Gopala Kavaca

avyäd ajo ’ìghri maëimäàs tava jänv athorü
yajïo ’cyutaù kaöi-taöaà jaöharaà hayäsyaù
håt keçavas tvad-ura éça inas tu kaëöhaà
viñëur bhujaà mukham urukrama éçvaraù kam
cakry agrataù saha-gado harir astu paçcät
tvat-pärçvayor dhanur-asé madhu-häjanaç ca
koëeñu çaìkha urugäya upary upendras
tärkñyaù kñitau haladharaù puruñaù samantät

indriyäëi håñékeçaù präëän näräyaëo ’vatu
çvetadvépa-patiç cittaà mano yogeçvaro ’vatu
påçnigarbhas tu te buddhim ätmänaà bhagavän paraù
kréòantaà pätu govindaù çayänaà pätu mädhavaù
vrajantam avyäd vaikuëöha äsénaà tväà çriyaù patiù
bhuïjänaà yajïabhuk pätu sarva-graha-bhayaìkaraù
òäkinyo yätudhänyaç ca kuñmäëòä ye ’rbhaka-grahäù
bhüta-preta-piçäcäç ca yakña-rakño-vinäyakäù
koöarä revaté jyeñöhä pütanä mätåkädayaù
unmädä ye hy apasmärä deha-präëendriya-druhaù
svapna-dåñöä mahotpätä våddhä bäla-grahäç ca ye
sarve naçyantu te viñëor näma-grahaëa-bhéravaù

Çukadeva Gosvämé informed Mahäräja Parékñit that the gopés, following the proper system, protected Kåñëa, their child, with this mantra.] May Aja protect Your legs, may Maëimän protect Your knees, Yajïa Your thighs, Acyuta the upper part of Your waist, and Hayagréva Your abdomen. May Keçava protect Your heart, Éça Your chest, the sun-god Your neck, Viñëu Your arms, Urukrama Your face, and Éçvara Your head. May Cakré protect You from the front; may Çré Hari, Gadädharé, the carrier of the club, protect You from the back; and may the carrier of the bow, who is known as the enemy of Madhu, and Lord Ajana, the carrier of the sword, protect Your two sides. May Lord Urugäya, the carrier of the conchshell, protect You from all corners; may Upendra protect You from above; may Garuòa protect You on the ground; and may Lord Haladhara, the Supreme Person, protect You on all sides.

May Håñékeça protect Your senses, and Näräyaëa Your life air. May the master of Çvetadvépa protect the core of Your heart, and may Lord Yogeçvara protect Your mind.

May Lord Påçnigarbha protect Your intelligence, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Your soul. While You are playing, may Govinda protect You, and while You are sleeping may Mädhava protect You. May Lord Vaikuëöha protect You while You are walking, and may Lord Näräyaëa, the husband of the goddess of fortune, protect You while You are sitting. Similarly, may Lord Yajïabhuk, the fearful enemy of all evil planets, always protect You while You enjoy life.

The evil witches known as Òäkinés, Yätudhänés and Kuñmäëòas are the greatest enemies of children, and the evil spirits like Bhütas, Pretas, Piçäcas, Yakñas, Räkñasas and Vinäyakas, as well as witches like Koöarä, Revaté, Jyeñöhä, Pütanä and Mätåkä, are always ready to give trouble to the body, the life air and the senses, causing loss of memory, madness and bad dreams. Like the most experienced evil stars, they all create great disturbances, especially for children, but one can vanquish them simply by uttering Lord Viñëu’s name, for when Lord Viñëu’s name resounds, all of them become afraid and go away.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 10.6.22-29.