Narayana Kavacham: From Srimad Bhagavata Purana

Kavacha means a shield or armour which protects us from getting hurt or attacked by weapons. Likewise a shield composed of various divine mantras and names protects us from all kinds of danger. Kavacha is a prayer to a particular form of supreme god and various forms and incarnations in which he or she manifested in to save the worlds and bless the devotees. Each name of the lord has a special and unique meaning and each of his form is an embodiment of certain powers and qualities together. The same god is prayed to in different forms and manifestations which relate to certain elements and forces of nature and each of those forms are specially related to and can control and protect from that particular situation, for example the fish incarnation of the lord is prayed for protection while we are in water, from the marine creatures because of that particular incarnation's connection with water and the aspect of his controllership of that element. Another important effect of chanting the kavacha is to keep is is connection with god always. When we are in water and we pray for protection and remember the fish incarnation, when we are in land we remember the dwarf incarnation and their glories and their capacity to protect us. This way what ever we do and wherever we be, we remember the lord in one form or the another. This helps us to be devoted to god always and gradually understand that everyone and everything we see, hear, touch perceive and experience is god and there is no second thing that exists which is different from god. We realize that our true self is the absolute god and everything is the reflexion of that supreme god. The kavacha also has prayers to protect us from any downfall in your spiritual journey and any obstacles in the spiritual path as well all worldly life. The wisdom we gain that everything is a blessing of god, and everything is god helps us to a great extant for a better way of life, and the connection we get with god helps us get purified from sins and as a result, our sufferings also end. We get a new outlook towards life, we are no more insecure or worried, we start trusting on and surrendering ourselves to the holy feet of the supreme. Good qualities develop within us and we don't differentiate desired and undesired situations, we start seeing everything as his blessing. We just pray to him to bless us with what we need to attain. The real welfare and well being. By chanting the mantras of the kavacha we seek an everlasting protection from god all the time. Narayana kavacha was initiated to Indra by Vishvaroopa the son of Tvasta. his kavacha praises all the incarnations of lord Narayana and seeks protection. this mantra is highly revered by followers of all sects of Vaishnavism. This kavacha is taken from canto six of shreemad Bhagavata Purana.