Śrī Nṛsiṁha Praṇāma – Meaning, Lyrics & Chanting Guide

Composed by Śrīla Vyāsadeva and found in the sacred Nṛsiṁha Purāṇa, the Śrī Nṛsiṁha Praṇāma is a powerful invocation chanted by devotees of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the half-man half-lion incarnation of Śrī Hari. Revered in ISKCON temples worldwide, it is often sung at the end of kīrtans or after nāma-japa to invoke divine protection and inner courage. This prayer is especially potent in the Bhakti Yoga tradition of Gaudiya Vaiṣṇavism, emphasizing surrender, shelter, and divine remembrance.

(1)

नमस् ते नरसिंहाय
प्रह्लादahlाद-दानिने
हिरण्यकशिपोर् वक्षः-शिला-टङ्क-नखालये

namas te narasiṁhāya
prahlādāhlāda-dāyine
hiraṇyakaśipor vakṣaḥ-śilā-ṭaṅka-nakhālaye

Meaning (English): I bow down to Lord Narasiṁha, who brings delight to Prahlāda and whose nails tore apart the stone-like chest of the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu like chisels on granite.

अर्थ (हिंदी): मैं भगवान नरसिंह को नमस्कार करता हूँ, जो प्रह्लाद को परम आनंद प्रदान करते हैं और जिनके अद्भुत नखों ने हिरण्यकशिपु की पत्थर जैसी छाती को छेनी की तरह चीर दिया।

(2)

इतो नरसिंहः परतो नरसिंहो
यतो यतो यामि ततो नरसिंहः
बहिर् नरसिंहो हृदये नरसिंहो
नरसिंहम् आदिं शरणं प्रपद्ये

ito nṛsiṁhaḥ parato nṛsiṁho
yato yato yāmi tato nṛsiṁhaḥ
bahir nṛsiṁho hṛdaye nṛsiṁho
nṛsiṁham ādiṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye

Meaning (English): Lord Narasiṁha is everywhere—here, there, within the heart, and all around. I fully surrender to Nṛsiṁhadeva, the origin and supreme protector.

अर्थ (हिंदी): भगवान नरसिंह यहाँ भी हैं, वहाँ भी हैं—जहाँ मैं जाता हूँ, वहाँ वे पहले से उपस्थित हैं। वे बाहर भी हैं और हृदय में भी विराजमान हैं। मैं आदि देव नरसिंह की शरण में जाता हूँ।

(3)

तव कर-कमल-वरे नखम् अद्भुत-शृङ्गं
दलित-हिरण्यकशिपु-तनु-भृङ्गम्
केशव धृत-नरहरि-रूप जय जगदीश हरे

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śṛṅgaṁ
dalita-hiraṇyakaśipu-tanu-bhṛṅgam
keśava dhṛta-narahari-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare

Meaning (English): O Keśava! Glory to You, O Lord of the Universe, who assumed the fierce form of Narasiṁha! Just as a wasp is crushed between one’s nails, You tore apart the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu with Your wondrous, lotus-hand nails.

अर्थ (हिंदी): हे केशव! हे जगत् के ईश्वर! आपने नर-सिंह का अद्भुत रूप धारण किया और अपने कमल जैसे हाथों के अद्वितीय नखों से, जैसे कोई अपने नखों से ततैया को कुचल देता है, वैसे ही आपने हिरण्यकशिपु के शरीर को नष्ट कर दिया। आपको बारंबार नमन।

When & How to Chant

• Traditionally chanted after nāma-japa or before sleeping
• Recite once daily or 3x for spiritual protection
• Best chanted in a mood of surrender, seeking divine shelter

Why This Mantra Matters

Śrī Nṛsiṁha Praṇāma is not merely a prayer of praise—it is a shield for the soul. In Gaudiya Bhakti, this mantra invokes the fierce love of the Lord who protects devotees from inner and outer demons. It is a meditation on divine shelter, revealing the omnipresence of Nṛsiṁhadeva and the bliss of taking refuge in Him.

What is the Śrī Nṛsiṁha Praṇāma?

The Śrī Nṛsiṁha Praṇāma is a revered prayer to Lord Narasiṁha, recited by devotees seeking protection, courage, and spiritual fearlessness. Rooted in the Nṛsiṁha Purāṇa and adored in ISKCON and other Bhakti traditions, it acknowledges the Lord's omnipresence and His role as the divine protector of Prahlāda and all devotees.