The Narayana Kavacham occurs in chapter eight of the sixth skanda of Bhagavada Purana. It is an Armour to protect ourselves from our enemies seen and unseen.
Raja Parikshith, the son of Abhimanyu, asks his teacher, Sage Shuka for a means to protect himself from his enemies. Sage Shuka then teaches him the Narayana Kavacham, which was originally taught by Sage Viswaroopa, the son of Thwashtra, to Indra. It is believed that the soul of the man who reads this Kavacha becomes extremely holy and that any one who reads this would be protected by Lord Vishnu.
Sloka 4-11 of this great Stotra give us in detail about the preparations that we should take before reciting this kavacham.
Kavacham's should be learned by a Guru who is well versed in these procedures and chanted under his guidance. If that is not possible, than the kavacham can be recited without performing the Kara and Anga nyasa or simply recite the last four lines.
Before commencing the recital, chant ’Om Namo Naraayanaya’ or ‘Om Namo Bhagvadey Vaasudevaaya’ or your guru Mantra 12 times.
Visualize yourself and/or your loved ones, totally protected. You could ‘see’ them dressed in an armor. You could see them immersed in white or violet light. You could see them in a tube of Light. You could see an impenetrable ring of white Light around them.


Rajo Uvacha
Yaya guptha sahasraksha savaahaan ripu sainikan,
Kreedanniva vinirjithya trilokya bhubhuje sriyam., 1
Bhagawam sthan mamakhyahi varma narayanathmakam,
Yadha athathayina shathroon yena guptho jayan mrudhe., 2

Sri Shuka Uvacha
Vrutha, purohitha thwashtro mahendra yanu pruchathe,
Narayanakhyam varmaha thadihaika mana srunu., 3

Viswaroopa Uvacha
Dhouthangri panir achamya sapavithra udang mukha,
Kruthaswa anga kara nyaso manthrabhyam vagyatha suchi., 4

Narayana mayam varma sannahyedh bhaya agathe,
Daiva bhoothathma karmebhya narayana maya puman., 5

Padyor janu noruvor udhare hrudhyadhorasi,
Mukhe sirasya anu poorva omgaradheeni vinyaseth., 6

Om namo narayanethi viparyaya madhapi vaa,
Kara nyasam Thatha kuryad dwadasakshara vidhyaya., 7

Pranavadhi yakarandha mangulyam angushta parvasu,
Nyased drudaya omkaram vikara manu moordhani., 8

Shakaranthu brovor madhye nakaram shikhayam nyased,
Vekaram nethrayor yunjyannakaram sarva sandhishu., 9


Makara masthra mudhisya mantha moorthir bhaved budha,
Sarva sanga shadantham thath sarva dikshu vinirdisheth,
Om Vishnava nama ithi., 10

Athmanam paramam dhyeyed dhyeyam shad shakthibhir yudham,
Vidhya thejas thapo murthim imam manthra mudhahareth., 11

Narayana Kavacham

Om harir vidhadhyan mama sarva raksham.
Nyashngir padma padgendra prushte,
Dharari charmasi gadheshu chapa,
Pasan dadhano ashtaguno ashta bahu., 12

Jaleshu maam rakshathu mathsya moorthir,
Yadho ganebhyo varunasya pasad,
Sthaleshu maya vatu vamano avyal,
Trivikrama khevadu viswaroopa., 13

Durgesh atavyaji mukhadhishu Prabhu,
Payanrusimho asura yoodha pari,
Vimunchatho yasya mahattahasam,
Dhiso vinedhur anya pathangascha Garbha., 14

Rakshathwasou maadhwani Yajna Kalpa,
Swadamshtrayoth patha dharo varaha,
Ramo aadhrikooteshwadha vipravase,
Sa lakshmanovyadh bharathagrajo maam., 15

Mamugra dharmad akhilath pramadath,
Narayana pathu narascha hasath,
Dathaswa yogad adha Yoga natha,
Payadh Gunesa kapila Karma bandath., 16

Sanath kumaro aavathu Kama devath,
Hayanano maam padhi deva helanath,
Devarshi varya purusharcha nantharath,
Koormo harir maam nirayadh aseshath., 17

Dhanwandarir bhagawan pathway padhyath,
Dwandwadh bhayad rushabho nirjithama,
Yajnascha loka devathaa janandath,
Balo ganath krodha vasadh aheendra., 18

Dwaipayano bhagwan aprabhodhad,
Budhasthu pashanda ganath pramadhath,,
Kalki kale kala malath prapath,
Dharma vanayoru kruthavathara., 19

Maam kesavo gadhaya pratharavyad,
Govinda aasangava aartha venu,
Narayana prahana udatha shakthir,
Madhyandhine vishnurareendra pani., 20

Devo aparahne Madhu hogra dhanwa,
Sayam thridhamavathu Madhwao maam,
Doshe Hrishi kesa, uthardha rather,
Niseedha yekovathu Padmanabha., 21

Srivathsa dhamaapara rathra eesa,
Prathyoosha eesosidharo janardhana,
Dhamodharo avyad anusandhyam prabathe,
Visweswaro bhagwan kala moorthi., 22

Chakram yugantha analathigma nemi,
Bhramath samanthad Bhagvath prayuktham,
Dandhagdhi dangdhyari sainya masu,
Kaksham yadha vatha sakho huthasa., 23

Gadhe asani sparsana visphulinge,
Nishpindi nishpindyajitha priyasi,
Koosmanda vainayaka yaksha raksho,
Bhootha graham choornaya choornyarin., 24

Thwam yathu dhana pramadha pretha mathru,
Pisacha vipra graham gora drushteen,
Dharendra vidhravaya Krishna pooritho,
Bhima swano arer hrudhayani kambhayan., 25

Thwam thigma dharasi varari sainyam,
Eesa prayuktha mama chindhi, chindhi,
Chakshoomshi charman satha chandra chadhaya,
Dwishamaghonaam hara papa chakshusham., 26

Yanna bhayam grahebhyobhooth kethubhyo nrubhya eva cha,
Saree srupebhyo dhamshtribhyo bhoothabyohebhya yeva cha., 27

Sarvanyethani bhagavan nama roopasthra keerthanath,
Prayanthu samkshayam sadhyo ye na sreya pratheepika., 28

Garudo Bhagawan sthothra sthobha chandho maya Prabhu,
Rakshathwa sesha kruchsrebhyo vishwaksena swa namabhi., 29

Savapadbhyo harer nama roopayanaayudhani na.
Budheendriya mana praanan paanthu parshadha bhooshana., 30

Yadhahi bhagwan eva vasthutha sad sachayath,
Sathye nanena na sarve yanthu nasamupadrawa., 31

Yadaikathmanu bhavanam vikalpa rahitha swayam,
Bhooshanuyudha lingakhya dathe shakthi swa mayaya., 32

Thenaiva sathya manen sarvajno Bhagwan Hari,
Pathu sarvai swaroopairna sada sarvathra sarvaga., 33

Vidikshu dikshoordhwamadha Samantha,
Anthar bahir bhagwan narasimha,
Praha bhayam loka bhayam swanena,
Swathejasa grastha samastha theja., 34

Maghavan idham aakhyatham varma narayanathmakam,
Vijeshya syanjasa yena damsitho sura yoodhapan., 35

Yethad dharayamanasthu yam yam pasyathi chakshusha,
Pada vaa samsprusethsadhya saadvasath sa vimuchyathe., 36

Na kuthaschid bhayam thasya vidhyam dharayatho bhaved.,
Raja dasyu grahadhebhyo vyagradhibhyascha karhichith., 37

Imam vidhyam pura kaschid kaushiko dharayan dwija,
Yogadharanaya swa angam jahow marudhanwani., 38

Thasyopari vimanena gandharwa pathi rekhadha,
Yayou chithra radha sthreebhir vrutho yathra dwijakshaya., 39

Gagamam anya pada sadhya savimano hyavak sira,
Sa balakhilya vachanad asthhenyadhya vismitha,
Prasya prachee saraswathyam snathwa dhama swa manwagadh., 40

Sri Shuka Uvacha

Ya idham srunuyath kale yo dharayathi chadhrutha,
Tham namasyanthi bhoohani muchyathe sarvatho bhayath., 41

Yetham vidhyamadhi gatho viswaroopa chatha kruthu,
Trilokya lakshmeem bubhuje vinirjithya mrude asuran., 42