Narasimha Dev Prayer

[Berenice Pretlow]

Devoteesworship Lord Narasimha Dev for different reasons depending on their faith and needs but in all their prayers one aspect that stands out is protection. Lord Narasimha (also spelt as Nrsimha, Nrusinga, Nrisingha, etc.), who is none other than Lord Vishnu Himself in His unique half-man-half-lion form is famous throughout the universe for giving full protection to His devotees. His fearsome form drives away all inauspicious and fear from the heart of His sincere devotees.

Before we talk about the prayers and pastimes of the Lord, let it be clear that Lord Narasimha is not a mythological character. He is a real, transcendental personality eternally present and appears in this world as and when He wishes to. Those who know the historical event of the killing of king Hiranyakashipu know well that Hiranyakashipu had a boon from Lord Brahma that no creature, meaning no created being, would be able to kill him. The fact that Lord Narasimha killed him is an irrefutable proof that Lord Narasimha Dev is not a created being. He exists eternally beyond the control of time and space.

Sometimes people wonder why if God is one, people worship different forms. For example, Bhagavad Gita clearly establishes Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead but even the devotees of Lord Krishna are seen worshiping Lord Narasimha Dev. Why? Is Lord Krishna not competent enough to help them? Or are they deviating from their faith when in danger and running to Lord Narsimha knowing He can protect from all dangers?

Answer to this kind of questions needs an in-depth explanation of the personality of God, His mood, His relations with devotees, type of mellows in devotional service, and so on. It would take a few more pages to explain all of it, so we leave it for some other time. The biggest challenge people in general have in understanding these aspects is, they think of God as something that He is not, a mere imagination, an abstract. If God were to be what one thinks, the world, which is His creation, would also have been only what one thinks. But the world is much different, much more dynamic, full of varieties. And so is God.

Going back to prayers, we wanted to share with you the following beautiful prayer to Lord Narasimha Dev. It is written by a pure, unalloyed devotee of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna and a prominent acharya in the disciplic succession of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur. In his book Navadvipa Bhaava Taranga, while talking about Narasimha palli, a holy tirtha in Sri Navadvipa Dham, he says

Described in the next five verses (NBT 36-40) is a heartfelt prayer by the same great acharya which shows how, even while praying to Lord Narasimha Deva the ultimate purpose in his heart is to receive pure love and devotion to Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha-Krishna. This is a unique characteristic of a pure devotee of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna.

We pray that some day we be able to appreciate at least a few words of what Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has expressed here in his prayers to Lord Narasimha Dev and aspire to experience at least a few drops of the sublime love of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna that he is referring to. Sri Narasimha Dev Bhagavan ki jay!

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written five beautiful prayers in "Sri Navadvipa Bhava Taranga" for receiving the mercy of Lord Narasimha. These prayers are certainly assurance to all sincere devotees that the worship of Lord Narasimha is purely in the line of aspiring love and devotion to Sri Sri

Radha and Krsna. Those prayers are as follows.

e dusta hrdaye kama adi ripu chaya

kutinati pratisthasa sathya sada raya

hrdaya-sodhana ara krsnera vasana

nrsimha-carane mora ei to' kamana

Within my sinful heart the six enemies headed by lust perpetually reside, as well as duplicity, the desire for fame, plus sheer cunning. At the lotus feet of Lord Narasimha, I hope that He will mercifully purify my heart and give

me the desire to serve Lord Krsna.

kandiya nrsimha-pade magibo kakhana

nirapade navadvipe jugala-bhajana

bhaya bhaya paya yan'ra darsane se hari

prasanna hoibo kabe more daya kari

Weeping, I will beg at the lotus-feet of Lord Narasimha for the benediction of worshipping Radha and Krsna in Navadvipa, perfectly safe and free from all difficulties. When will this Lord Hari, Whose terrible form strikes fear

into fear itself, ever become pleased and show me His mercy?

yadyapi bhisana murti dusta-jiva-prati

prahladadi krsna-bhakta-jane bhadra ati

kabe va prasanna ho'ye sa krpa-vacane

nirbhaya karibe ei mudha akincane

Even though Lord Narasimha is terrifying toward the sinful souls, He offers great auspiciousness unto the devotees of Lord Krsna headed by Prahlada Maharaja. When will He be pleased to speak words of compassion unto me, a

worthless fool, and thereby make me fearless?

svacchande baiso he vatsa sri-gauranga-dhame

jugala-bhajana hau rati hau name

mama bhakta-krpa-bale vighna jabe dura

suddha cite bhajo radha-krsna-rasa-pura

He will say, "Dear child! Sit sown freely and live happily here in Sri Gauranga-dhama. May you nicely worship the Divine Couple, and may you develop loving attachment for Their Holy Names. By the mercy of My devotees, all

obstacles are cast far away. With a purified heart, just perform the worship of Radha and Krsna, for such worship overflows with sweet nectar."

ei boli' kabe mora mastaka-upara

sviya sri-carana harse dharibe isvara

amani jugala-preme sattvika vikare

dharaya lutibo ami sri-nrsimha-dvare

Saying this, will that Lord delightedly place His own divine lotus-feet upon my head? I will experience sublime love for the Divine Couple Radha-Krsna and undergo the ecstatic transformations called sattvika. Falling on the ground,

I will roll about at the door of Sri Narasimha's temple.

(Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, - "Sri Navadvipa Bhava Taranga", 36-40)

The radiance of a thousand rising suns is the glow on the Lords face. His eyes are fiery and His voice roars like the turbulent ocean of devastation. His body is wet with the blood of Indras foe, Hiranyakashipu. Lord Narasimha, the redeemer of the fear ridden, I bow down to Your feet.

Your effulgence is dazzling like that of the destructive sun, pralayaravi. It glows and glitters, makes the wicked tremble with fear. You laugh in a piercing high tone at the fear, ignorance and anger of the demons. Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

Your lotus feet are reddened by the blood of the enemy. Fourteen lokas are scared by the stamping of Your feet. Demigods assemble, fear and tremble and pray for Your mercy. Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

You take great pleasure in slaughtering the armies of the demons. You wield Your heavy mace in a most cunning manner with the force of a great mountain. As You chop demons into pieces others immediately flee for their lives. Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

The mountains of Your hips are nicely decorated with yellow garments, which appear just like lightning in its intense brilliance. Attacking fiercely he who had the foremost position (the seat of King Indra), You removed the threat of that exceedingly wicked one. O ferocious one! Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

As Your nails, sharp like thunderbolts, tore the abdomen of the enemy, blood surged from the body of the demon and bathed You. Your lotus-like navel is deep and Your abdomen is decorated with the auspicious three lines. Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

Your two hands, as they directly burst open the chest of the son of Diti, appear just like a necklace of stars. Supporting him on Your knees, You tore his chest apart which blocked the path of the stars. Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

Your mane is burning and monstrous, and You cause the enemy to fall from his position by tearing apart his chest. Once attaining the opportunity, under the broad roof of the clouds and sky, You raise Your hand, powerful as a mace, to strike. I meditate upon You in this form. Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

Appearing brilliantly illuminated, Your neck, with hundreds of mane-hairs, is raised lightly and appears to be bitten by eight bolts of lightning. You divide the chest and very strong position of Hiranyakashipu. You are garlanded with his ghastly entrails. Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

The effulgence of many suns is destroyed by Your uncheckable potency. The many weapons sent against You are like sacrificial offerings, and You reply with unlimited weaponry. Put down, strike and slay my illusion. Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

My Lord, Your fearful countenance, with tongue extended and sharp teeth blazing as if illuminated from within, appears as the peak of a huge mountain of gems lit by the sunrise and by fire coming from within its caves. Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

The enemy of Indra (Hiranyakashipu) made waves in the ocean of demigods and took the shraddha offerings meant for the forefathers. Confounding the intelligence of the demigods, he minimized their austerity and position in various ways. But You, O Narasimha, melted him in the pot of Your shrill laughter. Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

Every living being in the three worlds, down to the blade of grass, was scorched by the flame of Hiranyakashipu. But You, with Your three eyes, have annihilated this flame. Your appearance is threatening to the miscreants, and Your color is coppery like the newly risen sun. Burn Narasimha, burn my adversaries with Your unbearable power.

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