Rhys Davids & Stede (1921-25), p. 426, entry for "Paritta2" (retrieved 08-14-2008 from "U. Chicago" at [1]) provides the following translations: "protection, safeguard; (protective) charm, palliative, amulet." Also see Piyadassi (1999a) who translates paritta as "protection," and Anandajoti (2004) who translates it as "safeguard."