ब्रह्मोवाच अस्ति गुह्यतमं विप्र सर्वभूतोपकारकम्। देव्यास्तु कवचं पुण्यं तच्छृणुष्व महामुने॥
brahmovāca asti guhyatamaṁ vipra sarvabhūtōpakārakam। dēvyāstu kavacaṁ puṇyaṁ tacchṛṇuṣva mahāmunē॥
Translation
Brahma said: O Brahmin, there is a most secret, holy armor of the Goddess, beneficial to all beings; listen to that, O great sage.
Word by word
- brahmovāca
- Brahma said
- asti
- there is
- guhyatamaṁ
- most secret
- vipra
- O Brahmin
- sarvabhūtōpakārakam
- beneficial to all beings
- dēvyāḥ
- of the Goddess
- tu
- indeed
- kavacaṁ
- armor/protective hymn
- puṇyaṁ
- holy
- tat
- that
- śṛṇuṣva
- listen
- mahāmunē
- O great sage
Meaning
In this second core verse, Brahma responds to Mārkaṇḍeya’s request, introducing the Devi Kavacham as a most secret (guhyatamaṁ) and holy (puṇyaṁ) hymn, beneficial to all beings (sarvabhūtōpakārakam).