattra and BR^ihaspati is brahma. With the foe-slaying indra and with brahman power, the bonds are broken.+++(4)+++

A clear kavacha like mantra can be seen in Taittiriya Samhita 1.8.7.1 (occurs in udakashanti collection too)

ye devAH puraHsado ‘gninetrA rakshohaNas te naH pAntu te no’avantu tebhyo namaH tebhyaH svAhA…
The Gods seated in the east lead by agni, the rakshasa-slayers - May they help and protect us. For them salutations and svAhA.

Similarly to Gods seated in south, led by agni; to Gods seated in west, led by SavitR^i; to Gods seated in north led by Varuna; to Gods seated above, led by bR^ihaspati.

When we come to atharvaveda, there’s a wealth of mantras and practices for “directional” and various kinds of protection. (probably a separate thread)