Nrsimhadeva.com

Your Name

2013-06-12T09:23:00.000+07:00

"O most beautiful Nrsimha! The very mention of Your name causes demons to flee and devatas to bow down. Your powerful name destroys raksasas and forces enemies to retreat. Please grant me all auspiciousness." [ The sage Pulastya Muni ] (Indradyumna Swami)

Lord Nrsimha is the Supreme Brahman

2012-07-04T10:44:00.000+07:00

Hiranyakasipu used the "neti neti" process to negate any possible chance of his being killed by an enemy when he requested a boon from Lord Brahma.

a. He left no chance that any type of entity within the material world could harm him.

b. He left only the Brahman. And that Brahman came as Narasingha and destroyed him; thus Lord Narsinghadeva is the Supreme Brahman.

From: Suhotra Swami's Archives

Prahlada as a Calf

2012-06-19T22:51:00.000+07:00

The sons of Diti and the demons transformed Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was born in an asura family, into a calf, and they extracted various kinds of liquor and beer, which they put into a pot made of iron. - SB 4.18.16

The overall message is that the Supreme Lord, through His mystic powers and various manifestations on earth, supplied to all beings their necessities and their desirable commodities (note the list of items supplied to other groups; the supply was according to their natures). Prahlad Maharaja was a pure devotee, yet at the same time he served the Lord in the capacity of the king of the daityas. One can be certain that Prahlad ruled his citizens perfectly, which included his seeing to it that all his citizens were nicely cared for. Prahlad was naturally compassionate, and very powerful. Thus, it was only natural that he would be the candidate for this service to the daitya kingdom under Prithu's rule, at a time when "calf transform- ing" was going on in all worldly realms. - Romapada Swami

Nrsimha Rock

2012-05-06T18:03:00.002+07:00

In the Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh is the ancient village of Dudhai, which is home to an astounding murti of Lord Nrsimhadeva. Cut into the rock face of a hillside way off the beaten track, relatively few pilgrims search out this hidden treasure. Although it is listed as a sacred site by the Archaeological Survey of India, little documentation is available about the sculpture.

The rock-cut Nrsimhadeva of Dudhai stands over thirty feet tall, and is masterfully sculpted to take advantage of the natural striations in the rock formation, which add to the design of the murti. The demon Hiranyakasipu is stretched across the Lord's lap, being composed of natural stone that is silhouetted by the bas relief rock-cut design.

Lord Nrsimhadeva's lips are pulled back in a snarl, revealing his fearsome teeth and tongue. The lines of rock have been used advantageously, bringing certain elements of the design to a fine point. The Lord's clothing and ornaments, for example, are very distinct in some places, while in some places the lines of the sculpture have been blurred by water and weather.

A split column is beautifully executed in the murti, and the sculptor took full advantage of the natural colors in the rock face, which emphasize certain aspects of the murti design. Overall, this massive image is so camouflaged by its natural surroundings as to be almost invisible, until one gets relatively close, and views it from the right angle.

Based on other cave excavations in the area, this rock-cut murti of Sri Nrsimha is thought to have been created in the Gupta period, when Vaisnava worship was predominant in Uttar Pradesh. The nearby Dasavatar temple in Deogarh, and a huge sculpture of Lord Varaha at the nearby Udaygiri caves in Madhya Pradesh are classic examples of the iconography found here in the Nrsimhadeva murti.

There is a complex of Hindu and Jain temples in the area of Dudhai, and quarrying is now going on all around the area. We can only hope that the ASI will enforce strict protections for this exceptional Lord Nrsimhadeva sculpture.

Dudhai village is located about 50 kilometers from the center of Lalitpur district, which is about 100 kilometers south of Jhansi. To get here, drive down NH 26 from Lalitpur, turn off the highway at Bagaria (about 30 kms from Lalitpur) and drive to Dudhai via the village of Pali. Dudhai village is 28 kilometers from the highway turn-off. Although part of the road to the hill site is a forest road built during the British era, much of the road is more like a cattle track, and is best driven in a vehicle suited to off-road travel.

From The Sampradaya Sun

Prahlada Defeats Narayana

2012-05-05T12:21:00.000+07:00

Nrsimha's Lotus Feet (in Ahobilam)

Brhad Bhagavatamrta (by Srila Sanatana Gosvami) 1.4.11 features the following delightful lila.

You [Prahlada Maharaja] once went to the Naimisa Forest to have darsana of Narayana, who is known as "the Lord in yellow dress." While on the road you satisfied the Lord in combat, and He told you, "Yes, I am always conquered by you!"

COMMENTARY

This incident is recounted in a number of scriptures, including the Vamana Purana (7). Once Prahlada took a trip to Naimisaranya to see Lord Pitavasa, the beautiful form of the Supreme Lord. While traveling on the road he met a strange person, who was dressed like an austere renunciant but was carrying a warrior's bow and arrows. Prahlada assumed from this person's contradictory attire that he must be some hypocrite abusing the true principles of religion. Therefore Prahlada started a fight with the sannyasi, vowing "I swear I shall defeat you!" But even after several days of dueling, Prahlada could not subdue this adversary. Early one morning before resuming the battle, Prahlada worshiped his personal Deity. He then saw his opponent standing nearby, wearing the same garland he had just offered the Deity. Prahlada suddenly recognized that the stranger was Lord Pitavasa, Narayana Himself. Thereupon, offering prayers to that opponent with all the competence at his command, Prahlada tried to satisfy Him. In response, the Lord touched him with His lotus hand, which relieved Prahlada from the fatigue of fighting and from all anxiety. Prahlada asked Lord Pitavasa what to do about having transgressed the duty of a ksatriya by having made a promise -- namely to defeat his opponent -- and not having fulfilled it. The Lord, fully satisfied by the sport of fighting with Prahlada, told him, "But I am always defeated by you!"

Glorious Prahlada

2012-05-05T12:16:00.003+07:00

Photo taken by Ananta Vrindavan Dasa

In the Padma Purana, it mentions that Prahlada, Hiranyakashipu, Nrsingadev, they appear many times. It’s not only this one time. At least 3 different incarnations in other days of Brahma are described in the Padma Purana.

One of those times he (Hiranyakashipu) worshiped Shiva and got the blessing. Another time he worshiped Brahma again. When he was worshiping Shiva and he wanted Prahalada to admit that he was supreme, then he said that, “Well, ok if you don’t want to admit I’m supreme at least admit that Shiva is supreme... He is above Vishnu.” Prahlada didn’t accept that either.

Prahlada was very fixed up Vaisnava. He knew very clearly who the Supreme was. He got prenatal instruction. In the womb of his mother Kayadu he was instructed by Narada muni.

The teachers of Prahalada were amazed where did he get all this information from? And they weren’t teaching all this Visnu-tattva. So they were surprised!

HH Jayapataka Swami

Lecture

Nrsimha Caturdasi, 2008

Sridham Mayapur

The Knowledge of Srimad-Bhagavatam

2012-05-05T12:12:00.000+07:00

suko vetti

vyaso vetti

raja vetti na vetti va

sridharo hi sarvam vetti

sri nrsimha prasadatah

Sukadeva Goswami knows the essence of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Vyasadeva also knows it. Maharaja Pariksit maybe also knows it but this not sure. However, Sridhara Swami knows everything about the Bhagavatam by the divine mercy of Sri Nrsimha

Kill The Snake

2011-12-21T02:36:00.000+07:00

From Niti-sastras: Sayings of Canakya and Hitopadesa as Quoted by Srila Prabhupada

“Translation: There are two kinds of envious living entities, the snake and the man-snake, or the man habituated to snake-like qualities. Of the two, the man-snake is more dangerous because while a serpent can be subdued by mantra or herbs, the man-snake cannot be subdued.

“Commentary: This sloka points out the ugliness of human envy and how it can consume a person to such an extent that it is impossible to control. An envious person attacks even the most wonderful and saintly persons he meets. Reading this sloka makes me resolve not to become a victim of envy. I pray to Lord Nsringhadeva to please enter my heart and destroy my anarthas, particularly my envy. I want to seriously practice Krishna consciousness and become free of this disease.

“Using the example of the example of the snake, Srila Prabhupada explains that the cruel and the envious are the first to suffer. In the forest fire, all the animals try to escape, but because snakes crawl on the ground and the dry leaves quickly catch fire, they are the first to die. ‘Similarly, when there is a catastrophe in the world, persons who are like snakes, cruel and envious, suffer first.’

“Srila Prabhupada characterized a snake as a creature that would bite other living entities without provocation. ‘Why is a snake called so cruel? Because unnecessarily they bite. If somebody commits offense unto you, if you bite me, that is reasonable. But if I have no fault, still you are biting me. Vrscika, scorpion, snake, they do that without any offense.’ No one has to become a snake’s enemy; snakes are everyone’s enemy by nature.

“An envious man is more dangerous than a snake. A human being has developed consciousness. If he uses his consciousness to practice envy and jealousy, there is no way to change his heart. Although in India snake charmers can control snakes by music or mantra, there’s no way to control a snake-like man. ‘A person who has become jealous and envious cannot be controlled either by mantra or by bribe or this or that.’

“Even the devotees are not spared from the bite of an envious person. Nondevotees often appear civilized. ‘Here is a very nice, educated man. He is very nice.’ But we say, ‘No!’ Because he has no Krishna consciousness, he is as dangerous as if he is an ordinary man.
“Srila Prabhupada refers us to another Canakya sloka: ‘If you give good advice, a person will become angry.’ And he also cited the example of Jesus Christ: ‘Jesus Christ was crucified by some envious persons. Even the Roman judge denied that this man should not be .… there is no fault. Because they were envious, they were persistent, “Yes, he should be crucified.”’

“In a similar context, the Srimad-Bhagavatam compares the nondevotees to poisonous snakes. On the contrary, even though full of all opulence and material prosperity, any householder’s house where the devotees are never allowed to come in, and where there is no water for washing their feet, is to be considered a tree in which all venomous serpents live.

“Srila Prabhupada himself experienced this envy against a sadhu. ‘We are preaching Krishna consciousness. So what is our fault? That we are trying to teach people—“no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, no intoxication,” but they take it otherwise. They take: ‘it is very dangerous … ’ No fault, but still faultfinding and giving us trouble.

“In the face of envy, a sadhu tolerates. That is one of his ornaments. A sadhu is merciful, tolerant and a friend to all. Therefore, the preacher is favored by Krishna.

“Sadhus also strictly follow the principles of nonviolence. They don’t want to kill even an ant. Srila Prabhiupada describes how he was therefore surprised when his Guru Maharaja ordered a snake killed:

“‘Long ago, in the year 1933, in this Caitanya Matha, there was a big snake that came out of my front. I was taking bath, so everyone was looking what to do. Guru Maharaja was on the upstairs. He immediately ordered, ‘Kill him.’ So it was killed. At that time, 1933, I was a newcomer. I thought, ‘How is that? Guru Maharaja ordered a snake to be killed.’ I was a little surprised. But later on, when I saw this verse [in Srimad Bhagavatam] I was very glad. Modeta sadhur api vrscika sarpa-hatya. It had remained a doubt, “How Guru Maharaja ordered a snake to be killed?” But when I read this verse I was very much pleased, that these creatures, or creatures like the snake, should not be shown any mercy.’

“What Srila Prabhupada refers to is a statement in the Seventh Canto by Prahlada Maharaja (SB 7.9.14) after Lord Nsrimhadeva killed Prahlada’s father Hiranyakasipu. At that time Prahlada Maharaja said,

‘My Lord Nsrimhadeva, please, therefore, cease your anger now that my father, the great demon Hiranyakasipu, has been killed. Since even saintly persons take pleasure in the killing of a scorpion or snake, all the worlds have achieved great satisfaction because of the death of this demon. Now they are confident of their happiness and they will always remember Your auspicious incarnation in order to be free from fear.’”

- Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

Uproot My Lust

2011-12-10T12:17:00.001+07:00

Raksho-bhuvana-mahatmya

of Sri Bhavishyottara Purana

yan nirvikara-para-rupa-vichintanena |

yogeshvara vishaya-sagara-vita-ragah ||

vishramtim apura-vinasha vatim parakhyam |

sa tvam nrsimha mayi dehi kripa-valokam ||7||

“By thinking of Your unchanging Supreme Form as Lord Nrsimhadeva, the best of the saints become freed from all attachment to the ocean of materialistic sense gratification, especially ragah or sex, and perpetually attain the topmost relief from all such related distress of the mind. O, Lord Nrsimha, may you please bestow upon me Your most merciful glance.”

108 Names of Nrsimhadeva

2011-12-10T12:03:00.001+07:00

1. Om narasimhaya namah
Obeisances unto the half-man half-lion Lord
2. Om mahasimhaya namah
Obeisances to the great lion
3. Om diyva-simhaya namah
Obeisances to the Divine lion
4. Om mahabalaya namah
Obeisances to the greatly powerful
5. Om ugra-simhaya namah
Obeisances to the angry terrifying lion
6. Om mahadevaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord of lords
7. Om stambha-ja-aya namah
Obeisances to One who appeared from the pillar
8. Om ugra-locanaya namah
Obeisances to one who possesses terrifying eyes
9. Om raudraya namah
Obeisances to the angry one
10. Om sarvadbhutaya namah
Obeisances to one who is wonderful in every way
11. Om srimanaya namah
Obeisances to the most beautiful
12. Om yoganandaya namah
Obeisances to the source of yogic bliss
13. Om trivikramaya namah
Obeisances to Lord Vamana (Who took three great steps)
14. Om harine namah
Obeisances to Sri Hari Who takes our troubles away
15. Om kolahalaya namah
Obeisances to the roaring (Varahadeva - Varaha-nrisimha)
16. Om cakrine namah
Obeisances to Him Who carries the disk
17. Om vijayaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is always victorious
18. Om jaya-vardhanaya namah
Obeisances unto Him Who has ever increasing glories
19. Om panchananaya namah
Obeisances unto Him Who is five-headed
20. Om param-brahma-aya namah
Obeisances unto Supreme Absolute Truth
21. Om aghoraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who for His devotees is not horrible
22. Om ghora-vikramaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who has terrifying activities
23. Om jvalan-mukhaya namah
Obeisances to One Who has an effulgent face
24. Om jvala-maline namah
Obeisances to Him with effulgent garland of flames
25. Om mahajvalaya namah
Obeisances to He Who is most effulgent
26. Om maha-prabhuhaya namah
Obeisances to the Supreme Master
27. Om niti-laksaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who possesses all good (moral) qualities
28. Om sahasraksaya namah
Obeisances to the thousand-eyed One
29. Om durniriksyaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is difficult to see (difficult to look at)
30. Om pratapanaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who oppresses His enemies with great heat
31. Om mahadamstraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who possesses huge teeth
32. Om yudha-prajnaya namah
Obeisances to the Supremely intelligent in battle (ready to fight)
33. Om canda-kopine namah
Obeisances to Him Who is likened to an angry moon
34. Om sada-sivaya namah
Obeisances to the All auspicious Lord
35. Om hiranyakasipu-dhvamsine namah
Obeisance to Him Who destroys Hiranyakasipu
36. Om daitya-danava-bhanjanaya namah
Obeisances to He Who destroys the masses of the race of demons and giants
37. Om guna-bhadraya namah
Obeisances unto Narasimha Who is full of wonderful qualities
38. Om mahabhadraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is very auspicious
39. Om bala-bhadraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is auspiciously powerful
40. Om subhadrakaya namah
Obeisances to the extremely auspicious One
41. Om karalaya namah
Obeisances to He Who possesses a wide open mouth
42. Om vikaralaya namah
Obeisances to Him with very wide open mouth
43. Om vikartaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who performs wonderful activities
44. Om sarva-kartrikaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who performs ALL activities
45. Om sisumaraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who also appears as Matsya
46. Om trilokatmaya namah
Obeisances to the Soul of the three worlds
47. Om isaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord known as the controller
48. Om sarvesvaraya namah
Obeisances to that supreme controller
49. Om vibhuaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who is the BEST
50. Om bhaivaradambaraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who causes terror by roaring in the sky
51. Om divyaya namah
Obeisances to That Divine Person Narasimha
52. Om acyutaya namah
Obeisances to our infallible Lord Nara-simha
53. Om kavine namah
Obeisances to the Supreme intelligent (poet)
54. Om madhavaya namah
Obeisances to the husband of Srimati Laksmi devi
55. Om adhoksajaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is beyond understanding (or beyond explaining)
56. Om aksaraya namah
Obeisances to the infallible One
57. Om sarvaya namah
Obeisances to He Who is the origin of everything
58. Om vanamaline namah
Obeisances to Him Who wears garland of forest flowers (or adorned by His loving devotees)
59. Om varapradaya namah
Obeisances to the Merciful Lord Who grants boons to the deserving like Prahlada
60. Om visvambaraya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who maintains the universe
61. Om adbhutaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is wonderful
62. Om bhavyaya namah
Obeisances to He Who determines the future (Who is the future for His devotees)
63. Om sri-visnave namah
Obeisances to that Narasimha Who is the all pervading Lord Vishnu
64. Om purusottamaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who is the Supreme Enjoyer
65. Om anaghastra namah
Obeisances to Him Who can never be wounded by weapons
66. Om nakhastraya namah
Obeisances to Him Who has sharp nails for weapons
67. Om surya-jyotine namah
Obeisances to Narasimha the source of Suns rays
68. Om suresvaraya namah
Obeisances to Narasimhadev, Lord of devatas
69. Om sahasra-bahu-aya namah
Obeisances to Nara-hari the thousand-armed Lord
70. Om sarva-jnaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is the all-knowing
71. Om sarva-siddhi-pradayakaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who awards all perfections to the sadhakas (devotees)
72. Om vajra-damstraya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who has teeth like lightning bolts
73. Om vajra-nakhaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who possesses nails like piercing lightning bolts
74. Om mahanandaya namah
Obeisances to the source of supreme bliss - Atmananda - Narasimha
75. Om param-tapaya namah
Obeisances to the source of All austerities, spiritual energy (and taptah - heat)
76. Om sarva-mantraika-rupa namah
Obeisances to that Divine Personality Who although one, he appears as the many mantrika formulas
77. Om sarva-yantra-vidaramaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who destroys all machines (demoniac plans/arrangements/vehicles for demoniac works)
78. Om sarva-tantratmakaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha the essence of, and proprioter of all tantras (ritual rites - pujas)
79. Om avyaktaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who appears unmanifest
80. Om suvyaktaya namah
Obeisances unto Nara-simha Who for His devotees becomes wonderfully manifest from the pillar (or when needed)
81. Om bhakta-vatsala namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who always has the well-being of His devotee at heart
82. Om vaisakha-sukla-bhototthaya namah
Obeisances to That Narasimhadeva Who appeared during waxing moon of the month of Visakha (April-May)
83. Om saranagata-vatsalaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who is kind to those surrendered to Him (like the mother lioness who is kind to her cubs)
84. Om udara-kirtine namah
Obeisances to Nara-simha Who is universally famous
85. Om punyatmaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is the essence of piety
86. Om mahatmaya namah
Obeisances to That great personality, Nara-simha
87. Om candra-vikramaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is the performer of moonlike or great deeds, or who performs deeds that eclipse all others.
88. Om vedatrayaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord of the three original Vedas (Rg, Yajur, Sama)
89. Om prapujyaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who is supremely worshipable
90. Om bhagavanaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha the Supreme Personality of Godhead
91. Om paramesvaraya namah
Obeisances to He Who is the Supreme Controller (Nara-simha-deva)
92. Om srivatsamkaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord Who is just like Krishna, being marked with symbol of Laksmi
93. Om jagat-vyapine namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who pervades the entire universe
94. Om jagan-mayaya namah
Obeisances to the Supreme Mystic Who makes the material world seem real
95. Om jagat-palaya namah
Obeisances to the protector of the universe (Nara-simha)
96. Om jagannathaya namah
Obeisances to the Lord of Universe
97. Om mahakhagaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who moves in the air or with the movement of the air (is everywhere)
98. Om dvi-rupa-bhrtaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who has double form (man-lion)
99. Om paramatmaya namah
Obeisances to Him Who is the Supersoul of All beings
100. Om param-jyotine namah
Obeisances to Him (Nara-simha) Whose effulgence is the source of Brahman
101. Om nirgunaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Who possesses transcendental qualities (not those of the material nature)
102. Om nrkesarine namah
Obeisances unto Him man-lion (or having a lion's mane while appearing part human)
103. Om para-tattvaya namah
Obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth (One Who is of the Supreme nature)
104. Om param-dhamaya namah
Obeisances to He Who comes from the Supreme Abode
105. Om sac-cid-ananda-vigrahaya namah
Obeisances to Narasimha Whose Form is made of eternal knowledge and bliss
106. Om laksmi-nrsimhaya namah
Obeisances unto the Man-Lion Form together with the Supreme Goddess of Fortune Srimati Laksmi-devi
107. Om sarvatmaya namah
Obeisances unto the universal, primeval soul (the Supreme Personality of Godhead - Narasimhadeva)
108. Om dhiraya namah
Obeisances unto Narasimha who is always sober (being never bewildered)

Om prahlada-palakaya namah

Obeisances unto Narasimha Who is the protector of Prahlada Maharaja, and those of that nature - surrendered unto Him.

Sri Nrsimha Ashtakam

2011-12-10T11:59:00.001+07:00

Dhyayami narasimhakyam

brahma vedanta-gocharam

bhavabdhi taran opayam

shankha chakra dharam param

I am meditating on the Supreme Person known as Nrisimha who is attainable through Vedanta philosophy. He is the carrier of the conch and the Sudarshana disc, and He is the only means for crossing the ocean of birth and death.

Nilam ramam cha paribhuya kripa rasena

stambhe sva-shakti-managham vinidhaya deva

prahlada rakshana vidhavi yati kripa te

shri narasimha paripalaya mam cha bhaktam

You mercifully protect Nila and Rama with Your chaste, spiritual internal potency. You also extend Your protective energy over Prahlada Maharaja. O Nrisimha please protect me too, for I am also trying to be Your devotee.

Indra-adi deva nikarasya kirita koti

pratyupta ratna prati-bimbita pada-padma

kalpa-anta kala ghana garjana tulya-nada

shri narasimha paripalaya mam cha bhaktam

Your lotus feet are comparable in effulgence to the brilliance of the sum total of the jewelry possessed by all the demigods. Your roaring is like that of the thundering clouds at the universal dissolution. O Nrisimha please protect me too, for I am also trying to be Your devotee.

Prahlada posha pralayarka samana vaktra

hum-kara nirjita nishachara vrinda nada

sri-narada muni sangha sugiyamana

sri narasimha paripalaya mam cha bhaktam

You are the maintainer of Prahlada Maharaja and Your open mouth is exactly as the sun which causes the destruction of the universe. O Lord, Your grunts frighten all the roaming predators of the night. You are always beautifully glorified by sages such as Narada Muni. O Nrisimha please protect me too, for I am also trying to be Your devotee.

Ratrin charadri jatarat parisramsya-mana raktam

nipiya pari-kalpita sa-antara-mala

vidravita-akhila surogra nrisimha rupam

sri narasimha paripalaya mam cha bhaktam

O Nrisimha, Your divine form is horrifying. You are tearing apart all the wild animals descending from the caves of the mountains to terrify and to drink the blood of everyone. O Nrisimha please protect me too, for I am also trying to be Your devotee.

Yogi-indra yoga pari-rakshaka deva deva

dina-arthi-hari vibhava-agama giyamana

mam vikshya dinam asaranyam aganya-shilam

sri narasimha paripalaya mam cha bhaktam

O King of the yogis, Lord of Lords and the protector of the process of yoga. You are the remover of the sufferings of those who are dear to You. Your wonderful form is described in the agamas. Please glance upon me who is without shelter and possesses no good qualities. O Nrisimha please protect me too, for I am trying to be Your devotee.

Prahlada shoka vinivarana bhadra-simha

naktan-charendra mada khandana vira-simha

indra-adi deva-jana sangnuta pada-padma

sri narasimha paripalaya mam cha bhaktam

You are the auspicious lion that dispersed the grief of Prahlada Maharaja. O Powerful Lion, who tears everything apart in an intoxicated mood, You are the Lord of the ferocious predators of the dark night. Your lotus feet are surrounded by all divine and pious personalities beginning with Lord Indra. O Nrisimha please protect me too, for I am also trying to be Your devotee.

Gyanena kechid avalambya padambhujam te

kechit sukarma nikarena pare ch bhaktya

muktim gatah khalu janah kripaya murare

sri narasimha paripalaya mam cha bhaktam

Some people try to embrace Your lotus feet through the process of knowledge. Others try by performing pious activities and yet others by the path of devotion. O Murari by Your mercy all of them attain liberation. O Nrisimha please protect me too, for I am also trying to be Your devotee.

Shiva Sarabha

2011-09-30T10:33:00.000+07:00

After the destruction, Prahlad, Laksmi and various demigods attempted to soothe the Lord's anger, but without success. Coming at the request of the rishis and demigods, Lord Shiva, along with Sri Soolini and Prathyankira Devis and Their respective entourages, manifested His supremely aggressive Sarabesvara form. He embraced Sri Nrsimha, cooled Him down and made Him accessible to all beings. This Sri Sarabesvara is Lord Shiva's universal Omkara form.

Lord Nrsimhadev's post-destruction and Disappearance pastimes were not discussed in any detail by our Gaudiya Vaisnava Sampradaya Acaryas. While numerous temple deities, painted images and sastric references are found to Lord Shiva's Sarabha form, the major Puranas like Srimad Bhagavatam do not mention the Sarabha forms of Lord Nrsimha and Lord Shiva. Likewise, no mention appears to have been made in the Upa Puranas like the Narasimha Purana, or other Upanishads associated with Sri Nrisimhadev. Rather, they stop at the point in the lila pastime with the destruction of Hiranyakasipu and the pacification of the Lord's anger by Bhakta Prahlad and the demigods and goddesses.

Although the post-destruction pastimes are not mentioned in the primary sastra, there are many references found to Shiva Sarabha and to Lord Nrsimhadev's own Sarabha Form. Included amongst them are references to Sri Nrsimha's Form as Ganda Bherunada, a rare two-headed bird incarnation worshipped in South India, as well as to versions of a pastime wherein Shiva Sharabha actually fought with and killed Lord Nrsimhadev. Some have concluded that this incarnation of Shiva was simply created by a group of South Indian Shaivites as a means to position Shiva as being greater than Vishnu, and that question seems left to the discussions of academics and pandits.

In the Atharva Veda, the tenth of thirty-one Upanishads is the Sarabha Upanishad, which glorifies Lord Shiva in his fierce Sarabha manifestation. Verse 3 of this Upanishad states that Maheswara took the form of Sarabha and killed Narasimha. What follows is a translation by P.R. Ramachander:

Sarabha Upanishad

Om ! O Devas, may we hear with our ears what is auspicious;
May we see with our eyes what is auspicious, O ye worthy of worship !
May we enjoy the term of life allotted by the Devas,
Praising them with our body and limbs steady !
May the glorious Indra bless us !
May the all-knowing Sun bless us !
May Garuda, the thunderbolt for evil, bless us !
May Brihaspati grant us well-being !
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !

I am saluting that primeval God who is the Lord, who is the best, who is the father of the world, who is the greatest among gods, who has created Brahma, who gave all Vedas to Brahma in the beginning, who is the father of Vishnu and other devas, who merits praise, and who at the time of deluge destroys the world. He is the only one who is greater than every body, who is the best and who rules over others. 1-2

That very strong Maheswara took the horrifying form of Sarabha and killed Narasimha who was destroying the world. (Sarabha is the avatar of Shiva which is a combination of eagle, lion and man.) 3

That god with his sharp claws tore, Vishnu who took the form of Narasimha. He who was wearing the hide became Veerabhadra. 4

For every one desiring to get all occult powers, he is the one who should be meditated. Salutations to that Rudra who tore away the fifth head of Brahma. 5

Salutations to that Rudra who kicked Kala the God of death and made him fall and also him who drank the burning Halahala poison. 6

Salutations to that Rudra whose feet were worshipped by the flower of Vishnu’s eyes and who being pleased gave him the holy wheel (Chakra). 7

The one, who has crossed sorrows, sees that God, who is atom within an atom, gross among the gross, who as Atma hidden in the heart of beings and who is beyond physical action, clearly because of these reasons. 8

Salutations to that Rudra who is the greatest god, who holds the Soola (spear) in his hand, who has a big swallowing mouth, who is the Maheswara and whose blessing has good effects. 9

“Chara”, indicates beings which move and because Brahmam shines in the half of their body as Hari, it is called Sarabham. Hey great sage, that can grant salvation directly. 10

Any twice born who reads this, which is called “the great Sastra of Paippalada” or makes others read it, would get rid of births and deaths and attain salvation. The Upanishad tells that he will become similar to Brahma.

Here ends the Sarabhopanishad, as contained in the Atharva-Veda.

Other References to Sarabha

In the Sri Nrsimha-sahasra-nama, the thousand Names of Lord Nrsimhadeva (which was translated by Sriman Kusakratha dasa), the name "Sarabha" is included as one of the names of Lord Nrsimhadeva which was recited by Lord Brahma to calm the Lord's anger after He had killed Hiranyakasipu.

Text 157

"Obeisances to Lord Nrsimha, who gives religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation (dharmartha-kama-moksha), who is always aloof from matter (virakta), who is the most pure (bhava-Suddha), who is perfect (siddha), who is the goal of spiritual life (sadhya), who is ferocious like a Sarabha monster (Sarabha)…"

The Shiva Purana describes Sarabha, also known as Sarabheswara, as follows:

"He had a thousand hands and wore matted locks. His head was adorned by the crested moon. He appeared like a bird with wings and beak. His body was fierce and fully developed.

His fangs were very sharp. Adamantine claws were His weapons. His neck was black in colour. He had huge arms and four legs. He was blazing like fire.

His voice was resonant and terrible like the rumbling sound of the clouds that gather at the end of the yuga. His three eyes were wide and blazing as the fire of the evil spirit of great fury.

His fangs and lips were clearly visible. He was producing a hissing sound of humkara. Shiva of such a form appeared in sight."

In addition to the description of Sri Sarabeswara's advent in Atharva Veda mention is also found in the Linga Purana, Skanda Purana and Brahmanda Purana. Special mention is made in Rigveda and Thaitriya as well, at the Uttara bhaga of Sri Lalitha Sahasra-nama.

Paayaanno Deva Sarabasthva Payaath
Sathaarirogath Vipinorakaapyam
Vaiswanaro Kugari Ritchakebya
Prethebyo Bhoothebyo Rusha Krudanthan

(Atharva Veda)

The Vedic mantras affirm that all ones sins are wiped away by chanting the powerful mantra of Sri Sarabha. Srila Vedavyasa in the 96th chapter of his Linga Purana categorically states that those who worship Sri Sarabeswara will be rid of all afflictions caused by bad dreams, chronic ailments, poisonous bites, disasters caused by earthquake, floods, cyclone, thunder, lightning, etc.

Sarva Vigna Prasamanam, Sarva Vyadi Vinasanam
Arichakra Prasamanam, Sarva Dukka Vinasanam,
Atraanyothpada Bookamba thaavagni Paamasu Vrishtisu
Thatho duswapna Samanam, Sarvabhootha Nivaranam,
Vishagraha Kshayakaram Puthra powthraadhi Vardhanam
Thathraksha Daaranam Kuryaath Jangamaangey Varaananey

Linga Purana

One rendition (source unknown) of Lord Nrsimhadev's post-destruction pastime with Sarabha is described as follows:

"Unfortunately His anger and fierceness did not subside, even after annihilation of the demon and the three worlds trembled in fear. All the Devas headed by Lord Brahma appealed to Lord Shiva to appease the anger of Lord Narasimha. The compassionate Lord Shiva sent His lieutenant Agora Veerabhadra to do the job, but it went in vain. Therajoguna caused by tasting the blood of the demon did not let Lord Narasimha calm down. Veerabhadra, unable to subdue Sri Narasimha, prayed to Lord Shiva to intervene.

There appeared the most terrible form of a combination of man, bird and animal. It was a queer combination of man with Saraba (Bird) and Yaali (animal), celebratedly known and worshipped by the name Sri Sarabeswara, being the Thirtieth avatar of Lord Shiva amongst His Sixty four incarnations.

Sri Sarabeswara, sporting two huge wings, (representing Soolini Durga and Prathyankira Devi), eight legs, the nose of an eagle, four arms carrying fire, serpent, a deer and the ankus, with fingers having sharp nails looking very fierce and turbulent, came flying and comforted Sri Narasimha with his two wings to calm down. But the fiery energy stored in the latter came out in the form of a bird called 'Kandaberunda' and started to fight with Sri Sarabha, and this divine encounter continued for eighteen days.

Lord Sarabeswara decided to conclude this 'sport'. By His will, Goddess Prathyankira Devi came out of one of his wings, took a huge physical form, gulped the Kandaberunda bird and brought its end. Sri Narasimha realising his erroneous action, praised Lord Sarabeswara with beautiful epithets, which later became the Ashtothra (108 Names) of the victorious Lord.

Lord Shiva then revealed to all the Devas that: "To annihilate the Asura, Lord Narasimha came, and to appease Lord Narasimha, I have come as Sarabeswara. Be aware that we are both one and the same like water and water, milk and milk, ghee and ghee, both inseparable and to be worshipped as one".

Yatha Jaley Jalam, Kshiptham, Ksheeram, Ksheeray Kruthang Kruthey Yekayeva Thatha Vishnu: Shiva Leetho Nachanyatha

Lord Brahma, out of gratitude for saving the universe from the anger of Sri Narasimha, worshipped Lord Sarabeswara with Sri Sarabeswara Ashtothra. At the very appearance of Lord Sarabeswara glittering like thousand Suns, the rage of Narasimha subsided and the entire universe heaved with relief. Let Sri Sarabeswara protect us for ever, from any disaster.

Adapted from a Sampradaya Sun article

Nrsimha Drinks Hirayankashipu's Blood

2011-09-30T10:24:00.001+07:00

Wikimedia

As mentioned in some Puranas, Lord Nrsimhadeva consumed every drop of Hiranyakasipu's blood, then wore the demon's mangled body as a garland to make sure that none of the demon's physical remains made contact with the universe.

Saturn Personified Worships Nrsimhadeva

2011-08-30T13:30:00.000+07:00

Śrī Śanaiścara-kṛta Śrī Narasiṁha Stuti

Everyone is afraid of the malefic planet Śani because generally he is associated with extreme sorrow and suffering. However, Śanideva himself has devised a way of solving this problem by obtaining the blessings of Lord Nṛsiṁha.

Shani made an agreement with the Lord that he would never trouble those who recite his Nṛsiṁha Stuti when they are facing troubles related to dvādaśa-aṣṭama-pañcama (a situation where Śani-kāta lasts for 7 1/2 births)

If one recites with devotion Śani’s Śrī Nṛsiṁha Stuti, especially on Śanivāra (Saturdays) and when Śani graha comes to 12-8-5 Janma Rāśi or 10th AL, one will please the Lord who is the Supersoul of Shanaishchara and the Lord will remove all obstacles and suffering and bless His devotee.

sulabho bhakti yuktānāṁ durdarśo duṣṭa cetasāṁ |

ananya gatikānām ca prabhu bhaktaika-vatsalaḥ

śanaiścara tatra nṛsiṁha-deva cakārāmala-citta-vṛtiḥ |

praṇamya ṣaṣṭāṅgam aśeśa-loka kirīta nīrājita pāda-padmam || 1 |

Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva is easily accessible to the devotees and punishes those who are evil-minded. He is the saviour for those who are helpless who desire to seek refuge in Him. When the demigods of innumerable planets bow down to His lotus feet, the bright jewels from their crowns are reflected on His toenails which gives the impression that lamps are being waved in front of them.

Unto His lotus feet, Śanideva prostrated and prayed (in the court of Brahmā).

śrī śanir-uvāca -

yat pāda-pankaja-raja paramādharena

saṁsevitam sakala kalmaśa rāśī-nāśam |

kalyāṇa kārakam aśeṣanijānugānam |

sa tvam nṛsiṁha mayi dehi kṛpā-valokam ||2||

Śrī Śani said -

By the mercy of the dust of Your lotus feet which destroy a multitude of sins, grant infinite auspiciousness to Your devotee who always worships Your lotus feet with devotion. O Lord Nṛsiṁha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

sarvatra cancalatayā sthitayāpi lakṣmyāḥ |

brahmādi-vandya-padayā stirayānya sevi ||

pādāravinda-yugalaṁ paramā-dharena |

sa tvam nṛsiṁha mayi dehi kṛpā valokam||3||

Your lotus feet are worshipped by Goddess Lakṣmī, even though She is fickle by nature (cancala) and by Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva whose feet are worthy of worship with devotion. O Lord Nṛsiṁha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

yad rūpam āgama-śiraḥ pratipādhyamādhya |

ādhyātmikādi paritāpa haram vicintyam ||

yogīśvarair apathagākhila doṣa saṅghaiḥ |

sa tvam nṛsiṁha mayi dehi kṛpā-valokam ||4||

By contemplating or meditating upon Your appearance, which is expounded in the Vedas extensively, the best of the saints are liberated from the three-fold miseries and from all misfortunes. O Lord Nṛsiṁha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

prahlāda bhakta vacasā harir āvirāsa |

stambhe hiraṇyakaśipuṁ ya udhārabhāvaḥ ||

urvau nidhāya udharam nakhārai dadhāra |

sa tvam nṛsiṁha mayi dehi kṛpā-valokam ||5||

By the word of His devotee named Prahlāda, Lord Hari, who is generous and kind, appeared from a pillar and by placing Hiraṇyakaśipu on His thighs split open the his stomach with His nails. O Lord Nṛsiṁha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

yo naija bhaktaṁ analāmbudhi bhūdharogra |

śṛṇga-prapāta viśa dhamti sarīsupebhyaḥ |

sarvātmakaḥ parama-kāruṇiko rarakṣa |

sa tvam nṛsiṁha mayi dehi kṛpā-valokam ||6||

You protected your own devotee Prahlāda from a raging fire, the deep ocean, from falling from a tall mountain peak, poison, a mad elephant and the fangs of poisonous serpents. You are omnipresent and supremely generous. O Lord Nṛsiṁha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

yannirvikāra para-rūpa vicintanena |

yogīśvarā viśaya sāgara vīta rāgāḥ ||

viśrāmtim āpura-vināśa vatīṁ parākhyāṁ |

sa tvam nṛsiṁha mayi dehi kṛpā-valokam ||7||

By meditating upon He whose great form is devoid of imperfections, the best of the saints attained liberation from the ocean of materialistic attachments and obtained unmitigated salvation. O Lord Nṛsiṁha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

yad rūpam-ugra parimardana bhāva śāli |

saṁcintanena sakalāgha vināśa kāri |

bhūta jvara graha samudbhava bhīti nāśam |

sa tvam nṛsiṁha mayi dehi kṛpā-valokam ||8||

By meditating upon He whose form is fearsome, all peace, happiness and prosperity can be obtained, all sins can be obliterated, the fear arising from evil spirits, fevers and unfavorable planetary positions can be removed, O Lord Nṛsiṁha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

yasyottamaṁ yaśa umā-patim padma-janma |

śakrādi daivata sabhāsu samasta-gītam ||

śaktaiva sarvaśa-mala praśamaika dakṣam |

sa tvam nṛsiṁha mayi dehi kṛpā-valokam ||9||

Your transcendental fame is sung gloriously in all the divine assemblies of Śiva, Brahmā and Indra etc. and whose power is steadfast in wiping out all impurities, O Lord Nṛsiṁha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

evam śrutvā stutiṁ devaḥ

śanināṁ kalpitāṁ hariḥ |

uvāca brahma vṛndasta

śaniṁ taṁ bhakta-vatsalaḥ ||10||

On listening to the heartfelt prayer composed by Śanideva in the assembly of Lord Brahmā, Lord Hari who is ever compassionate to His devotees, spoke to Śanideva as follows.

śrī nṛsiṁha uvāca -

prasannoham śane tubhyaṁ |

varam varaya śobhanaṁ ||

yaṁ vāñchasi tameva tvam |

sarva-loka hitāvaham ||11||

Śrī Nṛsiṁha said –

O Śani, I am pleased with your devotion. What ever you desire that will benefit the world, ask for that kind of boon and I will grant it.

śrī śanir uvāca -

nṛsiṁha tvam mayi kṛpām

kuru deva dayā-nidhe |

mad vāsaras tava prīti-

kara syat devatā-pate ||12||

mat kṛtam tvat param stotraṁ

śṛṇvanti ca paṭanti ca |

sarvān kāman pūrayetās

teśām tvaṁ loka-bhāvanaḥ ||13||

Śrī Śanideva replied –

O Lord Nṛsiṁha, O reservoir of compassion, please be kind to me. O Lord of all gods, let my week-day (Saturday) be Your favorite day. O Purifier of all the worlds, may You fulfill the desires of all those who listen to or read this great prayer to You composed by me.”

śrī nṛsiṁha uvāca -

tataivāstu śaneham vai

rakṣo-bhuvana saṁsthitaḥ |

bhakta kāmān pūrayiśye

tvaṁ mamaika vacaḥ śṛṇu ||

tvat kṛtam mat param stotram

yaḥ paṭecchṛṇu yāccha yaḥ |

dvādaśāṣṭama janmastād

bhayaṁ māstu tasya vai ||14||

Śrī Nṛsiṁha said –

O Śani, let it be so! By virtue of My being the universal protector (rakṣobhuvana), I fulfill the desires of all My devotees. Please listen to My words -let there be no fear of the twelfth and eighth birth positions (and implicitly any unfavorable birth positions) and consequent troubles from you for any one who reads or listens to this prayer to Me composed by you.

śani narahariṁ devaṁ

tateti pratyuvāca ha

tataḥ parama-saṁtuṣṭo

jayeti munayovadan ||15||

Then Śanideva replied to Lord Narahari that he would follow the Lord’s instructions. Then the joyful saints and sages present there (in Brahma’s assembly) responded with cries of, ‘jaya, jaya!’”.

śrī kṛṣṇa uvāca -

itam śanaiścarasyāta nṛsiṁha deva |

samvādam etat stavanaṁ ca mānavaḥ ||

śṛṇoti yaḥ śrāvayate ca bhaktyā

sarvānyābhīṣṭāni ca vindate dhruvam ||16||

Śrī Kṛṣṇa told Dharmarāja, “Whoever listens to or recites this conversation between Śanideva and Lord Nṛsiṁha in the form of this prayer of devotion will definitely have all desires fulfilled and will always rejoice.”

iti śrī bhaviṣyottara purāṇe rakṣobhuvana mahātme śrī

śanaiścara kṛta śrī nṛsiṁha stuti sampūrṇam

Thus ends the prayers offered to the universal protector Śrī Nṛsiṁha by the great soul Śani.

- Bhavisyoattara Purana

Krsna Appears as Nrsimhadeva

2011-08-21T00:53:00.000+07:00

Sri Sri Radha Syamasundara in New Vraja Mandala, Hungary

Lord Sri Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and from Him all other incarnations manifest. One of the most opulent form of Syamasundara Krsna is as the four-armed Visnu, from who the general avatars such as Rama, Nrsimha and Vamana manifest.

Sri Krsno Narasimha rupa dharano nityam prapalo stu nah
Sri Krsno Narasimha rupa dharano nityam prapalo stu nah
Sri Krsno Narasimha rupa dharano nityam prapalo stu nah
Sri Krsno Narasimha rupa dharano nityam prapalo stu nah

May Lord Krsna who appeared as Nrsimha always protect us
May Lord Krsna who appeared as Nrsimha always protect us
May Lord Krsna who appeared as Nrsimha always protect us
May Lord Krsna who appeared as Nrsimha always protect us

Sri Nrsimha Palana Prarthana

2011-08-19T21:17:00.002+07:00

by His Grace Kusakrata Dasa

Dedication

Sri Sri Nrsimhadevesa
palana prarthana stavam
gurave Prabhupadaya
Gauravenarpayamy aham

To my spiritual master His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada this Sri Nrsimha Palana Prarthana is respectfully dedicated

Text 1
Koti koti vadanah prapalakam
Koti koti vadanah khalantakam
koti koti vadanah Nrsimhakam
koti koti vadanas to santu tam

Millions and millions of obeisances to the protector of the devotees. Millions and millions of obeisances to the killer of the demons! Millions and millions of obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead! Millions and millions of obeisances to Lord Narasimha!

Text 2
Jayati Narahari-nakha kamala dalakah
jayati Narahari mukha sasi vara ganah
jayati Narahari-rava vara kala paro
jayati Narahari karuna rasa varidhih

Glory to the lotus petals of Lord Nrsimha’s claws! Glory to the moons of Lord Nrsimha’s face! Glory to the music of Lord Nrsimha’s roar! Glory to the nectar ocean of Lord Nrsimha’s mercy

Text 3
Jayati jayati jayati jayati jayati
jayati jayati jayati jayati jayati
jayati jayati jayati jayati jayati
jayati jayati jayati jayati Nrharih

Glory, glory , glory, glory, glory, glory, glory , glory , glory glory , glory, glory, glory, glory, glory , glory , glory glory , glory to Lord Nrsimha

Text 4
Pradya puspam Narasimha paduke
pranamaya murdhna Narasimha paduke
prapathya stotram Narasimha paduke
prayami raksam Narasimha paduke

Offering a flower, bowing my head , and reciting prayers, I take shelter of Lord Nrsimha’s lotus feet.

Text 5
Nrsimha he he Narasimha pahi mam
Nrsimha Prahlada prapala pahi mam
itiva rodimi muhur muhur muhuh
Nrsimhadevam saranam prayamy aham

“Nrsimha, Nrsimha! Save me ! Nrsimha! O protector of Prahlada! Save me! Crying out again and again and again, I take shelter of Lord Nrsimha.”

Text 6

Sad dhiranyakasipucca mandire
daitya rakta sarid ali vahanam
agrakam krtavate krudha pura
narakesarina anamamy aham

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha who angrily created a flowing river of demon’s blood in Hiranyakasipu’s beautiful palace

text 7

Sri Nrkesarinam ugra damstrakam
tiksna drstim iha krodha silanam
hani kara nakharam prapalakam
bhakta parsva sthitam anato smy aham

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha the protector who ,with sharp eyes, terrible fangs, an angry nature, and dangerous claws ,stands by His devotees side.

text 8

ditija pati rana vara
smarana parama karanam
vrajapati suta madhura
smita kamalam iha numah

Let us glorify the charming lotus smile that appeared on Lord Krsna’s face when He remembered His battle with Hiranyakasipu

text 9

Ugrograksam bhity adhyaksam
daityesanam himsa karam
prahladartham tv avirbhutam
simhesesam vande nityam

Again and again I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha, the terrible eyed, frightening judge that came to protect Prahlada and kill the demons.

text 10

pranamito smi sukhena muhur muhuh
parama saj jana bhiti pramar jananam
ajita vajra baliny asurorasi
vara nrkesarino nakha karsanam

Again and again I happily offer my respectful obeisances to the great scratches Lord Nrsimha’s claws made on the demon’s chest, a chest stronger than invincible thunderbolts, and scratches that brushed away the fears of the saintly devotees

text 11

Ugrogrograh komalatmatvam eva
yo bhaktanam pati himsa pradata
te jah purnah daitya bhitih paras tam
devesesam sri nrsimham namami

I offer my respectful obeisances to powerful splendid Lord Nrsimha , who terrifies the demons and who is violent and ferocious so that the gentle may be gentle

text 12-13

patu vama iha sri nrkesari

patu daksina diso nrkesari

patu patu purato nrkesari

patu pascima diso nrkesari

patv adho para paro nrkesari

patu tupari paro nrkesari

patu sarva disi sri nrkesari

patu patu hrdaye nrkesari

May Lord Nrsimha protect me from the front. May Lord Nrsimha protect me from the back. May Lord Nrsimha protect me from the right. May Lord Nrsimha protect me from the left. May Lord Nrsimha protect me from above. May Lord Nrsimha protect me from below. May Lord Nrsimha protect me from within my heart.

Text 14

Anisavadam ku matim nanasa yo

paresa vadam tu nakhair lilekha yah

khalorasi sri patir adi puruso

nrsimhadevo jayatam sudhisvarah

All glories to Lord Nrsimha , the supremely glorious Personality of Godhead, the king of all philosophers. Writing with His nails on a demon’s chest. He refuted the philosophy of the atheists.

Text 15

marsty anistaristograugham

paty adyaivesanghry abjaptam

bhaktam dhiram saukhyad yas tam

sri sri simhesesesam naumi

I glorify Lord Nrsimha , who crushes a host of calamities and happily protects, even now, the saintly devotees that take shelter of His lotus feet.

Text 16

pahi pahi pahi pahi pahi pahi pahi mam

pahi pahi pahi pahi sri nrsimha pahi mam

O Lord Nrsimha, please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me! Please protect me!

Text 17
Simhah kruddhah kevalam bhakta parsve
smakam caivam sainya vrndam tv itidam
daityan ghoran bhasamanan bruve ham
mudha mrtyum gacchathadyaiva turnam

To the demons who say among themselves: ”The devotees have only a ferocious lion, and we have many great armies.” I say, “Fools, you are about to be smashed into pieces”.

Text 18
ma bhayam kuru sakhe suresvarat
sri nrsimha varado gato parah
kruddha drsti paramena kopato
bhasmasat kuruta eva daityakam

Friend, don’t be afraid of the demons. Lord Nrsimha, will burn them to ashes with His angry glance.

Text 19
dipa dhupa kusumaih samarcaye
pahi pahi parameti prarthaye
divya murtim atulam ca sevaye
Sri-nrsimha-saranam samapnuve

I worship Lord Nrsimha with incense, lamps, and flowers. Calling out “Save me! Save me! I appeal to Lord Nrsimha. I serve Lord Nrsimha’s splendid transcendental form. I take shelter of Lord Nrsimha…

Text 20
yatana gana karah kurupinir
janma mrtyu karanah su duhkhite
mamake manasi papa vasana
adya khandayatu sri nrkesari

May Lord Nrsimha rip into pieces the sinful desires in my unhappy heart, desires that brought me only pain, desires that brought me only death and birth.

Text 21
jaya narahari-deva
jaya karuna suhrdaya
jaya ditija-nilayaka
jaya sad amita sukhaka

O Lord Nrsimha, glory to You! O merciful hearted Lord, glory to you! O killer of the demons, glory to You! O limitless happiness of the devotees, glory to you!

Text 22
Sri Nrsimha karuna pramanaka
karakani para sundarany aho
bhakta vrnda para saukhykany aho
sonitakta nakharani naumy aham

Let me praise the beautiful blood anointed claws that bring happiness to the devotees and prove that Lord Nrsimha is very kind and merciful.

Text 23
prana-sankata ihaiva bhu-tale
dvesi-sainya-nicaye pade pade
he nrsimha karunarnavesvara
palako bhava mameti prarthaye

O Nrsimha, O ocean of mercy, please become my protector in this dangerous world where armies of enemies attack me at every step.

Text 24
daitya sancaya prakopa karanam
krsna bhakta jana sannidhih kalau
he nrsimha bhagavan prapahi nah
pahi palana prayojana janan

Now it is the Kali Yuga. Now the very sight of the devotee fills the non-devotees with anger. O Lord Nrsimha, now we need your protection. Please protect us.

Text 25
pahi pahi narasimha devate
tavakojjvalita nama kirtanan
nama karana prakopa kampita
daiyakebhya iha vaisnavan hi nah

O Lord Nrsimha, please protect us, who always chant your glories, from the demons that tremble with anger when they hear Your holy name.

Text 26
jayati nara harer vakso
marakata su kupatesah
jayati nara harer divyan
nakha caya mani sulesah

Glory to the regal sapphire gates of Lord Nrsimha’s chest! Glory to the glistening jewel spears of Lord Nrsimha’s claws!

Text 27
Nrsimha nama rajani patisah
kalau rajanyam jayati pradipah
sri krsna bhaktarthaka kara seva
coresvaresogra bhayadi karah

Glory to the splendid moon of Lord Nrsimha, who illuminate the dark night of Kali Yuga and frightens away the many thieves that would rob the devotees of their wealth of pious deeds.

Text 28
jayati naraharir dipo
parama parama adyadyah
ditisuta para kopokti
smita iha para devesah

Glory to Lord Nrsimha, greater than the greatest, the first of the first, the master of the demigods, the glorious Supreme Personality of Godhead, who smiles when He hears the arrogant challenge of Hiranyakasipu.

Text 29
sura ripu yuddha
samaya pratiksah
vilasita netro
jayati nrsimhah

Glory to Lord Nrsimha, who with glistening eyes patiently waits for the right moment to leap on they who would attack His devotees.

Text 30
vistirna tiksna nakhy ugro
man mano dvaram isvarah
vilasan nayanambhojah
patu sri narakesari

His sharp claws extended and His lotus eyes glistening, may Lord Nrsimha stand guard, carefully watching the entrance of my thoughts

Text 31
paty nah parama kopa lasitam
Sri Nrsimha nayanbja yugmakam
sundarojjvlita damstra bhusitam
sri Nrsimha su smitam prapatu nah

May Lord Nrsimha’s lotus eyes, glittering with unbridled anger, be our protection. May Lord Nrsimha’s smile, decorated with beautiful glistening fangs, be our protection.

Text 32
Sri Sri Narasimha
netrambuja yugmam
saukyojjvalitam su
yatnair avatan nah

May Lord Narasimha’s lotus eyes, blossoming with happiness, keep watch over us.

Text 33
sena samuhan ksapayantu satravo
tulyam karisyanti param kadapi na
ekasya tiksnasya nakhasya lasite
nrsimha deva kara pallavesvare

Let our enemies assemble their armies. They will never be a match for even one of the claws on Lord Nrsimha’s glorious lotus hands

Text 34
kirtayama tava kirti gitikah
kirtayama paripalanam sada
he nrsimha paripahi pahi nah
pahi pahi paripahi pahi nah

O Lord Nrsimha, every day we sing Your glories and pray that You protect us. Please protect us. Please protect us.

Text 35

apat samayo sti
bhity agra idanim
agaccha Nrsimha
agaccha Nrsimha

Now is our moment of danger. Please quickly come. O Lord Nrsimha please quickly come.

Text 36

Sri Nrsimha iha palayisyati
nityasah karuna katarantarah
ity aho parama santi prapitah
sambhavami iah vaisnava vayam

Our heart are peaceful. We have no worries. We are confident that Lord Nrsimha will always protect us

Text 37

satravah prati disiha ghoraka
apad avali su dukha karana
he Nrsimha krpayavrajesvara
pahi pahi pahi pahi pahi nah

We are surrounded on all sides. In a moment a thousand dangers will come crushing down on us, O Lord Nrsimha please quickly come and defend us.

Text 38

Sri nrsimha caranambuje vare
sundare vilasite manohare
su smitah sukhantaratmana
malati kusumam arpayamy aham

Smiling and my heart filled with happiness, I place a jasmine flower at Lord Nrsimha’s beautiful lotus feet.

Text 39

vedah putanjali yutah
stutva punah punah punah
sirsanata vinitaka
vag isvaresvaresvarah

vindanti na kadapy aho
simam pramodakavaleh
sri sri nrsimha lasita
padabja kirti samhateh

Praying again and again, their hands folded and their heads humbly bowed, the eloquent Vedas cannot find the end of the blissful glories of Lord Nrsimha’s glorious lotus feet

Text 40

Sesah satair mukhair iha
vag isvaresvaresvaraih
asrsti kala kirtanah
stutva punah punah punah

vindaty aho kadapi na
simam pramodakavaleh
sri sri Nrsimha lasita
padabja kirti samhateh

Since the beginning of creation chanting again and again and again with His thousands of eloquent mouths, Lord Sesa cannot find the end of the blissful glories of Lord Nrsimha’s glorious lotus feet

Text 41

Sri Sri Nrsimhah para modako sti nah
Sri Sri Nrsimhah para mandiro sti nah
sri sri Nrsimhah para pranado sti nah
sri sri Nrsimha para palako sti nah

Lord Nrsimha is our happiness. Lord Nrsimha is our place of worship. Lord Nrsimha is our life and soul. Lord Nrsimha is our protector

Text 42
Sri Sri Nrsimhasi priyas tvam eva nah
Sri Sri Nrsimha tvam asisvaro si nah
Sri Sri Nrsimhasi prapalano hi nah
Sri Sri Nrsimha dvisa tapano si nah

Lord Nrsimha we love You. You are our Lord, our friend, and our protector. You are the great danger that stops our enemies

Text 43
svajana yuyustu
ditija nrsamsah
svajana krpalur
jayati Nrsimhah

All glories to Lord Nrsimha, who is soft and gentle to His devotees, but hard and cruel to whoever attacks His devotees.

Text 44
Sri Sri Nrsimha na kadapy aho bhavad
ity evam ugrasura loka mandalah
siksa paro vakti punah punah punah
prapsyaty aho vismayam adyam eva te

Again and again the demons argue that Lord Nrsimha does not exist. Ah what a surprise awaits them.

Text 45
jayati Narahari sita
nakhara Kamala kulakam
svajana sthagitam amalam
svajana ripu vikasitam

All glories to Lord Nrsimha’s sharp lotus claws, retracted for His devotees, and fully extended for His devotee’s enemies.

Text 46
naraharir akhiladrstah
sita nakhara su pathojam
svajana kula yuyustunam
purata iha dadatisam

Unseen Lord Narasimha places His sharp lotus claws before anyone who attacks His devotees.

Text 47
kriyeta palo narasimha dattah
su punya panyena parena kena
amanyamanair iha tena nityam
kriyeta palo param eva bhaktaih

What is the price to purchase Lord Narsimha’s protection? Without thinking, the devotees pay that price moment after moment.

Text 48
so pi balah kanane krdatiha
so’pi raja kanane kasate hi
so pi devo divya loke prabhate
so pi simhah kesa kirtir nakhograh

He is a boy playing in a forest. He is a king exiled in a forest. He is a deva in the world of the devas. He is a lion with a glorious mane and razor claws.

Text 49
anisavada bhupati
yuyutsu bala palakam
punah punah punah punah
nrsimham anamamy aham

Again and again I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha, the protector of a boy that defied the king of atheists.

Text 50
nrhari jana yuyutso he
vimrsa hrdi tavaivam kam
matim ahaha nrsimhesa
sita nakhara kulam dhatte

O attacker of Lord Nrsimha’s devotees, please stop for a minute and consider. What kind of thought do Lord Nrsimha’s claws place in your heart?

Text 51
napatsu tv upadosto
’smity evam param adya
ma ma ma vada vada pasya
simhesesa nakham tvam

Don’t say you weren’t warned. With your own eyes you can see Lord Nrsimha’s claws.

Text 52
vilasita kesi
vilasita netrah
naraharir iso
vati vara savan

Glorious with a splendid mane and glistening eyes, Lord Nrsimha carefully protects His cubs.

Text 53-54
lasita nayana pathojah
smita para para pathojah
hrdaya parama pathojah
karuna kasita pathojah
kara yuga vara pathojas
carana yugala pathojah
nakhara kulaka pathojo
jayati naraharir devah

All glories to Lord Nrsimha, His glistening eyes a lotus flower, His smile a lotus flower, His heart a lotus flower, His compassion a lotus flower, His hands and feet lotus flowers, and His claws lotus flowers.

Text 55
man natho narasimhah
mandapatya tulo sti
so piso vraja dhamni kridaty asura hanta

My Lord Nrsimha is the same as Nanda’s son. He plays in Vraja and He also rips apart a host of demons.

Text 56
srijaty aho ko vraja putra
prabhava simanam ihaiva loke
rudhnati kah tan muni mina kurma
simhesa jyotir avatara janma

Who can place limits on the prince of Vraja? Who can stop Him from being a sage, or a fish, or a turtle, or a lion, or a formless blaze of light?

Text 57
he citrakara nipunah kurudhvam
citram vicitram param adya yatra
prahlada palartha nrsimha lilah
smaran sukhena smayate vrajesah

O painters, paint for us a picture showing Lord Krsna smiling as He remembers His pastimes of becoming a lion and saving Prahlada.

Text 58
asura kulisa varsanaih
svajana kamala varsanih
narahari paramoccocca
prahasanam atulam jiyat

All glories to Lord Nrsimha’s loud laughter, which is like a shower of lotus flowers for the devotees and a monsoon of lightening bolts for the demons.

Text 59
daitya vrnda tavakastra
vrndam apasyatiha nasam
sri Nrsimhadeva tiksna
san nakhavali kulesu

O demons your weapons will all wilt before Lord Nrsimha’s claws.

Text 60
kamsa hantar hiranyaksa
hantar ravana nasaka
hiranyakasipor hantar
runddhi satrun mama prabho

O killer of Kamsa, O killer of Ravana, O killer of Hiranyaksa, O killer of Hiranyakasipu, please stop my enemies.

Text 61
he vrajavani kula prapalaka
yodhyika pura prapalaka hare
he hiranyakasipu prakirtita
putra palaka prapahi pahi nah

O protector of Vraja, o protector of Ayodhya. O protector of glorious Prahlada, please protect us.

Text 62
yah pura sikhisa kesi
so dhuna su kesaro hi
yah pura su venu hastah
so dhuna nakhi janartham

He who wears a peacock feather is His hair now has a graceful mane. He who holds a bamboo flute in His hand now has graceful claws to defend His devotees.

Text 63

akarnayeta ditija nipuna vidaghdha

viro hiranyakasipuh sahasa yuyodha

tam tu tathapi narasimha vapur jaghana

sugrair lasan nakha kulair amito jasaiva

kim kim kimartham asuranugatam prayatha

ma murkhatam vrajatha buddhi varesvaresah

asmat suhrttvam iha gacchatha sampraptam vai

sri sri Nrsimha nakharam param asrayeta

O demons please hear my words .Powerful Hiranyakasipu fought very heroically, but in the end Lord Nrsimha defeated him. You cannot defeat Him.

Why stay there on the other side? Don’t be foolish. Join us here. Take shelter of Lord Nrsimha’s claws.

Text 64

Caitanya nrsimha

pathoja nakhesaih

chinddhiha kalim su-

karunyat kali kale

O Caitanya Nrsimha please be kind .With Your lotus claws please rip apart the continual strife that rules this time of Kali.

Text 65

trasitam ditija bhupatim

sad Dhiranyakasipum muhuh

pasyate vilasataksina

srimate nrharaye namah

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha whose glistening eyes are focused on the frightened Hiranyakasipu

Text 66

apramey karuna varabhyam,

kapa Khelana vilasitabhyam

sri Nrsimha nayanambujabhyam

anamami paramadarena

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s lotus eyes ,glistening with limitless anger, compassion, and playfulness.

Text 67

tad dhiranyakasipugra yatnaka

vrnda vrnda nikhile su nisphale

lasa hasa kulakam nato smy aham

sri nrsimha mukha nalinim sukham

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s lotus mouth, blossoming into loud laughter to mock Hiranyakasipu’s hopeless struggle to save himself

Text 68

Khala hiranyakasipu

bhaya pradam para balam

vara nrsimha bhujaka

yugalam asmi mamitah

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s powerful arms, which fill Hiranyakasipu with fear.

Text 69

Visva loka jati desam
sundara vilasi patram
Sri Nrsimhadeva nabhi
pankajam varam namami

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s charming ,beautiful petal lotus navel, the place where the universe was born

Text 70
Sri brahmesagnindra
suryapah somadyaih
vandyam sri sri sri sri
simhesasanghry abjam

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s lotus feet, before which Brahma, Siva, Agni ,Indra, Surya, Varuna, Candra and all the demigods respectfully bow

Text 71

Prahlada mutisa
hladam pranamami
sri sri narasimha
karnambujam adyam

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s lotus ears, happy to hear the prayers of Prahlada

Text 72

Nitya daitya loka Vrinda
rodha vrinda karanayai
anamamy aham sukhena
sri nrsimha vasanayai

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s will ,the obstacle that thwarts the demons at every step

Text 73

vande sada su viryavat
prahlada lasitasanam
sri sri nrsimhadevata
krodambujesvaresvaram

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s lotus lap ,the sitting place He affectionately gave to courageous Prahlada

Text 74

bhayali paramaugha
svaloka paripalah
nrsimha vara lilah
sadaiva pranamami

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s pastimes, which protect His devotees from every fear

Text 75

Sri nrsimhadevam adya naumy aham punah punah
Sri Nrsimhadevam arcaye punah punah punah
sri nrsimhadevam adaya kirtaya punah punah
sri nrsimhadevam asraya punah punah punah

Again and again I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha. Again and again I worship Him. Again and again I chant His glories. Again and again I take shelter of Him.

Text 76

divyam mukha kona
leham su vilasam
sri sri nrharisa
jihvam pranamami

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s lotus tongue, which playfully licks the corner of His mouth

Text 77

ghoram kali pida
bhaktali parasam
sri sri nrharisa
kopam pranamami

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s anger ,which brings hope to devotees suffering the troubles of Kali yuga

Text 78

Loka mohanandhakara vesta
sriya bhakta vrnda pala karim
anamamy aham pade pade sri
sri nrsimhadeva kirtim ugram

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s glories ,which protect the devotees from the dangerous darkness of illusion that surrounds them in this troubled world.

Text 79

hiranyakasipugra
camu pranasanebhyah
nrsimha bhujakebhyah
nato smi sukhito smi

I happily offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s many arms, which crushed the attack of Hirayankasipu’s angry soldiers

Text 80

yuyutsu yatna daityja
dharam param vilasitam
nrsimha pani pankajam
namamy aham pade pade

At every step I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s lotus hand, which gracefully and playfully caught the frantically struggling Hiranyakasipu

Text 81

Svajana samuha
pranaya parabhyah
nrhari matibhyah
su pranamito smi

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha’s thoughts, filled with love for His devotees

Text 82

lokali pitarau dvau
ananadau paramesau
sri laksmi narasimhau
anandad abhivande

I happily offer my respectful obeisances to glorious Sri Sri Laksmi Nrsimha, the blissful mother and farther of the worlds

Text 83

srutvasura hasa
vakyam tv avataram
cakre ya ihaiva
vande nrharim tam

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha who hearing an atheist’s mocking challenge, suddenly appeared in this world

Text 84

vande visva vrnda tatam
bhakta vrnda pala karam
veda karam adya moksa
karam eva narasimham

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha, the father of the worlds, the protector of the devotees, the author of the Vedas, the giver of liberation.

Text 85

narasimha narasimha
tvam rajas tamah ku pasan
janma mrtyu loka bandhan
chindhi chindhi chindhi chindhi

O Lord Nrsimha ,please cut cut cut cut the ropes of passion and ignorance that bind me to this world of birth and death

Text 86

bhakta vrnda kantakali
loka khanda nakhy aho
sri nrsimha devatesta
lasita para vijiyat

All glories to Lord Nrsimha, whose claws scratch anyone who becomes a thorn troubling His devotees

Text 87

Yatha nagena paksisas
cakrida tv asurena yah
tasmai sri narasimhaya
pranamami muhur muhauh

Again and again I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha, who played with Hiranyakasipu as Garuda plays with a snake

Text 88

Ajita mana daityanam
vismaya karanam param
Sri Nrsimham aham vande
bhakta palana karanam

I offer my respectful obeisances to Lord Nrsimha, who catches the demons by surprise, demons that think themselves all powerful and invincible

Text 89

tusnim bhava srnu jagaj jaya kalpanesa
khandya para na na na ma vada vada tvam
murtir mano bala para kila tasya sa tvam
dhrtva nakhaih pratapanam prakarisyatiha

Please be quiet and listen. Your plan to conquer the world will be thwarted. No , no, no. Don’t argue, He has a form you cannot imagine , and He will catch you by surprise and hold you in His claws.

Text 90

nirmanchanena hi bhajami nrsimhadevam
puspesvarair iha nrsimham alankaromi
sankirtayami satatam narasimhadevam
seve sada vilasitam narasimhadevam

I offer arati to Lord Nrsimha .I decorate Lord Nrsimha with the kings of flowers. I recite prayers to Lord Nrsimha. I serve Lord Nrsimha..

Text 91

Nrsimha vartam srnu sadarena
srutvasya vartam tava kalpanam hi
tyaksyasy aho santata kalpanam tvam
tyaksyasy aho santata kalpanam tvam

Please listen to the story of Lord Nrsimha. When you hear it you will change your plans

Text 92

svajana parama palarthah
jayati naraharir devah
svajana parama palarthah
jayati naraharir devah

All glories to effulgent Lord Nrsimha, who will always stay by the Vaisnavas side and protect them from every danger! All glories to effulgent Lord Nrsimha!

Text 93

su vaisnava prapida
ku marma phala jatim
abodhya sukhito bhud
dhiranyakasipuh sah

Hiranyakasipu was confident and happy unaware what was to come from torturing a Vaisnava

Text 94

Sri Sri nrsimhas tanu palano stu nah
sri sri nrsimho hrdi palano stu nah
sri sri nrsimho mati palano stu nah
sri sri nrsimho ruci palano stu nah

May Lord Nrsimha guard our bodies.
May Lord Nrsimha guard our hearts.
May Lord Nrsimha guard our thoughts
May Lord Nrsimha guard our desires

Text 96-97

Sri-nrsimhadevata punar bhavat prapatu nah
sri-nrsimhadevata prapidanat prapatu nah
sri nrsimhadevata bramavaleh prapatu nah
sri nrsimhadevata sva mohanaat prapatu nah

May Lord Nrsimha rescue us from another birth
May Lord Nrsimha rescue us from the troubles born from our past deeds
May Lord Nrsimha rescue us from illusions.
May Lord Nrsimha rescue us from mistakes

Sri Nrsimhadevatesa vismrteh prapatu nah
Sri Nrsimhadevata virodhanat prapatu nah
Sri Nrsimhadevata parakramat prapatu nah
Sri Nrsimhadevata ku kamanat prapatu nah

May Lord Nrsimha rescue us from forgetfulness of Him
May Lord Nrsimha rescue us from the obstacles that stop our devotional service

May Lord Nrsimha rescue us from others attacks
May Lord Nrsimha rescue us from material desires

Text 98-99

Sri Nrsimhadevata dinadike prapatu nah
sri Nrsimhadevata prabhatake prapatu nah
sri Nrsimhadevata dinardhake prapatu nah
sri Nrsimhadevata dinantake praptu nah

May Lord Nrsimha guard us at sunrise
May Lord Nrsimha guard us in the morning
May Lord Nrsimha guard us in the afternoon
May Lord Nrsimha guard us at sunset

Sri Nrsimhadevata pradosake prapatu nah
Sri Nrsimhadevata nisitha prapatu nah
Sri Nrsimhadevata pade pade prapatu nah
Sri Nrsimhadevata ksane ksane prapatu nah

May Lord Nrsimha guard us in the evening
May Lord Nrsimha guard us in the middle of the night
May Lord Nrsimha guard us at every step
May Lord Nrsimha guard us at every moment

Text 100

Sri Nrsimhadevata sva karmani prapatu nah
Sri Nrsimhadevata su bhojane prapatu nah
sri Nrsimhadevata sva nidrite prapatu nah
sri nrsimhadevatesa kirtane prapatu nah

May Lord Nrsimha guard us in our daily chores
May Lord Narasimha guard us when we eat
May Lord Nrsimha guard us when we sleep
May Lord Nrsimha guard us when we chant His glories

Text 101
Sri nrsimhadevata parakramat prapatu nah
sri nrsimhadevatapad avalau prapatu nah
sri nrsimhadevata ksane ksane prapatu nah
sri nrsimha isvararthakapadi prapatu nah

May Lord Nrsimha guard us when we are unexpectedly attacked.
May Lord Nrsimha guard us in this world filled with dangers
May Lord Nrsimha guard us at every moment.
May Lord Nrsimha guard us when we take risks for His sake.

Text 102
Sri Nrsimha lasi netra padmini prapatu nah
sri nrsimha sugra san nakhavali praptu nah
sri nrsimha palanartha karna eva patu nah
sri nrsimha hastako ri dharakah prapatu nah

May Lord Nrsimha’s glistening eyes keep watch over us
May Lord Nrsimha’s sharp claws be ready to protect us
May Lord Nrsimha’s ears listen for our enemies
May Lord Nrsimha hands catch our enemies

Text 103
Sri Nrsimha pada pankajam saranyam astu nah
sri nrsimha pada pankajam bhajartham astu nah
sri nrsimha pada pankajam su gitam astu nah
sri nrsimha pada pankajam hridisvaro stu nah

May Lord Nrsimha’s lotusfeet be our shelter.
May Lord Nrsimha’s lotusfeet be the object of our service.
May Lord Nrsimha’s lotusfeet lotusfeet be glorified in our songs.
May Lord Nrsimha’s lotusfeet be comfortable in our hearts

Text 104

Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharanah pranadhikatmastu nah
Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharano dhynantaratmastu nah
Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharano nityatma maitryo stu nah
Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharanah padabja sthapyo stu nah

May Lord Krsna who appeared as Narasimha, be more dear than life to us.
May Lord Krsna who appeared as Narasimha, always stay in our thoughts.
May Lord Krsna who appeared as Narasimha, always be our friend and well-wisher. May Lord Krsna who appeared as Narasimha, give us a place at His Lotusfeet.

Text 105
Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharanah karunyavan astu nah
Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharanah premarthakatmastu nah
Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharano gehatma datastu nah
Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharanah samsara tratastu nah

May Lord Krsna who appeared as Narasimha, always be kind to us.
May Lord Krsna who appeared as Narasimha, always be the object of our love. May Lord Krsna who appeared as Narasimha. Take us home with Him.
May Lord Krsna who appeared as Narasimha, take us from this world of birth and death

Text 106
Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharanah smerananatmstu nah
Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharanah prahladitatmastu nah
Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharanah seva prahlado stu nah
Sri Krsno narasimha rupa dharano nityatma natho stu nah

May Lord Krsna, who appeared as Nrsimha smile on us
May Lord Krsna ,who appeared as Nrsimha be pleased with us
May Lord Krsna ,who appeared as Nrsimha, be happy to accept, the service we offer Him. May Lord Krsna ,who appeared as Narasimha allow us to serve Him forever.

Text 107

Sri Krsno Narasimha rupa dharano dhyanantaratmasu nah
Sri Krsna Narasimha rupa dharanah prahlada karo stu nah
Sri Krsno Narasimha rupa dharano lila vilaso stu nah
Sri Krsno Narasimha rupa dharano nityatma premastu nah

May Lord Krsna who appeared as Nrsimha always stay in our thoughts.
May Lord Krsna who appeared as Nrsimha be our happiness.
May Lord Krsna who appeared as Nrsimha play with us.
May Lord Krsna who appeared as Nrsimha allow us to love Him always.

Text 108
Sri Krsno Narasimha rupa dharano nityam prapalo stu nah
Sri Krsno Narasimha rupa dharano nityam prapalo stu nah
Sri Krsno Narasimha rupa dharano nityam prapalo stu nah
Sri Krsno Narasimha rupa dharano nityam prapalo stu nah

To the Lord's Weapons

2011-07-28T21:12:00.001+07:00

The personification of the Chakra

To the Chakra

chakram yugantanala-tigma-nemi
bhramat samantad bhagavat-prayuktam
dandagdhi dandagdhy ari-sainyam ashu
kaksham yatha vata-sakho hutashaha

Set into motion by the Supreme Personality of Godhead and wandering in all the four directions, the disc of the Supreme Lord has sharp edges as destructive as the fire of devastation at the end of the millennium. As a blazing fire burns dry grass to ashes with the assistance of the breeze, may the Sudarshana chakra burn our enemies to ashes.

To the Club

gade ‘shani-sparshana-visphulinge
nishpindhi nishpindhy ajita-priyasi
kushmanda-vainayaka-yaksha-raksho
bhuta-grahamsh churnaya churnayarin

O club in the hand of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you produce sparks of fire as powerful as thunderbolts, and you are extremely dear to the Lord. I am also His servant. Therefore kindly help me pound to pieces the evil living beings known as Kushmandas, Vainayakas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Bhutas and Grahas. Please pulverize them.

To the Conchshell

tvam yatudhana-pramatha-preta-matri
pishacha-vipragraha-ghora-drishtin
darendra vidravaya krishna-purito
bhima-svano ‘rer hridayani kampayan

O best of the conchshells, O Panchajanya in the hands of the Lord, you are always filled with the breath of Lord Krishna. Therefore you create a fearful sound vibration that causes trembling in the hearts of enemies like the Rakshasas, Pramatha ghosts, Pretas, Matas, Pishachas and brahmana ghosts with fearful eyes.

Nrsimha appears from a Shiva-linga

2011-06-29T21:29:00.002+07:00

In some occasion arises to offer worship to Shiva, a vaisnava offers worship to Vishnu or Krishna in the murti of Shiva, because there is no difference between them, “priyasya sakhyuh”. One example of this is found in the Visnu-dharmottara.

There was a very dear, parama bhagavata devotee of Vishnu names Viswaksena. He was traveling throughout the world. Once, feeling tired, he sat down in a forest. There was a village close by. The son of the village chief happened to come by. Seeing the brahmana Viswaksena, he said, “I am the son of the village chief. I have a very bad headache today so I cannot offer worship to my ista, Shivaji. So I request you, please offer worship to Shivaji today on my behalf.”

Viswaksena said, “I am a Vishnu-bhakta, I am a dear devotee of Vishnu. I offer worship to Krishna and His forms such as Vishnu, Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. I never offer worship to demigods. I never offer worship to anyone else. You may go elsewhere.”

The son of the village chief became angry and drew his sword, “if you do not obey me, if you do not worship my ista, Shiva, on my behalf, then I will cut off your head.”

In order to save himself from death, Viswaksena said, “Yes, yes. I will worship. I will worship.” He thought to himself that Shiva is Rudradev, the incarnation of ignorance, tamo-guna. As Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 9.9.7:

The material world exists predominately in the mode of ignorance. Therefore Lord Shiva is compared here to the longitude and latitude of the entire universe, which resembles a cloth woven of threads extending for both its length and breadth.

Rudra is the incarnation of tamo-guna and Nrisinghadev is the killer of the demons, in whom tamo-guna is predominating. So Viswaksena thought, “I must worship Nrisinghadev in the Shiva murti to kill this person’s tamo-guna.” So uttering the mantra “sri nrsimhaya namah” – “I offer my obeisances to Lord Nrsimhadeva” – he offered flower to the Shiva deity. When the son of the village chief heard him chant the mantra he got angry and drew out his sword to cut off his head, “What are you doing? You are uttering Nrisingha mantra? You are not worshiping my ista, Shiva!” When that person drew his sword to cut off Viswaksena’s head, immediately Nrisinghadev appeared from the Shiva murti and cut off the head of that person and all of his family members. All were finished.

So where is the difference between Shiva and Vishnu? This shiva-linga that Nrisingha came out of is still there in South India. It is known as linga-sphota. You may go and see it.

- Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja, Sri Krishna Kathamrita; “Lord Shiva, The Greatest Vaishnava – Part One” (No.7) www.gopaljiu.org

Hiranyakashipu Studies the Ugra Form

2011-06-09T16:49:00.001+07:00

The Ugra Nrsimha Dhyana

Srimad Bhagavatam 7.8.19-22

mimamsamanasya samutthito 'grato

nrsimha-rupas tad alam bhayanakam

pratapta-camikara-canda-locanam

sphurat sata-kesara-jrmbhitananam

karala-damstram karavala-cancala-

ksuranta-jihvam bhrukuti-mukholbanam

stabdhordhva-karnam giri-kandaradbhuta-

vyttasya-nasam hanu-bheda-bhisanam

divi-sprat kayam adirgha-pivara-

grivoru-vaksah-sthalam alpa-madhyamam

candramsu-gaurais churitam tanuruhair

visvag bhujanika-satam nakhayudham

durasadam sarva-nijetarayudha-

praveka-vidravita-daitya-danavam

Hiranyakashipu studied the form of the Lord, trying to decide who the form of Nrsimhadeva standing before him was. The Lord's form was extremely fearsome because of His angry eyes, which resembled molten gold; His shining mane, which expanded the dimensions of His fearful face; His deadly teeth; and His razor-sharp tongue, which moved about like a dueling sword. His ears were erect and motionless, and His nostrils and gaping mouth appeared like caves of a mountain. His jaws parted fearfully, and His entire body touched the sky. His neck was very short and thick, His chest broad, His waist thin, and the hairs on His body as white as the rays of the moon. His arms, which resembled flanks of soldiers, spread in all directions as He killed the demons, rogues and atheists with His conchshell, disc, club, lotus and other natural weapons.

The Appearance of Nrsimhadeva in Mayapur

2011-06-06T22:09:00.001+07:00

(remembermayapur.com)

On the 24th of March, 1984, at 12:20 a.m., thirty-five dacoits armed with weapons and bombs attacked Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir. They harassed the devotees and treated them with derision. But the greatest shock came when the dacoits decided to steal the Deities of Srila Prabhupada and Srimati Radharani. Fearlessly, the devotees challenged the attackers. How could they see Srila Prabhupada and Srimati Radharani carried away? Shots were fired, a few dacoits fell, and their plans were foiled. Srila Prabhupada was rescued, but that beautiful form of Srimati Radharani would no longer grace the main altar.

This incident really disturbed the minds of the devotees. Those involved in management were especially concerned to make some permanent solution. This was not the first time the devotees had faced violence and harassment in Mayapur. Bhavananda Dasa, who was the co-director of ISKCON Mayapur, suggested that Lord Nrisimhadeva be installed. When the dacoits had threatened devotees at the Yoga-Pitha, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and his son Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had promptly installed Sri Sri Laksmi-Nrisimhadeva. There had been no further disturbances. Other devotees in Mayapur were not so keen to follow so closely in these footsteps. The pujari must be a naisthika-brahmacari (celibate from birth), and the worship of Lord Nrisimhadeva must be very strict and regulated. Who would be prepared to worship Him?

Despite such hesitancy, Bhavananda Dasa was enthusiastic to bring Lord Nrisimhadeva to Mayapur. He asked Bhaktisiddhanta Dasa and myself to draw some sketches. One day quite spontaneously he said that the Deity’s legs should be bent, ready to jump, He should be looking around ferociously, His fingers should be curled, and flames should be coming from His head. I sketched a Deity in this mood.

The devotees liked it, and Pankajanghri Dasa agreed to worship Him. Radhapada Dasa, a wealthy devotee from Calcutta, offered to sponsor the sculpting and installing of the Deity. It seemed Lord Nrisimhadeva’s appearance in ISKCON Mayapur would be a simple, straight-forward affair. Radhapada Dasa promptly gave Rs. 130,000, and it was accepted that the Deity would be ready for installation in three months.

I left for South India to get things organized. By Krishna’s grace I soon found a very famous sthapati. A sthapati not only sculpts Deities; he is also expert in temple architecture and engineering. The man was very obliging until I mentioned that the Deity we wanted carved was Ugra-Nrisimha. He emphatically refused to make such a Deity. I approached many Deity sculptors, but the answer was always the same: No. I had made a number of trips between Mayapur and South India, six months had passed, but Lord Nrisimhadeva had not yet manifested in His Deity form.

Radhapada Dasa was very anxious to see Lord Nrisimhadeva installed in Mayapur. He asked me to visit the original sthapati I had seen and once again plead our case. This time the sculptor was a little more congenial and offered to read me a chapter from the Silpa-Sastra (a Vedic scripture on sculpture and temple architecture) that deals with the different forms of Deities. He read aloud some verses describing Lord Nrisimhadeva. A series of verses described His flamelike mane, His searching glance, and his knees bent with one foot forward ready to jump from the pillar. When he read this I was amazed. This was exactly what we wanted. I showed him the sketch I had done. He was impressed and offered to draw an outline based on the scriptural description, which we could use as a guide for sculpting the Deity. He reminded me, though, that he would not carve the form himself. It took him a week to complete the sketch, and it was very impressive. I returned to Mayapur and showed the sketch to the temple authorities. Everyone wanted this same sthapati to carve the Deity. Once again I was sent back to South India to try to convince him.

I went straight to the house of the sthapati. I was feeling very anxious. What could I do but pray to Lord Nrisimhadeva to be merciful and agree to manifest Himself in our temple in Sri Mayapur Dhama? I had hardly said two sentences when the man very matter-of-factly said he would carve the Deity. The story of how he came to this decision is interesting.

The sthapati had approached his guru, the Sankaracharya of Kanchipuram, about our request. His guru’s immediate reply was, “Don’t do it. Your family will be destroyed.” But then, after a moment’s reflection, he asked, “Who has asked you to carve this Deity?” When he heard that it was the Hare Krsna people from Navadvipa, he become very concerned. “They want Ugra-Nrisimha? Are they aware of the implications of sculpting and installing Ugra-Nrisimha? Such Deities were carved over 3,000 years ago by very elevated sthapatis. There is a place on the way to Mysore where a very ferocious Ugra-Nrisimha is installed. The demon Hiranyakasipu is torn open on His lap and his intestines are spilling out all over the altar. Once the standard of worship there was very high. There was an elephant procession and festival every day. But gradually the worship declined. Today that place is like a ghost town. The whole village is deserted. No one can live there peacefully. Is that what they want for their project?”

The sthapati replied, “They are very insistent. They are constantly coming to talk to me about the Deity. Apparently they have some problem with dacoits.” Handing his guru a sketch of the Deity, he said, “This is the Deity they want.” His guru took the sketch and looked at it knowingly.

“Ah, this is ugra category,” he said, “but a Deity in this particular mood is called Sthanu-Nrisimha. He doesn’t exist on this planet. Even the demigods in the heavenly planets don’t worship a form like this. Yes, this Deity belongs to the ugra category. Ugra means ferocious, very angry. There are nine forms within this category. They are all very fierce. The one they want is Sthanu-Nrisimha: stepping out of the pillar. No. Don’t carve this Deity. It will not be auspicious for you. I will talk with you about this later.”

A few nights later the sthapati had a dream. In the dream his guru came to him and said, “For them you can carve Sthanu-Nrisimha.” The next morning he received a hand-delivered letter from Kanchipuram. The letter was from the Sankaracharya and gave some instructions regarding temple renovations. There was a footnote at the bottom. It read, “For ISKCON you can carve Sthanu-Nrisimha.”

The sthapati showed me the letter and said, “I have my guru’s blessings. I will carve your Deity.” I was overwhelmed with joy. I gave him an advance payment and asked him how much time it would take to carve the Deity. He said the Deity would be ready for installation within six months. I returned to Mayapur.

After four peaceful months in the holy Dhama, I decided to go to South India and purchase the heavy brass paraphernalia required for Nrisimhadeva worship and then collect the Deity. The trip was well organized and trouble-free until I visited the sthapati. I explained to him that all the paraphernalia required for the worship had been purchased and that I had come to collect the Deity. He looked at me as if I’d lost my senses and exclaimed, “What Deity? I haven’t even found the suitable stone!” I couldn’t believe my ears.

“But you told me He would be ready in six months,” I exclaimed. “I will keep my promise,” he said. “Six months after I find the stone the Deity will be ready for installation.” His reply was emphatic, but I just couldn’t understand or accept the delay. In frustration I challenged him, “There’s big slabs of stone all over South India. What’s the problem?” He looked at me the way a teacher would view a slow student and said very deliberately, “I am not making a grinding mortar, I am making a Deity. The scriptures tell us that only a stone that has life can be used to make a Vishnu Deity. When you hit seven points of the stone slab and each makes the sound mentioned in the scriptures, then that stone may be suitable. But there is a second test to indicate whether the stone is living stone. There is a bug that eats granite. If it eats from one side of the stone to the other and leaves a complete trail visible behind it, then the second test of living stone has been passed. That stone is living stone, and expression can manifest from it. Only from such a slab can I carve your Nrisimhadeva. Such stone speaks poetry. All features of a Deity sculpted from such stone will be fully expressive and beautiful. Please be patient. I’ve been searching sincerely for your six-feet slab.”

I was amazed and a little anxious. The devotees in Mayapur were expecting the arrival of the Deity soon. How was I going to explain the “living stone” search to them? Maybe they would decide to make Nrisimhadeva from marble. I decided to try to lighten the subject by discussing the Prahlada Maharaja murti with the sthapati. “Please forgive me, but I forgot to tell you last time I came that we also want a Prahlada murti. We want to worship Prahlada-Nrisimhadeva. What do you think?”

“I don’t think that will be possible,” the sthapati replied matter-of-factly. I looked at him incredulously, not sure what to say. He smiled and continued, “You want everything done exactly according to the scriptures. Your Nrisimhadeva will be four feet high. Comparatively speaking, that will make Prahlada Maharaja the size of an amoeba.” “But we want Prahlada Maharaja one foot high,” I interrupted. “Fine,” the sthapati replied, “but that means your Nrisimhadeva will have to be about 120 feet high.” We began to argue back and forth about Prahlada Maharaja’s form. Finally the sthapati sighed in resignation and agreed to make Prahlada Maharaja one foot tall. At least I now had something positive to report when I returned to Mayapur.

After two months I returned to South India. There had been no developments. I shuttled back and forth from Mayapur to South India every thirty or forty days. Finally our stone was found, and the sthapati became a transformed man. For over a week he hardly spent any time at home. Hour after hour, day after day, he just sat staring at the slab. He had chalk in hand but didn’t draw anything. He refused to allow his laborers to do anything besides remove the excess stone to make the slab rectangular. The next time I visited him, he had made a sketch on the stone. That was all. I was worried. The Mayapur managers were becoming impatient. “Are you sure this Deity will be finished in six months?” I asked in desperation. “Don’t worry. The work will be done,” he replied.

I returned to Mayapur, only to be sent back to South India to check on some details of the Deity. I found the sthapati carving the form himself with intense care and dedication. At that stage the stone had gone and the shape had come. The sthapati had just started on the armlets. He took two weeks to carve them. All the features were so refined and delicate. I was impressed and very happy.

It took the sthapati a little over twelve months to finish the Deity. When he completed the work he didn’t immediately inform me but decided to visit some friends for a few days. It was the monsoon season, there were few visitors, and he felt it safe to lock up Lord Nrisimhadeva securely in his thatched shed. Two days later his neighbors ran to inform him that the thatched shed was on fire. There was heavy rain and everything was wet, but the coconut-tree roof had caught fire. He ran to the scene to find Nrisimhadeva untouched but the shed burned to ashes. Immediately he phoned me, “Please come and take your Deity. He’s burning everything. He’s made it clear He wants to go NOW!”

Enthusiastically I traveled to South India, hired a truck, and half-filled it with sand. I arrived at the sthapati’s studio thinking this final stage would be relatively simple. I had foolishly forgotten that Lord Nrisimhadeva is a very heavy personality: He weighed one ton! After two or three hours we managed to lift the Deity safely from the shed onto the truck. To travel across the border safely, we also needed police permission, along with signed papers from the Central Sales Tax Department, the Archeological Director, and the Art Emporium Directorate in Tamil Nadu.

All the officers demanded to see the Deity before signing the necessary papers. Once they took darshan of Lord Nrisimhadeva, they all become very obliging and efficient. We had all the necessary papers in hand within twenty-four hours—a miracle given the usual quagmire of bureaucracy found in government offices in India. The trip back to Mayapur was also amazingly trouble-free and peaceful. Our protector was certainly present with us.

Usually the sthapati comes on the day of the installation ceremony, goes into the Deity room, and carves the eyes of the Deity. This is called netra-nimilanam (opening the eyes). It was an exceptional case that our Nrisimhadeva’s sthapati had already carved the eyes. He had not only carved the eyes; he had also done the prana-pratistha (installing the life force), a little puja and an arati. I am sure that is why all the papers were prepared so obligingly, and transporting the Supreme Lord was so easy. He was already present. And who would dare say no to Lord Nrisimhadeva?

The installation of Lord Nrisimhadeva was very simple and lasted three days: from the 28th to the 30th of July, 1986.I remember feeling apprehensive that perhaps the installation was too simple. The grave warnings of the Sankaracarya of Kanchipuram had deeply impressed me. But my mind was soon appeased by an awareness of loud, dynamic kirtan. Sankirtana-yajna, the only true opulence of Kali Yuga, was dominating the scene. I felt enlivened and satisfied. Lord Nrisimhadeva, the protector of the sankirtana mission, had finally decided to manifest at Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir.

Mayapur.com: Based on a talk with H.G. Atmatattva Dasadhikari

Krishna's Wrath

2011-06-06T16:33:00.001+07:00

Krishna and the Gopas. (Art of Krishna)

It is arguable that if Nrsimha is the form of Krishna's wrath, why didn't He assume this same man-lion form when Indra poured down heavy rains to torment the Vraja vasis and also when the Gopis were harrased by the demon Sankhacuda. Sivarama Swami answers this question...

Krishna doesn't just necessarily assume forms according to the particular mood He is in. The mood also has to be in harmony with the pastime He is performing. If Krishna would have taken up the form of Nrsimhadeva to chastise Indra in front of the Vraja vasis, where would be the wonder of lifting the Govardhana hill? It won't be existing at all. Krishna was angry at Indra, but He still maintained His original form of a cowherd boy. This was conducive to the pleasure of the Vraja vasis. And afterall Nrsimhadeva is within Krishna, along with all the other incarnations of Krishna.

The same thing with Sankhacuda. Krishna chased him and also killed him. If Krishna assumed the form of Nrsimhadeva, the Gopis would have been very much fearful of Nrsimha! They are already petrified by the ghastly form of the demon, what to speak of the form of a fiery lion! This balance always has to be kept. The balance of having a proper rasa, having a proper mood of devotion. Otherwise there will be rasabhasa. Conflicting moods.

Sankhacuda and Hiranyakashipu were killed. But Indra is a devotee in heart. He did display the conduct of a demon, but Krishna doesn't kill His devotees. He does kill the devotee's demoniac mentality, and Krishna did this to Indra by lifting the Govardhana hill.

Kavaca Capsules

2011-06-06T16:04:00.001+07:00

If you notice, most of the Kavaca mantras actually contain the holy name. This holy name is actually the most potent. There are no rules, no need of initiation, no need of proper qualifications or even the need of hearing it from a guru when it comes to the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. That is why it is the 'Great Mantra' (Maha Mantra). So the holy name is actually the potency. Putting on Kavacas on the body would have the same benefit as putting on the holy name of the Lord on the body. The mantra present in the Nrsimha kavaca capsule that one can obtain from Mayapur contains the Nrsimha Maha Mantra :-

ugram viram maha-visnum

jvalantam sarvato mukham

nrsimham bhisanam bhadram

mrtyor mrtyum namamay aham

I bow down to Lord Nrsimha who is ferocious and heroic like Lord Vishnu. He is burning from every side. He is terrific, auspicious and death personified.

It is stated in the scriptures that this mantra is the essence of all kavaca mantras.

Inside the kavaca (capsule) is the above mantra written on a piece of bark from a botch tree. There is also a tulasi leaf which has been offered at the lotus feet of Lord Nrsimhadeva. After worshipping Lord Nrsimhadeva with sixteen upacaras, the pujari performs a procedure that is called prana-pratistha, i.e, he calls the Lord to reside in the kavaca. He then worships the kavaca.

Before wearing this sacred, protective shield, you should place it before a picture of your spiritual master, perform guru-puja to your spiritual master and take his permission to wear the kavaca.

Men can wear the kavaca around the neck or on the upper right arm and ladies can wear it around the neck or on the upped left arm. the kavaca may be worn in all circumstances-at any time or in any place.

Lord Nrisimha: Protector of Devotees

2011-06-02T18:58:00.001+07:00

(Art of Krishna)

By Aja Govinda Dasa, Back to Godhead magazine, Nov/Dec 2007

When in danger, devotees of Lord Krishna naturally turn to His fiercest form for protection.

One of the most awe-inspiring of Lord Krishna’s forms is Sri Nrisimhadeva, His half-man, half-lion incarnation. Lord Nrisimha descended to protect His devotee Sri Prahlada Maharaja from the atheistic king Hiranyakashipu, Prahlada’s father.

The Boy Saint Prahlada

Sri Prahlada Maharaja was a devotee of Lord Krishna from birth, having acquired knowledge of devotional service in the womb. Once, during the absence of Hiranyakashipu, his enemies the demigods, servants of the Supreme Lord responsible for universal management, kidnapped his wife to kill her embryo. They feared that the embryo might later develop into another terrible enemy. Srila Narada Muni rescued the mother and child after convincing the demigods that the boy to be born was an exalted devotee of Lord Krishna.

While still in the womb during his mother’s stay at Narada Muni’s ashram, Prahlada overheard Narada’s transcendental discussions on the glories of the Lord and became fearless, fully surrendered to the infallible shelter of Lord Krishna. Later, though only a child of five years, he had firm faith in the Lord’s protection and invoked this same pure devotion to the Lord in the hearts of his schoolmates at the atheistic school of Sukracharya, the guru of the daityas, or atheistic descendents of Diti. Enraged at his son’s undeviating devotion to his worst enemy—Lord Vishnu, the four-handed form of Lord Krishna—Hiranyakashipu sentenced Prahlada to death. Hiranyakashipu’s henchmen tried everything to kill Prahlada. He was starved, poisoned, cursed by spells, beaten by fiends, stomped by elephants, encaged among virulent pythons, hurled from mountain peaks, and attacked with stones, fires, and blizzards. Despite all of Hiranyakashipu’s attempts, Prahlada remained untouched, and the evil king’s anger grew.

Hiranyakashipu’s Plans to Become God

Hiranyakashipu’s enmity toward Lord Vishnu had begun when the Lord in His form as a giant boar had slain Hiranyakashipu’s twin brother, Hiranyaksha, who had upset the earth’s equilibrium by greedily mining for gold. Upon the death of his brother, Hiranyakashipu had charged Lord Vishnu with partiality toward the demigods: “The Supreme Personality of Godhead has given up His natural tendency of equality toward the demons and demigods. Although He is the Supreme Person, now, influenced by maya [illusion], He has assumed the form of a boar to please His devotees, the demigods, just as a restless child leans toward someone.”

Factually the Lord is never partial to anyone: samo ‘ham sarva-bhuteshu na me dveshyo ‘sti na priyah (Bhagavad-gita 9.29). He simply reciprocates with every living entity in accordance with the living entities’ desires. Lord Sri Krishna instructs in the Bhagavad-gita (5.11):

ye yatha mam prapadyante

tams tathaiva bhajamy aham

mama vartmanuvartante

manushyam partha sarvashah

“As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pritha.” Thus the Lord appears as death for the atheist and as the loving savior for His devotee. And He Himself is beyond any material affinity.

To take revenge for his brother’s death, the mighty daitya Hiranyakashipu vowed to satisfy his brother’s soul with Vishnu’s blood. In his quest for immortality and the power to defeat Vishnu, he performed humanly impossible penances through which he acquired boons from Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe. Hiranyakashipu thought he could become God by his own austerity and penance. He foolishly concluded that since Lord Vishnu was favoring the demigods, He must also be an ordinary conditioned living entity (influenced by partiality and hatred) who became God by austerities. This mentality is characteristic of Mayavadi philosophers, who maintain that every soul is God deluded by maya and that once the illusion is dispelled, the soul once again realizes its identity with God. This theory, however, is unacceptable when we consider the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Krishna’s supremacy, as He states in the Bhagavad-gita (9.10):

mayadhyakshena prakritih

suyate sa-caracaram

hetunanena kaunteya

jagad viparivartate

“This material nature, which is one of My energies, is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, producing all moving and nonmoving beings. Under its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.” The material energy, maya, is one of the many potencies of the Supreme Lord. Since maya is completely submissive to the Lord, there is no possibility of the Supreme Absolute Lord being overpowered by its influence. The living entities, however, being minute parts of the Lord, can be deluded. The Mayavada theory that after liberation the soul merges with God is refuted in the Bhagavad-gita (15.7, 2.12), where Krishna declares all jiva souls to be His parts eternally, remaining always distinct individuals.

The Mayavadis also assert that the highest conception of God is of the transcendental, impersonal, and all-pervading nirguna-brahma (Absolute Truth devoid of quality, attribute, or form), which assumes a material conditioned body like ours whenever it descends to this world. Thus for the Mayavadis, Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna are saguna-brahma, Brahman with attributes and form, which to them means material illusory entanglement, for they just cannot imagine transcendence with qualities and form.

Frustrated with the suffering caused by the material body, the impersonalist philosophers conceive of transcendence and liberation as free from qualities and attributes. The Lord, however, clearly defies this notion:

avyaktam vyaktim apannah

manyante mam abuddhayah

param bhavam ajananto

mamavyayam anuttamam

“Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is imperishable and supreme.” (Bhagavad-gita 7.24) Thus from the Bhagavad-gita we learn that Lord Krishna never worked to achieve Godhood. He is eternally the Supreme Absolute Truth, and the individual souls are eternally His parts.

Nrisimhadeva Kills Hiranyakashipu

Just as the Mayavadis maintain the false theory that by enough penance a soul can become God, Hiranyakashipu considered that he could achieve immortal dominance over all and vanquish Lord Vishnu with his own prowess. But Prahlada challenged his power.

The arrogant Hiranyakashipu cursed him and inquired, “Where do you obtain the power to defy my supremacy?”

“The source of my strength is Lord Vishnu,” replied the fearless Prahlada. “He is the source of everyone’s strength, including yours.”

To hear that his strength was the grace of Vishnu, his worst enemy, was the greatest insult for Hiranyakashipu, who challenged Prahlada, “O most unfortunate Prahlada, you have always described an all-pervading supreme controller beyond me. If He is everywhere, then why is He not present before me in this pillar? If he does not appear from this pillar, then today your head will be severed with my sword.”

With these words, Hiranyakashipu struck his fist at the pillar, from which emanated a sound that seemed to crack the covering of the universe.

To prove true the statement of His devotee Prahlada, the Supreme Lord appeared from the pillar in a form never seen before, a form neither man nor lion, the form of Sri Nrisimhadeva.

Though Hiranyakashipu looked like a moth entering a fire when he attacked Lord Nrisimha, he ridiculously thought he would be able to defeat the Lord just as he had conquered all his other enemies. Long before, when his brother had been slain, this same Hiranyakashipu had angrily rushed to the Lord’s residence with a trident. The Lord had then disappeared and entered Hiranyakashipu’s nostril. Unable to find the Him, Hiranyakashipu had considered that God was dead.

Now Hiranyakashipu confronted the Lord, who played with him as a cat plays with a mouse. When the sun began to set, Lord Nrisimha lifted Hiranyakashipu onto His lap and dug His nails into Hiranyakashipu’s torso.

The daitya cried out, “Alas, my chest, which is being ripped open by Nrisimhadeva at this moment, is the same chest that broke the tusks of Airavata, Indra’s elephant. It is the same chest that stayed free of scars despite being struck by Lord Shiva’s ax.” (Nrisimha Purana 44.30)

Nrisimhadeva ripped open the stonelike chest of Hiranyakashipu with His diamondlike nails. The Lord wore the intestines of the king as His victory garland, and to convince the demigods of Hiranyakashipu’s death, the Lord tore out the daitya’s heart. As another aspect of His divine play, the Lord was suddenly surprised to see that Hiranyakashipu’s body had disappeared. When He shook His hands, however, the torn pieces of Hiranyakashipu’s body fell out of His nails onto the ground. (Nrisimha Purana 44.32–35) From this we understand that Hiranyakashipu was an insignificant insect compared to the transcendental lion Lord Nrisimha. As Jayadeva Goswami confirms:

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-shringam

dalita-hiranyakashipu-tanu-bhringam

keshava dhrita-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisha hare

“O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of half man, half lion! All glories to You! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one’s fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasplike demon Hiranyakashipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful pointed nails on Your beautiful lotus hands.”

Lord Nrisimha destroyed Hiranyakashipu without violating the boons granted by Lord Brahma, who had blessed Hiranyakashipu to not be killed:

inside or outside any residence (the Lord killed him in the doorway)

during the day or night (the Lord killed him at twilight)

on the ground or in the sky (the Lord killed him on His own lap)

by any human being or animal (Lord Nrisimha is half man, half lion)

by any demigod, demon, or great snake (the Lord is beyond any of these categories)

by any weapon or any entity, living or nonliving (Lord Nrisimha pierced thedaitya with his nails, which are not considered weapons and are neither living nor dead)

Finally, Hiranyakashipu was not be killed by any living being created by Brahma or not created by Brahma. Hiranyakashipu was cautious to ensure that he would also not be killed by Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva, and Lord Vishnu, the three presiding deities of the universe (the only three living entities within the universe not created by Brahma). Lord Nrisimha is a lila-avatara, or pastime incarnation of Lord Krishna, and is not of the category of Brahma, Shiva, or Vishnu, who are the three guna-avataras,or deities in charge of the three modes of material nature.

Hiranyakashipu, the universal tyrant, wished to reverse the system of piety. He wanted the impious to be rewarded and the pious to be punished. Thus upon the death of Hiranyakashipu, all the demigods and inhabitants of various planets offered their prayers to Lord Nrisimha, expressing their gratitude for the Lord’s slaying the daitya, who had usurped all their riches, wives, and shares of sacrificial offerings. Only Prahlada Maharaja, however, could pacify with loving prayers the transcendental wrath of Lord Nrisimha, who is prepared to even appear as half-man, half-lion for the sake of His pure devotees.

Lord Nrisimha was overjoyed upon beholding the firm faith of Prahlada, and He repeatedly requested him to ask for a boon. But the utmost compassionate Prahlada, who was more concerned for the welfare of others, only requested the Lord to liberate his demoniac father. The Supreme Lord guaranteed the liberation of twenty-one generations of Prahlada’s dynasty.

A Summary of Prahlada's Prayers

2011-06-02T18:51:00.001+07:00

(Art of Krishna)

Srila Prabhupada's summary of Srimad Bhagavatam 7.9 (Prahlada Pacifies Lord Nrsimhadeva with Prayers)

As related in this chapter, Prahlada Maharaja, following the order of Lord Brahma, pacified the Lord when the Lord was extremely angry after having killed Hiranyakasipu.

After Hiranyakasipu was killed, the Lord continued to be very angry, and the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma, could not pacify Him. Even mother Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, the constant companion of Narayaṇa, could not dare come before Lord Nrsimhadeva. Then Lord Brahma asked Prahlada Maharaja to go forward and pacify the Lord's anger. Prahlada Maharaja, being confident of the affection of his master, Lord Nrsimhadeva, was not afraid at all. He very gravely appeared before the Lord's lotus feet and offered Him respectful obeisances. Lord Nrsimhadeva, being very much affectionate toward Prahlada Maharaja, put His hand on Prahlada's head, and because of being personally touched by the Lord, Prahlada Maharaja immediately achieved brahma-jnana, spiritual knowledge. Thus he offered his prayers to the Lord in full spiritual knowledge and full devotional ecstasy. The instructions given by Prahlada Maharaja in the form of his prayers are as follows.

Prahlzda said, "I am not proud of being able to offer prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I simply take shelter of the mercy of the Lord, for without devotion one cannot appease Him. One cannot please the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply by dint of high parentage or great opulence, learning, austerity, penance or mystic power. Indeed, these are never pleasing to the Supreme Lord, for nothing can please Him but pure devotional service. Even if a nondevotee is a brahmana qualified with the twelve brahminical symptoms, he cannot be very dear to the Lord, whereas if a person born in a family of dog-eaters is a devotee, the Lord can accept his prayers. The Lord does not need anyone's prayers, but if a devotee offers his prayers to the Lord, the devotee benefits greatly. Ignorant persons born in low families, therefore, can sincerely offer heartfelt prayers to the Lord, and the Lord will accept them. As soon as one offers his prayers to the Lord, he is immediately situated on the Brahman platform.

Lord Nrsimhadeva appeared for the benefit of all human society, not only for Prahlada's personal benefit. The fierce form of Lord Nrsimhadeva may appear most awful to a nondevotee, but to the devotee the Lord is always affectionate as He is in other forms. Conditioned life in the material world is actually extremely fearful; indeed, a devotee is not afraid of anything else. Fear of material existence is due to false ego. Therefore the ultimate goal of life for every living entity is to attain the position of being servant of the servant of the Lord. The miserable condition of the living entities in the material world can be remedied only by the mercy of the Lord. Although there are so-called material protectors like Lord Brahma and the other demigods, or even one's own father, they are unable to do anything if one is neglected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, one who has fully taken shelter of the Lord's lotus feet can be saved from the onslaught of material nature. Therefore every living entity should be unattracted by material so-called happiness and should take shelter of the Lord by all means. That is the mission of human life. To be attracted by sense gratification is simply foolish. Whether one is a devotee of the Lord or is a nondevotee does not depend upon one's birth in a high or low family. Even Lord Brahma and the goddess of fortune cannot achieve the full favor of the Lord, whereas a devotee can very easily attain such devotional service. The Lord's mercy is bestowed equally upon everyone, regardless of whether one is high or low. Because Prahlada Maharaja was blessed by Narada Muni, Prahlada became a great devotee. The Lord always saves the devotee from impersonalists and voidists. The Lord is present in everyone's heart as the Supersoul to give the living being protection and all benefits. Thus the Lord acts sometimes as the killer and sometimes as the protector. One should not accuse the Lord for any discrepancies. It is His plan that we see varieties of life within this material world. All of them are ultimately His mercy.

Although the entire cosmic manifestation is nondifferent, the material world is nonetheless different from the spiritual world. Only by the mercy of the Supreme Lord can one understand how the wonderful material nature acts. For example, although Lord Brahma appeared from the lotus seat that had grown from the abdomen of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, he could not understand what to do after his appearance. He was attacked by two demons, Madhu and Kaitabha, who took away Vedic knowledge, but the Lord killed them and entrusted to Lord Brahma the Vedic knowledge. Thus the Lord appears in every millennium in the societies of demigods, human beings, animals, saints and aquatics. All such incarnations are meant to protect the devotees and kill the demons, but this killing and protecting does not reflect any sense of partiality on the part of the Supreme Lord. The conditioned soul is always attracted by the external energy. Therefore he is subjected to lust and greed, and he suffers under the conditions of material nature. The Lord's causeless mercy toward His devotee is the only means by which to get out of material existence. Anyone engaged in glorifying the Lord's activities is always unafraid of this material world, whereas one who cannot glorify the Lord in that way is subjected to all lamentation.

Those interested in silently worshiping the Lord in solitary places may be eligible for liberation themselves, but a pure devotee is always aggrieved to see others suffering. Therefore, not caring for his own liberation, he always engages in preaching by glorifying the Lord. Prahlada Maharaja, therefore, had tried to deliver his class friends by preaching and had never remained silent. Although being silent, observing austerities and penances, learning the Vedic literature, undergoing ritualistic ceremonies, living in a solitary place and performing japa and transcendental meditation are approved means of liberation, they are meant for nondevotees or for cheaters who want to live at the expense of others. A pure devotee, however, being freed from all such deceptive activities, is able to see the Lord face to face.

The atomic theory of the composition of the cosmic manifestation is not factual. The Lord is the cause of everything, and therefore He is the cause of this creation. One should therefore always engage in devotional service by offering respectful obeisances to the Lord, offering prayers, working for the Lord, worshiping the Lord in the temple, always remembering the Lord and always hearing about His transcendental activities. Without these six kinds of activity, one cannot attain to devotional service.

Prahlada Maharaja thus offered his prayers to the Supreme Lord, begging His mercy at every step. Lord Nrsimhadeva was pacified by Prahlada Maharaja's prayers and wanted to give him benedictions by which Prahlada could procure all kinds of material facilities. PPrahlada Maharaja, however, was not misled by material facilities. Rather, he wanted to remain always a servant of the servant of the Lord.

Golden Bed

2011-05-31T18:22:00.001+07:00

(The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International)

Hiranyakashipu means "Golden Bed". He is the embodiment of lust, greed, desire for gold & sex life. Just as men now days are after immortality, Hiranyakashipu too was after the same thing and therefore requested for a similar boon from Lord Brahma.