Srimad Bhagavad Gita-Armour (Kavach | कवच)
(Tantric arrangement of hands etc.)
(Annie Besant & Bhagavan Das and Swami Jagadeeshwaranda)
Armour protects a person's body from blows of weapons inflicted by enemies. Similarly the Gita-Kavach protects a Gita aspirant from internal & external enemies likely to be encountered during the course of study. It quotes several verses from Gita. [Gitakavach, Swami Jagadeeswaranada]
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Aum ! The Blessed Veda-Vyasa is the Rishi of this Bhagavad-Gita mantra. The metre is the anushtup. Shri Krishna, the Supreme Self, is its Devata.
'अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे' इति बीजम् ॥ (2|11, line#1)
"Thou grievest for those that should not be grieved for, yet speakest words of wisdom :" such is the Bija.
'सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज' इति शक्तिः ॥ (18|66, line#1)
"Abandoning all duties (dharmas), come unto me alone for shelter :" such is the Shakti.
'अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुच:' इति कीलकम् ॥ (18|66, line#2)
"I will liberate thee from all sins; sorrow not :" such is the Kilaka.
'मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि' इति कवचं ॥ (18|58, line#1)
"Thinking on Me, thou shalt overcome all obstacles by My grace :" such is the Kavacha.
'नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावक:' इति अङ्गुष्ठाभ्यां नमः ॥ (2|23, line#1)
"Weapons cleave him not, nor fire burneth him;" thus : "To the two thumbs, all hail !"
'न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुत:' इति तर्जनीभ्यां नमः ॥ (2|23, line#2)
"Nor waters wet him, nor wind drieth him away;" thus : "To the two index fingers, all hail !"
'अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च' इति मध्यमाभ्यां नमः ॥ (2|24, line#1)
"Uncleavable he, incombustible he, neither to be wetted nor dried away;" thus : "To the two middle fingers, all hail!"
'नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातन:' इति अनामिकाभ्यां नमः ॥ (2|24, line#2)
"Perpetual, all-pervasive, stable, immovable, ancient;" thus : "To the two nameless (fourth) fingers, all hail !"
'पश्य मे पार्थ् रूपाणि शतशोऽथ सहस्रश:' इति कनिष्ठिकाभ्यां नमः ॥ (11|5, line#1)
"Behold, O Partha, my Forms, a hundred-fold, a thousand-fold;" thus : "To the two little fingers, all hail !"
'नानाविधानि दिव्यानि नानावर्णाकृतीनि च' इति करतलकरपृष्ठाभ्यां नमः ॥ (11|5, line#2)
"Various in kind, divine, various in colours ;" thus : "To the two palms and backs of the hands, all hail !"
इति करन्यासः ॥ अथ हृदयादिन्यासः ॥
Such is the disposition of the hands. Now as to the disposition of the heart and the other organs.
'नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावक:' इति हृदयाय नमः ॥ (2|23, line#1)
"Weapons cleave him not, nor fire burneth him;" thus: "To the heart, all hail !"
'न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुत:' इति शिरसे स्वाहा ॥ (2|23, line#2)
"Nor waters wet him, nor wind drieth him away;" thus: "To the head, svaha !"
'अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च' इति शिखायै वषट् ॥ (2|24, line#1)
"Uncleavable he, incombustible he, neither to be wetted nor dried away;" thus: "To the shikha, vashat !"
'नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातन:' इति कवचाय हुम् ॥ (2|24, line#2)
"Perpetual, all-pervasive, stable, immovable;" thus: "To the encasement (armour), hum !"
'पश्य मे पार्थ् रूपाणि शतशोऽथ सहस्रश:' इति नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट् ॥ (11|5, line#1)
"Behold, O Partha, my Forms, a hundred-fold, a thousand-fold;" thus : "To the three eyes, all hail !"
'नानाविधानि दिव्यानि नानावर्णाकृतीनि च' इति अस्त्राय फट् ॥ (11|5, line#2)
"Various in kind, divine, various in colours ;" thus : "To the fire-weapon, phat !"
श्रीकृष्णप्रीत्यर्थे पाठे विनियोग: ॥
For the propitiation of Shri Krishna the reading is enjoined.
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Mantra : It is given by a Rishi, in the Hindu religion.
Metre : It governs the inflection of the voice.
Devata : a super-natural being, higher or lower - as its informing power.
Bija, the seed : It is a significant word, or series of words, which gives it a special power; sometimes this word is a sound which harmonises with the key-note of the individual using it, and varies with the individual; sometimes this word expresses the essence of the mantra, and the result of the mantra is the flower springing from this seed; this essence of the Gita is in the words quoted.
Shakti, the energy : It is the energy of the form of the mantra, i.e. the vibration-forms set up by its sounds; these in the Gita carry the man to the Lord.
Kilaka, the pillar : It is that which supports and makes the mantra strong ; this is the ceasing of sorrow, by the freeing from imperfections.
Kavacha, the armour : It specifies the methodology and techniques of protecting the mind and body while studying Gita. [Gitakavach, Swami Jagadeeswaranada]
Tantric Procedures:
Follow certain special directions, intended to set up relations between the centres in the man's body and the corresponding centres in the body of the Lord the universe.
- The thumbs, the earth-symbol, are connected with the physical planet and are utilised in control of its subtle forces.
- The index fingers, the water-symbol, are connected with the astral plane, and are similarly used with astral forces.
- The middle fingers, the fire-symbol, the apex of the pyramid of the hand, are similarly used with mental forces.
- The fourth fingers, the air-symbol, are similarly used with buddhic forces.
- The little fingers, the most powerful in the subtle worlds, are the akasha(sky)-symbol, and are similarly used with atmic forces.
The other organs of the body are the other poles of the magnet of the body : thumbs and heart; index fingers and head; middle fingers and the point of juncture of the occipital and parietal sutures; the fourth fingers and the sukshma sharira; the little fingers and the creative organ. These are the positive and negative poles of the magnet we call the body; either may be positive, either negative, according to the object aimed at, but they work together.
From other stand-points, these dispositions may be regarded as having on the one hand, an inhibitory, or, on the other, a stimulative effect on the physical or subtler function of the organs concerned, according to the purpose in view in the subsequent meditation or practice.
To the western world these correspondences may seem fantastic and superstitious; to the eastern world, in which the faint tradition of the Great Science lingers, they sound as echoes of a mightier age, when Gods and Men walked familiarly together in the Hidden Ways.
Variations between Gita Armour versions of Annie Besant & Bhagavan Das, 1905 and Swami Jagadeeshwaranda, 1941 :-
- "Kavacha" is mentioned only once as "encasement" in Besant's version.
- इति कवचं | "such is the Kavacha" (18|58) verse is absent in Besant's version.
- नेत्रत्रयाय वौषट् | "all hail to three eyes" verse is not translated in Besant's version.
- Verses hailing fingers, hands, heart, head, armour etc. are different.
- Five verses from Gita are mentioned in Besant's version viz. 2|11, 2|23, 2|24, 11|5, 18|66.
- Nine verses from Gita are mentioned in Jagadeeshwaranda's version viz. 2|11, 8|13, 8|9, 11|36, 13|14, 15|1, 15|12, 18|58, 18|66.
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Online Source:"The Bhagavad Gita" by Annie Besant and Bhagavan Das, 1905
संस्कृत श्लोक - Sanskrit Gita-Armour गीताकवचं
বাংলা অনুবাদ - Bengali গীতাকবচ
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