Shanmuga Kavasam
(Armour of Lord with six faces)
By
Pamban Kumara
Guru dasa Swamigal
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander
(Pamban Swamigal was a great
saivite saint belonging to Rameswaram and lived during the later half of 19th
century. He was a great Tamil scholar and a great devotee of Lord Subrahmanya.
He has written several works in praise of God. Shamuga kavasam (The armour of
the six faced lord) written by him is perhaps the most popular. I have
consulted the translation of this great work given in the http://www.skandagurunatha.org during
my translation to understand the prayer, I express my grateful acknowledgement
to this web site.)
Andamayi avaniyagi,, Ariyona
porulathagi,
Thondargal guruvumagi
,Thugalaru deivamagi,
Endisai potha nindra,, ennarul
isan aana,
Thindiral saravanathan, dinamum
yen sirasai kaakka. 1
May my head be protected
daily by the gracious Lord of Saravana* stream,
Who has become the spheres of
the universe which includes all worlds,
Who is the eternal truth
which is beyond our limited knowledge,
Who became the one who
teaches all his devotees,
Who became the flawless and
ever pure Godhead,
Who stood being praised by
all in the eight directions,
And who also became my God
showering his grace on me.
* The sparks which emanated from the
third eye of Lord Shiva fell
in the Saravana stream and turned in
to six babies. Parvathi took
them all together and they became a
baby with six faces.
Aadhiyam Kayilai chelvan, Ani
netthi thanai kaakka,
Thadavizh kadappa thaaraan,
thaniru noodalai kaakka,
Chodhiyaam thanigai eesan ,
thurisila vizhiyai kaakka,
Nadhanaam Karthigeyan,
nasiyai nayandu kaakka. 2
May the primeval Lad of Mount
Kailas, protect my pretty forehead,
May the wearer of the
fragrant garland of Kadamba flowers protect my eye brows.
May the effulgent lord of
Thiruthani , protect my clear and spotless eyes,
May the Lord who is
Karthigeya* protect my nose with willingness.
* As soon as he was born he was looked after
by 6 Karthigai maidens.
Hence he is called Karthigeya
Irusevi kalayum Chevvel, iyalpudan
kaakka vayai,
Murugavel kaakka naa
ppalmuzhudum nal kumaran kaakka,
Thuricharu kaduppai yanai
thundanaar tunaivar kaakka,
Thiruvudan pidari thannai
Shiva Subramanian kaakka. 3
The holder of the red spear
who protects my twin ears ,
May very naturally protect my
mouth also,
May the very pretty holder of
spear protect my toungue,
May all my teeth be protected
by the good lad Kumara,
May my spotless cheeks be
protected by younger brother,
Of the God who has a face like an elephant,
And may my back of the neck
be protected by Shiva Subrahmanya.
Eesanam vaguleyan yenadu
ugandarathai kakka,
Thegaru thol vilavum
thirumagal marugan kaaka,
Aasila marbai eeraru aayudhan
kakka, yendran,
Yesila muzhangai thannai ,
ezhil kurinjikkon kakka. 4
May my neck be protected by
the God Bahuleya,
May my ribs and shoulders be
protected by nephew of Goddess Lakshmi,
May my flawless chest be
protected by he who wears twelve weapons,
May my unblemished elbows be
protected by the king of Kurinji* land.
*Land in the hills
Uruthiyayi mun kai thannai,
Umayin madalai kaakka,
Tharukan yeridave yen
kaithalathai maa murugan kaakka,
Puran kaiyai ayilon kaakka,
porikkara viralgal pathum,
Pirangu maal marugan kaakka,
pin mudugai chey kaakka. 5
May my forearms be protected
and made strong by baby of Parvathi,
May the great Muruga protect
my palms in full and make them mighty,
May the back of my hands be
protected by the holder of the spear-Vel,
May all my ten fingers which
are needed be protected by nephew of Vishnu,
And May my back be protected
by the divine baby.
OOn nirai vayithai manjai
oordhiyon kaakka, vambuth,
Thol nimir suresan undhi
chuzhiyinai kaakka,Kuyya ,
Naninay angi gowri nandanan
kaakka, bheeja,
Aaniyai Kandan kaakka,
arumugan kudathai kaakka.
6
May my belly full of flesh ,
be protected by him who rides the peacock,
May the Lord of devas with
upright shoulders protect my belly button,
May the son of Parvathy born
from sparks protect my private parts,
May the great Lord Skanda
protect the carrier of my sperms,
And May my anus be protected
by the God with six faces.
Yenchidathu uduppai velukku
iraivanar kaakka, kaakka,
Anchakanam orirandum aaran
magan kaakka, kaakka,
Vinjidu porut Kangeyan vilaradi
thodayai kaakka kaakka,
Chenchasaran nesa aasan
thimiru mun thodayai kaakka. 7
May the Lord of the Vel
protect the remaining part of my hip,
May the son of Lord Shiva
protect both my buttocks,
May the foster son of
And May the teacher with red
lotus feet protect my robust front thighs.
Yeraga thevan yen thaal iru
muzhan kaalaum kaakka,
Cheer udai kanai kkal thannai
cheeralai vaythe kaakka,
Nerudai paradu randum nigazh
paran giriyan kaakka,
Cheeriya kudhikkal thannai,
thirucholai Malayan kaakka.
8
May the lord of Swamimalai
protect both my knees,
May the Lord of Thiruchendur
protect my well set ankles,
Mayboth my straight feet be protected by Lord of Thiruparangiri,
And May my well formed heels
be protected by Lord of Pazhamudhir cholai
Iyurumalayan padathamar pathu
viralum kaakka,
Payuru pazhani nadha paran
agam kaalai kaakka,
Meyyudal muzudum aadhi vimala
chanmugavan kaakka,
Deyva nayaga vishagan dinamum
yen nenjai kaakka.
9
May the Lord of all hill
temples protect the ten fingers of my feet,
May the soles of my feet be
protected by the Lord of majestic Pazhani,
May my entire body be
protected by the pristine pure Shanmuga,
And May the Lord of Devas
born in Vishaga star protect my mind.
Oliyezha uratha chathathodu
varu pootha pretham,
Pali kol rakkatha pey, pala
kanathu yevai aanalum,
Kili kola yen vel kaaka, kedu
parar cheyyum soonyam,
Valiyula manthra thanthram,
varundidathu ayil vel kaakka.
10
May the devils and ghosts
which come along with horrible sound,
May the devil of Rakshasas
demanding live sacrifice or any other ,
Devil it may be, be protected
by the great Vel and may the great Vel,
Also prevent the coming
of the evil chants and spirits sent,
By outside wicked people who
want to do bad things for me.
Ongiya cheethame kondu, uvani
vil vel soolangal,
Thangiya thandam ekkam, thadi
parasu eeti aadhi,
Pangudai ayudhangal pagaivar,
yen mele ochin,
Theengu cheyyamal yennai,
thirukaivel kaakka, kaakka,
11
When my enemies with great
anger throw catapult, bow,
Vel, trident ,wheel, big rod, stick, axe, spear and other weapons,
On me , with an aim of
causing me great hurt,
May your holy Vel protect me
from injury or harm.
Olaviyam ular, oon unpor,
asadar , pey , arakkar , pullar,
Thevvargal yevar aanalum,
thidamudam yenai mal kkatta,
Thaviye varuvar aayin,
characharam yellam purakkum,
Kavvudai soora sandan, kai
aayil kaakka, kaakka. 12
If people who are jealous,
flesh eaters, fools, devils, asuras, mean people,
And evil spirits whoever they
may be , come with fixed idea of wrestling with me,
And come pouncing upon me, may
the Vel which protects all the worlds,
Which was ready to drive
Soora Padma away, protect and guard me.
Kaduvida panthal Singam,
karadi nay puli ma yanai,
Kodiya kol nai , kurangu,
kolamar chalam chambhu,
Nadyudai yedanal yenum,
nandar pattidamal,
Chaduthiyil vadi Vel Kaakka,
chanavi munai Vel Kakka.
13
If very poisonous snakes,
lion, bear, dog tiger , great elephant,
Very cruel wolf, monkey , pig
, cat and other animals,
Try to attack me to do harm, may
the great Vel come fast,
And protect me, may the Vel
of the son of
Ngakara may pol thamee gnana
Vel kaakka,Van pul,
Sigari thel nandu kali
cheyyam yeru aala ppalli,
Nagamudai Ondhi pooran, nail
vandu puliyin poochi,
Ugamisai vathaal yerku oor oorilathu Iyvel kaakka. 14
May the wise Vel protect me
like the letter “nga”, which is adjunct,
To other alphabets in
Tamil from big birds, scorpions, crabs,
Cheyyam*, poisonous lizards ,
poisonous reptiles, spider,
Millipedes and May it also
prevent their attacking me and my people.
*Poisonous insect
Chalathil uuyy van meen yeru,
thandudi thirukkai mathum ,
Nilathilum chalathilum thaan,
nedum thuya thararke ulla,
Kulathinaal naan varutham,
kondidathu avvavelai ,
Balathudan irundhu kaakka,
pavagi koor vel kaakka. 15
May the Vel of the one who
was born out of sparks protect me,
With strength at all times
whenever needed by me,
From those fish and crocodiles living in
water and the long horny fish,
And from all other cruel
beings living in water and also in land,
Jnamaliyam pariyan kai vel,
nava graham kol kaakka,
Chuma vizhi noygal thanda,
choolai aakkirana rogam,
Thimir kazhal vadam sokai,
siram adi karna rogam,
Yemai anukamale panniuru puyan chaya vel kaakka 16
May the Vel of him who rides the peacock
protect me from nine planets,
And May the vel of him who
has twelve arms protect and not allow,
The approach of Diseases of
the eyes, tooth , nose and ears and also.
Thimir* disease, rheumatism ,
anemia and disease of head and foot
* I do not know what the
poet indicates here
Damarugath adi pol thaikkum,
thali idi kanda malai,
Kumuruvi puruthi kunmam,
kudal val eezhai kasam,
Nimironathu kuthum vettai,
neer pramekam yellam,
Yemai adayamale kundru
yerindavan vel kaakka. 17
May the Vel of he who split
the krouncha mountain not allow,
The approach of head ache which torments like a beat of
the drum,
Adenitis neck, hook worm
disease, colic of the intestine,
Bronchitis Asthma,
Tuberculosis , gonorrhea and diabetes.
Inakkam illatha pitha
yerivuma karangal kai kaal,
Munakkave kuraikkum kuttam,
moola ven mulai thee mantham,
Chanathile kollum channi, samendru
arayum inda,
Pini kulam yenai aalamal
perum chathi vadi vel kaakka.
18
May the big Vel protect me
from the family of deadly diseases,
Like the ulcer of the stomach,
leprosy which deforms the palm and the feet,
Piles, dyspepsia and
reduction of temperature which kills instantly,
Thavanamarogam, vadam
chayithiyam, arochaka mey,
Chuvarave cheyyum moola
choodu, kalaippu udathu vikkal,
Avathi chey pedhi cheezh noi,
anda vadangal choolai,
Yenayum yendatheythamal, yem
piran thini vel kaakka.
19
May the strong Vel of my lord
protect and prevent the reach of,
Unquenchable thirst,
rheumatism, tiresomeness, lack of taste for food,
High fever which reduces our
activity, tiresomeness, hiccough, diseases
Causing pus, diarrhea, Dysentery,
enlargement of testicles and acute stomach pain.
Namai puru kirindhi veekam,
nanugidu pandu shobham,
Amarnthidu karumai venmai,
aakupal thozhu noi kakkal,
Maikku mun uru valippodu,
yezhupudai pagandaradhi.
Maipozhudenum yennai,
yeithamal arul vel kaakka. 20
May the merciful Vel protect
me from the approach of,
Itch causing herpes, luecoderma
, swelling of body,
The white and black leprosy
Vomiting of food taken,
And the disease of paundaram
which appears in no time.
Pallathu kadithu meesai pada
padvendre thudikka,
Kallinum valiya nenjam,
kattiye urutti nokki,
Yellinum kariya meni , yema
bhadar varinum yennai,
Ollayil tharakari
May the powerful Vel of my
Lord which vanquished Tharaka,
Rescue and save me with the
sacred chants of “
When the soldiers of Yama
blacker than gingelly and with stony
heart come with,
Grinding teeth, moving
moustache ,and staring at me with rolling eye balls.
Mannilum marathin meethum,
malayilum, neruppin meethum,
Than nirai chalathi meethum,
Cari chey oorthi meedum,
Vinnilum pilathin ullum,
Verenthedathum yennai,
Nanni vandu arular sashti nadhan
vel kaakka, kaakka.
22
May the sacred Vel of the
lord of Sashti* come of its own accord,
Whether I am on earth, tree,
mountain or on fire,
Whether I am on flowing water
or moving chariot,
Or Whether I am on the sky or
inside the cave or any where else.
* sixth phase of moon, holy to
the Lord,
Yakarame pol choolendum,
narumbuyam vel mun kaakka,
Aakarame mudalaam eeraru ambakan Vel pin kaakka,
Chakaramodu aarum aanon than
kai vel naduvil kaakka,
Chikaramin deva moli thikazh
iyvel keez mel kaakka.
23
May the Vel held on the
fragrant shoulder , resembling letter “Ya” , protect my front,
May Vel of my lord with twelve eyes resembling twelve vowels of Tamil
protect my behind,
May the Vel of the Lord with
a six letter name* starting with “Cha”, protect my middle,
May the Vel with the crown of
divine glory protect me from above and below.
*Charavanabhava(in
tamil alphabets)
Ranchithamozhudhe vaanai
nayagan valli bhangan,
Chenchaya Vel kizhakkil
thiramudan kaakka, Angi,
Vinchsidu disayin jnana
veeran vel kaakka, therkil,
Yenchida kathirkamathon,
kaludai kara vel kaakka. 24
May the Vel of the Lord of
the sweet toungued DEvayani ,
Daughter of Indra and his
life partner Valli protect me from east,
May the Vel of the hero of
divine wisdom protect me from south east,
And May the Vel of the enemy
destroying sacred hand,
Of the Lord of “Kathirkamam*”
protect me from south.
*Very holy temple of shanmuga in
Srilanka.
Lakarame pol kalingan
nalludal neliya nindru,
Thakara mardhaname cheydha
Sankari marugan kai vel,
Nigazhena niruthi thikkal,
nilai pera kaaka, Merkil,
Kal ayil kaakka, Vayuvinil
guhan Kadhirvel kaakka.
25
May the Vel of the nephew of
Lord Vishnu who danced,
On the Kaliyan cobra standing
in the shape of tamil letter “La”
Protect me in the south
western side , May the peacock protect me from west,
And may the dazzling, Vel of
the divine God who lives in the cave protect from
Vada disai thannil eesan,
magan arul thiruvel kaakka,
Vidayudai eesan dikkil Veda
bodhakan Vel kaakka,
Nadakkayil rukkum jnandrum
navil kayyil nimirgayil keezh,
Kidakkayil thoongom jnandrum,
kiri thulaitthula Vel kaakka.
26
May the Vel of the beloved
son of Lord Shiva protect me from north,
May the Vel of the teacher of
Vedas to Brahma protect me from north east,
And may the almighty Vel
which pierced the mountain protect me,
When I sit, speak, get up,
lie down and sleep.
Izhandu pogatha vazhvai,
eeyum muthayanaar kai vel,
Vazhangum nalloon unpodhum,
mal vilayattin podhum,
Pazhamchurar pothum padam,
panindu nenju adakkum podhum,
Chezhum gunathode kaakka,
thidamudan mayilum kaakka.
27
The Vel “of the Lord of
salvation*” would grant you the divine eternal life,
And may I be protected when I take delicious food, and when,
I participate in tiresome exercises
and when I worship the Gods,
And when I deeply meditate on
him, and the peacock of the lord protect
me.
* Mukthi tharum Ayyan
Ilamayil valibhathil, yeridu
vayodhikkathil,
Valar aaru muka chivan thaan,
vandenai kaakka, kaakka,
Oliyezhu kala mun yel,
Thelinadu pirpagal kaal
shivaguru nadhan kaakka. 28
May the Lord with six faces
come and protect me in childhood,
Youth and in the old age
which grows on rapidly increasing,
May the Lord Of Shiva himself
protect me before early morning,
And the teacher of Lord Shiva
protect me during bright afternoons.
Yirakudai kozhithogaikkuirai
mun ravil kaakka,
Thiraludai soorpakaithe
thigazh pin ravil kaakka,
Naravucher thaan chilamban,
nadunisi thannil kaakka,
Maraithozhu kuzhakan yem kon,
kaakka, kaakka. 29
May the Lord of the
splendidly feather peacock protect me at early night,
May the enemy of egoistic
Sura Padma protect me at later part of night,
May the Lord who wears
garlands and anklets protect me at mid night,
May the Lord of the
Vedas who is our king protect me without
break.
Yinamena thondar odum,
yinakkidum chetti kaakka,
Thanimayil kootam thannil
Charavana bhavanar kaakka,
Naliyanubhoothi chonna nadhar
kon kaakka, Yithai.
Kanivodu chonna dasan,
kadavul thaan kaakka vande. 30
May the divine merchant* who
classifies me as his devotee protect me,
May the Lord Sharavana Bhava
protect me when I am alone or in a crowd,
May the kingly composer of Kandhar Anubhoothi protect me,
May the Lord protect those
who chant this with devotion.
*He trades salvation for
devotion
Thiruchithambalam
(Name of the