Atha bagalāmukhīkavacam (अथ बगलामुखीकवचम्) -

Prologue - Śrī Bagalāmukhī Devi, is the eighth of the ten Daśamahāvidyā-s and is known for Her ability to silence all enemies, internal and external. Her name is said to be Valagāmukhī, which over a period of time got distorted to Bagalāmukhī. The word Valagā, means “secret spells” and mukhī stands for mouth or face. She is therefore the One, who is the repository of secret spells, just like the Divine Mother Kāli. She is said to be yellow in color and wearing yellow garments. Yellow is the color for dispelling enemies and winning over them. The Divine Mother Bagalāmukhī, is known for Her power to wield the brahmāstra, an ultimate celestial weapon to bring maximum destruction and end the war. Spiritually, this applies to the internal enemies such as thoughts, desires, greed, ego, animosity etc. within us, that need to be calmed down, for us to ascend and expand our consciousness to become one with the Divine. She is therefore our guide towards self-realization and ultimately to gain liberation. This kavacam (shield of armor), is for giving us all the protection we need from external and internal enemies, in our pursuit towards worldly desires, as well as spiritual accomplishments.

śrībhairavī uvāca (श्री भैरवी उवाच ) -

śrutvā ca bagalā-pūjāṃ stotraṃ cāpi maheśvara ।

idānīṃ śrotum-icchāmi kavacaṃ vada me prabho ॥ 1 ॥

श्रुत्वा च बगलापूजां स्तोत्रं चापि महेश्वर ।

इदानीं श्रोतुमिच्छामि कवचं वद मे प्रभो ॥ १ ॥

Śrī Bhairavī spoke – Oh Dear Lord Śrī Maheśvarā (Bhairavā)! I am very keen on learning the details of worship (pūjā) of Śrī Bagalā. Can you please narrate the kavacam and fulfill my cherished desire?

vairi-nāśakaraṃ divyaṃ sarvā-‘śubha-vināśanam ।

śubhadaṃ smaraṇāt-puṇyaṃ trāhi māṃ duḥkha-nāśanam ॥ 2 ॥

वैरिनाशकरं दिव्यं सर्वाऽशुभविनाशनम् ।

शुभदं स्मरणात्पुण्यं त्राहि मां दुःखनाशनम् ॥ २ ॥

The divine kavacam that is said to destroy all enemies, internal and external and also capable of removing all types of inauspiciousness around us. Just by remembering it, a torrent of auspiciousness is bestowed and all miseries are removed. Please narrate that kavacam associated with Śrī Bagalamukhi Devi and fill my heart and mind with bliss and satisfaction. I bow to you sincerely, oh my Dear Lord!

śrībhairava uvāca (श्रीभैरव उवाच) -

kavacaṃ śṛṇu vakṣyāmi bhairavī prāṇa-vallabhe ।

paṭhitvā dhārayitvā tu trailaukye vijayī bhavet ॥ 3 ॥

कवचं शृणु वक्ष्यामि भैरवी प्राणवल्लभे ।

पठित्वा धारयित्वा तु त्रैलौक्ये विजयी भवेत् ॥ ३ ॥

Śrī Bhairavā (Śivā) spoke –  Oh my dear soulmate and most beautiful and auspicious Bhairavī Devi! Please listen very attentively, as I recite this most cherished kavacam. One who recites it, or wears it on oneself, will gain the ability to become victorious in all pursuits, across all the three realms and triads.

viniyogaḥ (विनियोगः) -

om̐ asya śrī-bagalāmukhī-kavacasya ।

nārada ṛṣiḥ ।

anuṣṭup chandaḥ ।

śrī-bagalāmukhī devatā ।

lam̐ bījaṃ ।

īm̐ śaktiḥ ।

aim̐ kīlakaṃ ।

puruṣārtha-catuṣṭaye jape viniyogaḥ ॥ 4 ॥

ॐ अस्य श्रीबगलामुखीकवचस्य ।

नारद ऋषिः ।

अनुष्टुप् छन्दः ।

श्रीबगलामुखी देवता ।

लँ बीजं ।

ईँ शक्तिः ।

ऐँ कीलकं ।

पुरुषार्थचतुष्टये जपे विनियोगः ॥ ४ ॥

Meaning:- This prayer/mantra japa is to invoke Śrī Bagalāmukhī Devī and perform Her kavaca mantra japa to obtain Her complete grace in all aspects, and to obtain the four puruṣārthas: dharma (justice, law), artha (wealth), kāma (desires) and mokṣa (liberation). The sage (ṛṣiḥ) is the celestial sage Nārada, the meter (chandas) for the mantra is Anuṣṭup and the deity is Śrī Bagalāmukhī, the seed (bījaṃ) is lam̐, the power (śakti) is īm̐. The key (kīlaka) to unlock the mantra is aim̐.

ṛṣyādi nyāsa ( ऋष्यादि न्यास ) :-

kavacamārambham (कवचमारम्भम्) -

śiro me bagalā pātu hṛdayaikākṣarī parā ।

om̐ hrīm̐ om̐ me lalāṭe ca bagalā vairi-nāśinī ॥ 5 ॥

शिरो मे बगला पातु हृदयैकाक्षरी परा ।

ॐ ह्रीँ ॐ मे ललाटे च बगला वैरिनाशिनी ॥ ५ ॥

The head is protected at all times, by the secret spells and most potent weapon (brahmāstra) invoking Divine Mother Bagalā (Valagā) and by Her single lettered bīja (seed) mantra hlīm̐, which is close to Her heart, representing Her enormous power to still the entire Creation (sthira māyā). In this context, She stills the mind and removes all thought processes, by Her grace.

The auspiciousness representing Śabda Brahman om̐ enclosing the māyā bīja (seed) mantra hrīm̐, representing the power to Create, Preserve and Destroy etc., protects the forehead, combined with the grace of the Divine Mother Bagalā vairināśinī, who annihilates and silences all enemies.

The awakening of the crown Sahasrāra and the forehead Ājñā cakra is indicated.

gadā-hastā sadā pātu mukhaṃ me mokṣadāyinī ।

vairi-jihvān-dharā pātu kaṇṭhaṃ me bagalāmukhī ॥ 6 ॥

गदाहस्ता सदा पातु मुखं मे मोक्षदायिनी ।

वैरिजिह्वान्धरा पातु कण्ठं मे बगलामुखी ॥ ६ ॥

The mace holding and karma pounding Divine Mother Mokṣadāyinī, who grants self-realization and liberation, protects the mouth and the face. The throat is always protected by the grace of the Divine Mother Bagalāmukhī, who pulls and holds the tongues of enemies, rendering them speechless.

One ceases to lie and spread canards and rumors or talk ill of others. The devotee relishes silence over speech. The awakening of the throat Viśuddha cakra is signified.

udaraṃ nābhi-deśaṃ ca pātu nityaṃ parātparā ।

parātpara-parā pātu mama guhyaṃ sureśvarī ॥ 7 ॥

उदरं नाभिदेशं च पातु नित्यं परात्परा ।

परात्परपरा पातु मम गुह्यं सुरेश्वरी ॥ ७ ॥

The stomach and the navel region is protected at all times by the Supreme Divine Mother Parātparā.

The Supreme Divine Mother Parātparā and Sureśvarī, the most ardently worshipped Divine Mother of the celestial Surās, together protect the private parts at all times.

The navel Maṇipūra and the sacral Svādhiṣṭhāna cakras are activated by the grace of the Divine  Mother.

hastau caiva tathā pātu pārvatī-pari-pātu me ।

vivāde viṣame ghore saṅgrāme ripu-saṅkaṭe ॥ 8 ॥

हस्तौ चैव तथा पातु पार्वतीपरिपातु मे ।

विवादे विषमे घोरे सङ्ग्रामे रिपुसङ्कटे ॥ ८ ॥

The most powerful Divine Mother Pārvatī Devi, fully protects the hands at all times. Additionally, protection is offered in all contests, antidotes for poison, prevention of horrific incidents, wars and also from enemies of all types and in all types of difficult situations and worries.

pītāmbaradharā pātu sarvāṅgaṃ śiva-nartakī ।

śrīvidyā samayo pātu mātaṅgī pūritā śivā ॥ 9 ॥

पीताम्बरधरा पातु सर्वाङ्गं शिवनर्तकी ।

श्रीविद्या समयो पातु मातङ्गी पूरिता शिवा ॥ ९ ॥

The one who’s dressed in yellow garments, the Divine Mother Pītāmbaradharā, protects all the body parts along with the Divine Mother Śivanartakī, the Divine Mother who constitutes the dance of Creation, Sustenance and Destruction, as well as the continuous transfer of energy to matter and vice-versa. Protection is also offered by the various aspects of the Divine Mother Bagalāmukhī, as the liberating knowledge giver Śrīvidyā, the fate and time changing Samaya, the knowledge bestowing Mātaṅgī, the complete and Whole Pūritā, representing the entire Creation and the Divine Mother Śivā (Devi), representing the ultimate bliss.

Samaya mārga, is the meditative and partly ritualistic path of Śrīvidyā practice. This path is always protected by the ultimate liberating knowledge bestowing Divine Mother Mātaṅgī, to help us completely understand our true existence and become one with the singular reality, the super-consciousness Śiva.

pātu-putraṃ sutāṃ caiva kalatraṃ kālikā mama ।

pātu nityaṃ bhrātaraṃ me pitaraṃ śūlinī sadā ॥ 10 ॥

पातुपुत्रं सुतां चैव कलत्रं कालिका मम ।

पातु नित्यं भ्रातरं मे पितरं शूलिनी सदा ॥ १० ॥

Children and consort (wife or husband) are protected by the Divine Mother Kālikā, who wields the power of Destruction and transformation. The brothers, sisters and all other family members including forefathers, foremothers and ancestors, are protected by the triad piercing Divine Mother Śūlinī Devi.

phalaśruti (फलश्रुति) -

sandehi bagalādevyāḥ kavacaṃ manmukhoditam ।

naiva deyam-amukhyāya sarva-siddhi-pradāyakam ॥ 11 ॥

सन्देहि बगलादेव्याः कवचं मन्मुखोदितम् ।

नैव देयममुख्याय सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायकम् ॥ ११ ॥

Without any doubt, the Devi Bagalāmukhī kavacam, renders the devotee to look inward and contemplate upon the higher truth. This kavacam is capable of granting all wishes, success in all undertakings as well as bestowing the super-natural powers called siddhis. It should never be presented to unreliable and impious devotees.

paṭhanād-dhāraṇād-asya pūjanād-vāñchitaṃ labhet ।

idaṃ kavacam-ajñātvā yo japed bagalāmukhīm ॥ 12 ॥

पठनाद्धारणादस्य पूजनाद्वाञ्छितं लभेत् ।

इदं कवचमज्ञात्वा यो जपेद् बगलामुखीम् ॥ १२ ॥

One must either recite or wear this kavacam and worship the Divine Mother Bagalāmukhī, to obtain the desired results. There is no point in reciting the mantras, without combining with this kavacam.

pibanti śoṇitaṃ tasya yoginyaḥ prāpya-sādarāḥ ।

vaśye cākarṣaṇe caiva māraṇe mohane tathā ॥ 13 ॥

पिबन्ति शोणितं तस्य योगिन्यः प्राप्यसादराः ।

वश्ये चाकर्षणे चैव मारणे मोहने तथा ॥ १३ ॥

To obtain the desired results, with great reverence, one must offer blood to the Divine Mother Bagalāmukhī, perceived to be in the form of a blood consuming Yogini. Doing so, one will acquire the ability to attract anyone or anything of interest and also the ability to mesmerize and destroy as well, if needed.

A red turmeric powder called kuṅkuma, can be mixed in water and offered as a substitute for blood.

mahā-bhaye vipattau ca paṭhed-vā-pāṭhayet-tu yaḥ ।

tasya sarvārtha-siddhiḥ syād-bhakti-yuktasya pārvatī ॥ 14 ॥

महाभये विपत्तौ च पठेद्वापाठयेत्तु यः ।

तस्य सर्वार्थसिद्धिः स्याद्भक्तियुक्तस्य पार्वती ॥ १४ ॥

All great fears, hazards and worries will wither away and will NOT impact the devotee of this kavacam. Those who recite this kavacam and/or the mantras and the thousand names of the Devi Bagalāmukhī, will derive the benefits. One will obtain all the desires, wealth, justice, prosperity and long life. One must follow the worship of the Divine Mother with great fervor and devotion.

Oh my dear Pārvatī, as requested by you, I have fully specified the kavacam and its benefits. Please bestow this to the sincere seekers, so they may benefit from the same.

iti śrī-rudra-yāmale bagalāmukhī-kavacaṃ sampūrṇam ॥

इति श्रीरुद्रयामले बगलामुखीकवचं सम्पूर्णम् ॥

Thus ends the Śrī Bagalāmukhī kavacam, derived from the Śrī Rudra Yāmala Tantram.