Prayers

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, Lord Nrsimhadeva. You are the giver of pleasure to Maharaja Prahlada, and Your nails cut the chest of Hiranyakasipu like a chisel cutting stone.

ito nrsimhah parato nrsimho
yato yato yami tato nrsimhah
bahir nrsimho hrdaye nrsimho
nrsimham adim saranam prapadye

"Lord Nrsimhadeva is here, and He is also there on the opposite side. Wherever I go, there I see Lord Nrsimhadeva. He is outside and within My heart. Therefore I take shelter of Lord Nrsimhadeva, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead."

"All glories to Nrsimhadeva! All glories to Nrsimhadeva, who is the Lord of Prahlada Maharaja and, like a honeybee, is always engaged in beholding the lotuslike face of the goddess of fortune."
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: Madhya-lila 8.5)

I shall now recite the Nåsiàha-kavaca, formerly spoken by Prahläda Mahäräja. It is most pious, vanquishes all kinds of impediments, and provides one all protection.

sarva-sampat-karaà caiva svarga-mokña-pradäyakam
dhyätvä nåsiàhaà deveçaà hema-siàhäsana-sthitam
It bestows upon one all opulences and can give one elevation to the heavenly planets or liberation. One should meditate on Lord Nåsiàha, Lord of the universe, seated upon a golden throne.

vivåtäsyaà tri-nayanaà çarad-indu-sama-prabham
lakñmyäliìgita-vämäìgam vibhütibhir upäçritam

His mouth is wide open, He has three eyes, and He is as radiant as the autumn moon. He holds the Goddess Lakshmi in an embrace on His left side, and is the resting place for all kinds of prosperity — material and spiritual.

catur-bhujaà komaläìgaà svarëa-kuëòala-çobhitam
sriyäsu çobhitoraskam ratna-keyüra-mudritamThe Lord has four arms, and His limbs are very soft. He is decorated with golden earrings. His chest is glowing with Lakshmi & His arms are adorned with jewel studded ornaments.

tapta-käïcana-sankäçaà péta-nirmala-väsasam
indrädi-sura-maulisöha sphuran mäëikya-déptibhiù
viräjita-pada-dvandvaà çaìkha-cakrädi-hetibhiù
garutmatä chavinayät stüyamänaà mudänvitam
He is dressed in golden yellow garment, which looks like molten gold. His feet are very attractive by the rays emanating from the sparkling rubies on the crowns of Indra and other gods. He is armed with weapons like the Conch, the Discus (assuming forms), Garuda joyfully offers prayers with great reverence.

sva-håt-kamala-samväsaà kåtvä tu kavacaà pathet
nåsiàho me çiraù pätu loka-rakñätma-sambhavaù
Having seated Lord Narasimha upon the lotus of one’s heart, one should recite the following "mantra"- "May Lord Narasimha, who has emerged to protect the entire world, protect my head."

sarvago ’pi stambha-väsaù phälam me rakñatu dhvanim
nåsiàho me dåçau pätu soma-süryägni-locanaù
Although the Lord is all-pervading, (for the sake of a devotee), He hid Himself inside a pillar. May He protect my forehead and speech. May He, who has the Sun, the Moon and the Fire as His eyes, protect my eyes.

småtim me pätu nåhariù muni-varya-stuti-priyaù
näsäm me siàha-näsas tu mukhaà lakñmé-mukha-priyaù
May Lord Narahari, who is pleased with the prayers offered by the best of sages, protect my memory. May He who has the nose of a lion protect my nose. May He who is fond of Lakshmi’s mouth, protect my mouth.

sarva-vidyädhipaù pätu nåsiàho rasanäm mama
vaktraà pätv indu-vadanaù sadä prahläda-vanditaù
May Lord Nåsiàha, who is superior in all forms of education, protect my sense of taste. May He whose face is beautiful as the full moon and who is offered prayers by Prahläda Mahäräja protect my face.

nåsiàhaù pätu me kaëöhaà skandhau bhübharaëänta-kåt
divyästra-çobhita-bhujo nåsiàha pätu me bhujau
May Lord Nåsiàha protect my throat. He is the sustainer of the earth and the performer of unlimitedly wonderful activities. His shoulders are lustrous with divine weapons. May He protect my shoulders

karau me deva-varado nåsiàhaù pätu sarvataù
hådayaà yogi-sädhyaç ca niväsaà pätu me hariù
May the Lord, Narasimha who showers boons on the demigods, protect my hands and may he protect me from all sides. May Lord Hari who is attained by the yogis protect my heart & my residence.

madhyaà pätu hiraëyäkña-vakñaù-kukçi-vidäraëaù
näbhià me pätu nåhariù sva-näbhi-brahma-saàstutaù
May He who tore open the chest and stomach of the asura, Hiraëyäkña protect my waist & navel. Brahma, who has arisen from Lord Narasimha’s navel, offers prayers to him.

brahmäëòa-koöayaù kaöyäà yasyäsau pätu me kaöim
guhyaà me pätu guhyänäà maìträëäm guhya-rüpadhåk
May Lord Narasimha, on whose hips rest all the universes, protect my hips & private parts. He is the knower of all mantras and all mysteries, but He Himself is not visible.

ürü manobhavaù pätu jänuné nara-rüpa-dhåk
jaìghe pätu dharä-bhära hartä yo ’sau nå-keçaré
May He who is visualized by mind (through meditation) protect my thighs. May he who exhibits a human-like life form protect my knees. May the remover of the burden of earths, Nrikesari protect my calves.

sura-räjya-pradaù pätu pädau me nåharéçvaraù
sahasra-çérñä-purüñaù pätu me sarvaças tanum
May He who bestows the heavenly kingdom on demigods protect my feet.Narahari is the supreme controller, in the form of man-Lion.May the thousand headed "purusha" protect my body in all respects.

paçcime pätu sarveço diçi me sarvatomukhaù
nåsiàhaù pätu väyavyäà saumyäà bheeçaëa-vigrahaù
May the Lord of everything protect me from the west. He is everywhere and so may He protect me from this direction. May Lord Narasimha protect me from the North West, which is presided over by Väyu. May He whose form is fierce, protect me from the North.

éçänyäà pätu bhadro me sarva-maìgala-däyakaù
saàsärä-bhayadaù pätu måtyor måtyur nå-keçaré
May He who confers all auspiciousness protect me from the North East, and may Narasimha who is death personified protect me from the fears of death & the cycle of being born in the material world.

idaà nåsiàha-kavacaà prahläda-mukha-maìòitam
bhaktimän yaù paöhennityam sarva-päpaiù pramucyate
This Nåsiàha-kavaca has been recited by Prahläda himself. A devotee who regularly reads this is freed from all sins.

putravän dhanavän loke dérghayur upajäyate
yaà yaà kämayate kämaà taà taà präpnoty asaàçayam
sarvatra jayam äpnoti sarvatra vijayé bhavet
bhümy antarikña-divyänäà gåahäëäà viniväraëam
(By reciting this) one may obtain sons, wealth, a long life in this world and attain all that one desires. There is no doubt about this. If one desires victory, he will become victorious and be able to ward off the evil effects of planets. He wards off the evil influence of all planets, both earthly & heavenly.

våçcikoraga-sambhüta- viñäpaharaëaà param
brahma-räkñasa-yakñäëäà dürotsäraëa-käraëam
He will also be able to remove the poison of scorpions and snakes and will drive away fierce räkçasäs and Yakçäs to a great distance.

bhürje vä täÿapatre vä kavacaà likhitaà çubham
kara-müle dhåtaà yena sidhyeyuù karma-siddhayaù
One may inscribe this prayer on a bhurja leaf or a palm leaf and attach it to the wrist. Then, all his actions will bear fruit.

deväsura-manuñyeñu svaà svam eva jayaà labhet
eka-sandhyaà tri-sandhyaà vä yaù paöhen niyatonaraù
He who recites this prayer, regularly, once daily or thrice daily will become victorious whether among men, asuräs or demigods.

sarva-maìgaÿa-mäìgalyaà bhuktià muktià ca vindati
dvä-triàçati-sahasräëi pathechhuddhätmabhir nribhih
He who with pure heart recites this prayer 32,000 times will obtain the most auspicious of all auspicious things, material enjoyment and (ultimately) liberation.

kavacasyäsya mantrasya mantra-siddhiù prajäyate
anena mantra-räjena kåtvä bhasmäbhi maìtraëam
This Narasimha Kavacha Mantra is the king of all mantras & will grant all things. One attains by it what would be attained by anointing oneself with ashes and chanting all other mantras.

tilakaà bibhriyäd yas tu tasya gåaha-bhayaà haret
tri-väraà japamänas tu dattaà väryabhimantrya ca
If one applies the distinct mark on the forehead ("Tilaka"), with these ashes, sips water in the prescribed manner ("ächamana") and recites this mantra thrice, the fear of inauspicious planets is removed.

präçaye dyam naram mantraà nåsiàhadhyänamäcaret
tasya rogäù praëaçyanti ye cha syuù kukñi-sambhaväù
One who meditates on Lord Narasimha and recites this mantra will be able to rid himself of his abdominal and other diseases.

kimatra bahunoktena nåsimha sadåço bhavet
manasä cintitam yattu sa tacchäpnotya samçayaà
Why should more be said? One acquires qualitative oneness with Narasimha himself. There is no doubt that the desires in the mind of one who meditates will be granted.

garjantaà garjayantam nija-bhuja-paöalaà sphoöayantaà harantaà
dépyantaà täpayantaà divi bhuvi ditijaà kñepayantam kñipantam
krandantaà roñayantaà diçi diçi satataà saàharantaà bharantaà
vékñantaà ghürëayantam kara-nikara-çataiù divyasiàhaà namämi
Lord Nåsiàha roars and makes others to roar. He splashes His many arms and tears apart the asuras. He seeks and destroys the descendants of Diti, wherever they be, in this world or in higher spheres. He throws them down & makes others also do the same. He screams in anger & makes others also angry. He destroys the demons and takes them away. He stares at them and makes them reel. He has hundreds of hands & I offer my respectful obeisances to the Lord, who has assumed the form of a transcendental lion.

iti çré-brahmäëòa-puräëe prahlädoktaà
çré-nåsiàha-kavacaà sampürëam.
Thus ends the Nåsiàha-kavaca as it is described by Prahläda Mahäräja in the Brahmäëòa Puräëa.