What are the benefits of reciting Skanda Sashti Kavacham?

Comprehensive protection — every limb of the body guarded by Murugan; Victory over enemies, difficulties, and inner obstacles; Removal of fear, especially fear of black magic and evil spirits; Healing of disease and sudden mishaps; Said to grant courage and decisive action; Especially powerful when recited on Skanda Sashti and Tuesdays.

How long does Skanda Sashti Kavacham take to recite?

Approximately 12 minutes at a steady pace.

Skanda Sashti Kavacham

Q: When should I recite Skanda Sashti Kavacham?

Best days: Tuesday. Best time: morning. Especially recited on: skanda-sashti, thaipusam, krittika-purnima.

स्कन्द षष्ठी कवचम्

Skanda Ṣaṣṭhī Kavacam

Deity

subrahmanya

Verses

Recitation

~12 min

Best Day

Tuesday

About this stotra

The Skanda Sashti Kavacham was composed in the 17th century by the Tamil saint Devaraya Swamigal of Tiruchendur, who received the hymn directly from Lord Murugan in a vision. It is a kavacham (protective armour) — invoking Murugan, also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Kartikeya, and Kumara, to guard every limb of the body.

The kavacham is traditionally recited during the six-day Skanda Sashti vrata in the month of Karthika (Oct-Nov), which celebrates Murugan's victory over the demon Surapadma at Tiruchendur. It is also recited daily on Tuesdays (Murugan's day) by devotees across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Sri Lanka, and the global Tamil diaspora. Murugan is the supreme commander of the divine army and the slayer of inner and outer demons — the kavacham invokes that warrior-protector role.

This is a foundational edition presenting the dhyana, the central kavacha mantras (limb-by-limb invocation), and the phala-shruti. The full kavacham — including the long preamble naming Murugan's twelve sacred abodes and the detailed enumeration of his weapons — will be added in subsequent expansions.

Benefits of recitation

Comprehensive protection — every limb of the body guarded by Murugan
Victory over enemies, difficulties, and inner obstacles
Removal of fear, especially fear of black magic and evil spirits
Healing of disease and sudden mishaps
Said to grant courage and decisive action
Especially powerful when recited on Skanda Sashti and Tuesdays

Verses

Shloka 1

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

॥ ध्यानम् ॥ षड्ननं कुङ्कुमरक्तवर्णं महामतिं दिव्यमयूरवाहनम् । रुद्रस्य सूनुं सुरसैन्यनाथं गुहं सदाहं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

|| dhyānam || ṣaḍ-ananaṃ kuṅkuma-rakta-varṇaṃ mahā-matiṃ divya-mayūra-vāhanam rudrasya sūnuṃ sura-sainya-nāthaṃ guhaṃ sadāhaṃ śaraṇaṃ prapadye

English meaning

— Dhyana — Six-faced, of vermillion-red colour, supremely wise, mounted on the divine peacock, son of Rudra, commander of the army of gods — to Guha (Murugan) I always take refuge.

Shloka 2

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

अस्य श्रीस्कन्दषष्ठीकवचस्तोत्रमन्त्रस्य श्रीदेवरायस्वामी ऋषिः । अनुष्टुप्छन्दः । श्रीसुब्रह्मण्यो देवता । शरवणभव बीजम् । शक्तिः कीलकम् । स्वाहा परा शक्तिः । सर्वाभीष्टसिद्ध्यर्थे जपे विनियोगः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

English meaning

Of this Sri Skanda Sashti Kavacha hymn-mantra: the seer is Sri Devaraya Swami; the metre is Anuṣṭup; the deity is Sri Subrahmanya; the seed-syllable is "Sharavana-bhava"; the power is the Kilaka; "Svaha" is the supreme power; its application: this recitation for the accomplishment of every desire.

Shloka 3

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

॥ कवचम् ॥ षण्मुखः शिखिवाहनः शिरः पातु भालं स्कन्दः सेनानीः सर्वदा अवतु । भ्रुवौ पातु महासेनो नासिकां च मनोहरः । नेत्रे मे ताडकाजित् कर्णौ मे षण्मुखावतु ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

|| kavacam || ṣaṇ-mukhaḥ śikhi-vāhanaḥ śiraḥ pātu bhālaṃ skandaḥ senānīḥ sarvadā avatu bhruvau pātu mahā-seno nāsikāṃ ca mano-haraḥ netre me tāḍakā-jit karṇau me ṣaṇ-mukhāvatu

English meaning

— The Armour — May Six-faced Murugan, mounted on the peacock, guard my head; may Skanda, the army-commander, ever guard my forehead; may the great General guard my brows; may the heart-stealer guard my nose; may the conqueror of Tarakasura guard my eyes; may the Six-faced One guard my ears.

Shloka 4

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

गण्डौ मे कुक्कुटध्वजः ओष्ठौ मे षण्मुखः अवतु । जिह्वां मे कौमारः पातु दन्तान् मे षण्मुखोऽवतु । चिबुकं मे शुभकरः पातु कण्ठं वल्लीप्रियः अवतु । स्कन्धौ मे सेनानीः पातु बाहू मे षड्भुजोऽवतु ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

gaṇḍau me kukkuṭa-dhvajaḥ oṣṭhau me ṣaṇ-mukhaḥ avatu jihvāṃ me kaumāraḥ pātu dantān me ṣaṇ-mukho'vatu cibukaṃ me śubha-karaḥ pātu kaṇṭhaṃ vallī-priyaḥ avatu skandhau me senānīḥ pātu bāhū me ṣaḍ-bhujo'vatu

English meaning

May Kukkuta-dhvaja (whose banner is the rooster) guard my cheeks; may Six-faced Murugan guard my lips; may Kaumara (the youthful) guard my tongue; may Six-faced Murugan guard my teeth; may the auspicious-doer guard my chin; may the beloved of Valli guard my throat; may the army-commander guard my shoulders; may the six-armed one guard my arms.

Shloka 5

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

हस्तौ मे शक्तिधरः पातु वक्षस्तारकजित् अवतु । नाभिं देवसेनेशः पातु पृष्ठं मे शूलधरः अवतु । कटिं मे विश्वरूपः पातु ऊरू मे क्रौञ्चभेदी अवतु । जानुनी मे जयन्तीशः पातु जङ्घे च देवसैन्यपः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

hastau me śakti-dharaḥ pātu vakṣas-tāraka-jit avatu nābhiṃ deva-seneśaḥ pātu pṛṣṭhaṃ me śūla-dharaḥ avatu kaṭiṃ me viśva-rūpaḥ pātu ūrū me krauñca-bhedī avatu jānunī me jayantīśaḥ pātu jaṅghe ca deva-sainya-paḥ

English meaning

May the wielder of the Shakti-spear guard my hands; may the conqueror of Tarakasura guard my chest; may the Lord of Devasena guard my navel; may the holder of the trident guard my back; may the cosmic-formed One guard my waist; may the splitter of Mount Krauncha guard my thighs; may the Lord of Jayanti guard my knees; may the protector of the divine army guard my shins.

Shloka 6

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

पादौ मे शिखिवाहनः पातु सर्वाङ्गं स्कन्दोऽवतु । त्वयि स्थितोऽहं देवेश पाहि मां षण्मुख प्रभो । पाहि मां पाहि मां स्कन्द पाहि मां शिखिवाहन । पाहि मां पाहि मां देव पाहि मां सेनानायक ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

pādau me śikhi-vāhanaḥ pātu sarvāṅgaṃ skando'vatu tvayi sthito'haṃ deveśa pāhi māṃ ṣaṇ-mukha prabho pāhi māṃ pāhi māṃ skanda pāhi māṃ śikhi-vāhana pāhi māṃ pāhi māṃ deva pāhi māṃ senā-nāyaka

English meaning

May the peacock-rider guard my feet; may Skanda guard my entire body. I am established in you, O Lord of gods — protect me, O six-faced master. Protect me, protect me, O Skanda; protect me, O peacock-rider; protect me, protect me, O God; protect me, O army-leader.

Shloka 7

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

शक्त्या रक्षतु मे शक्तिधरः शूलेन शूलधरः । खड्गेन खड्गधरश्चापि शरैः शरधरः सदा । दिव्यवज्रेण मे रक्षां विदध्यात् वज्रधरः सदा । चक्रेण चक्रधरश्चापि चूर्णयामासुरान् मम ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

śaktyā rakṣatu me śakti-dharaḥ śūlena śūla-dharaḥ khaḍgena khaḍga-dharaś cāpi śaraiḥ śara-dharaḥ sadā divya-vajreṇa me rakṣāṃ vidadhyāt vajra-dharaḥ sadā cakreṇa cakra-dharaś cāpi cūrṇayām-āsurān mama

English meaning

May the bearer of the Shakti protect me with his Shakti; the bearer of the trident, with the trident; the bearer of the sword, with the sword; ever the bearer of arrows, with his arrows. May the bearer of the divine vajra ever protect me with the vajra; and may the bearer of the discus crush my demonic enemies with the discus.

Shloka 8

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

इन्द्रादिदेवसम्पूज्य गणपतिप्रिय अग्रज । गौरीसुत महावीर हराहरतनूद्भव ॥ त्वामहं शरणं प्राप्तः रक्ष मां सेनानायक । सर्वशत्रुहरः षण्मुखो भव्ययुत महाबलः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

indrādi-deva-sampūjya gaṇapati-priya agraja gaurī-suta mahā-vīra harāhara-tanūdbhava tvām-ahaṃ śaraṇaṃ prāptaḥ rakṣa māṃ senā-nāyaka sarva-śatru-haraḥ ṣaṇ-mukho bhavya-yuta mahā-balaḥ

English meaning

O One worshipped by Indra and the gods, beloved younger brother of Ganapati, son of Gauri, great hero, born of the body of Hara (Shiva), I have come to you for refuge — protect me, O army-leader. O remover of every enemy, six-faced, possessed of every grace, of mighty strength —

Shloka 9

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

॥ फलश्रुति ॥ य इदं कवचं दिव्यं पठेत् श्रद्धासमन्वितः । तस्य देहं समाश्रित्य सिध्यन्ति सकलाः क्रियाः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

|| phala-śruti || ya idaṃ kavacaṃ divyaṃ paṭhet śraddhā-samanvitaḥ tasya dehaṃ samāśritya sidhyanti sakalāḥ kriyāḥ

English meaning

— The Fruits of Recitation — One who recites this divine kavacham with faith — taking refuge in his body, every action of his attains success.

Shloka 10

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

दीर्घायुर्बलवीर्याढ्यः सर्वसम्पत्समन्वितः । भवेत् पठनमात्रेण कार्तिकेयप्रसादतः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

dīrghāyur bala-vīryāḍhyaḥ sarva-sampat-samanvitaḥ bhavet paṭhana-mātreṇa kārtikeya-prasādataḥ

English meaning

By Kartikeya's grace, simply by reciting this hymn, one becomes long-lived, rich in strength and valour, possessed of every prosperity.

Shloka 11

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

षष्ठ्यां पठेत् कवचमेतत् सद्भक्त्या मां स्मरन् । सर्वान् कामानवाप्नोति सत्यं षण्मुख मे वचः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

ṣaṣṭhyāṃ paṭhet kavacam-etat sad-bhaktyā māṃ smaran sarvān kāmān-avāpnoti satyaṃ ṣaṇ-mukha me vacaḥ

English meaning

One who recites this kavacham on the Sashti tithi with true devotion, remembering me — attains all desires. This is the truth — these are the words of Six-faced Murugan himself.

Sources verified against

Devaraya Swamigal of Tiruchendur — Skanda-Ṣaṣṭhī Kavacam
Tamil Nadu temple tradition (Tiruchendur, Palani, Swamimalai)
Gita Press — Bṛhatstotraratnākara (Sanskrit edition)

Frequently asked questions

When should I recite Skanda Sashti Kavacham?

Best days: Tuesday. Best time: morning.

What language is this stotra in?

The original is in Sanskrit (or Awadhi for the Hanuman Chalisa). We provide it in Devanagari script, IAST transliteration for pronunciation, and English meaning for understanding.

How accurate is the text?

Each stotra is cross-validated against multiple published authoritative sources, listed on this page under "Sources verified against". If you spot any discrepancy from your tradition, please let us know.

How long does it take to recite?

Approximately 12 minutes at a steady, devotional pace.

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All Stotras Festival: Skanda Sashti Festival: Thaipusam Festival: Krittika Purnima All Festivals Today's Panchanga