Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 8

Varṣa-devatā Worship in Jambūdvīpa: Hayagrīva/Hayaśīrṣa, Nṛsiṁha, Kāmadeva (Pradyumna), Matsya, Kūrma, and Varāha

Devanagari script

ॐ नमो भगवते नरसिंहाय नमस्तेजस्तेजसे आविराविर्भव वज्रनख वज्रदंष्ट्र कर्माशयान् रन्धय रन्धय तमो ग्रस ग्रस ॐ स्वाहा । अभयमभयमात्मनि भूयिष्ठा ॐ क्ष्रौम् ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

oṁ namo bhagavate narasiṁhāya namas tejas-tejase āvir-āvirbhava vajra-nakha vajra-daṁṣṭra karmāśayān randhaya randhaya tamo grasa grasa om svāhā; abhayam abhayam ātmani bhūyiṣṭhā oṁ kṣraum.

Translation

I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the source of all power. O my Lord who possess nails and teeth just like thunderbolts, kindly vanquish our demonlike desires for fruitive activity in this material world. Please appear in our hearts and drive away our ignorance so that by Your mercy we may become fearless in the struggle for existence in this material world.

Synonyms

• oṁ: Om
• oṁ: Sambodhana/Mantra-pada (सम्बोधन/मन्त्रपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: oṁ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: Pranava (प्रणव), indeclinable sacred syllable

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya used as salutation (नमः), governs dative (चतुर्थी)

• bhagavate: to the Lord
• bhagavate: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative 4th (चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• narasiṁhāya: to Narasiṁha
• narasiṁhāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara + siṁha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (चतुर्थी) Singular; Tatpuruṣa: nara-siṁha = man-lion

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya salutation (नमः)

• tejaḥ: splendor
• tejaḥ: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular; used as first member in repetition

• tejase: to the splendor
• tejase: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Dative (चतुर्थी), Singular

• āviḥ: manifestly
• āviḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āviḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya/adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning ‘manifestly’

• āviḥ: manifestly
• āviḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āviḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya/adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), repetition for emphasis

• bhava: be / appear
• bhava: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• vajra-nakha: O thunderbolt-clawed one
• vajra-nakha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra + nakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular; Karmadhāraya: ‘vajra-like claws’

• vajra-daṁṣṭra: O thunderbolt-fanged one
• vajra-daṁṣṭra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra + daṁṣṭrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular; Karmadhāraya: ‘vajra-like fangs’

• karma-āśayān: karmic dispositions
• karma-āśayān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma + āśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); Tatpuruṣa: karmāśaya = ‘store/latent impressions of actions’

• randhaya: restrain / block
• randhaya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: randh (रन्ध् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ imperative, 2nd person singular, Parasmaipada; causative sense ‘make be restrained/blocked’ (प्रेरणार्थ)

• randhaya: restrain
• randhaya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: randh (रन्ध् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ imperative, 2nd person singular, repetition for emphasis

• tamaḥ: darkness
• tamaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• grasa: devour
• grasa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gras (ग्रस् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ imperative, 2nd person singular, Parasmaipada

• grasa: devour
• grasa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gras (ग्रस् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ imperative, 2nd person singular, repetition for emphasis

• oṁ: Om
• oṁ: Mantra-pada (मन्त्रपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: oṁ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: Pranava, indeclinable

• svāhā: svāhā
• svāhā: Mantra-pada (मन्त्रपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svāhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vedic exclamation/oblation-ending particle (निपात)

• abhayam: fearlessness
• abhayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular; used as object of implied ‘grant’

• abhayam: fearlessness
• abhayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; repetition for emphasis

• ātmani: in the self / in me
• ātmani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative 7th (सप्तमी), Singular

• bhūyiṣṭhāḥ: abundant / in full measure
• bhūyiṣṭhāḥ: Vidhāna/Predicative (विधान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūyiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural; superlative (तमप्/इष्ठ) meaning ‘most/abundant’ (here: ‘may it be abundant’)

• oṁ: Om
• oṁ: Mantra-pada (मन्त्रपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: oṁ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: Pranava, indeclinable

• kṣraum: kṣraum (seed syllable)
• kṣraum: Mantra-pada (मन्त्रपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣraum (बीजमन्त्र)
• Form: Bīja-mantra syllable (बीजाक्षर), indeclinable

Purport

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.22.39) Sanat-kumāra speaks the following words to Mahārāja Pṛthu:

Characters & Entities

• Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva

FAQs

What is the Narasimha mantra in Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto 5 Chapter 18)?

This verse is a direct prayer to Lord Nṛsiṁha, invoking Him as the source of all brilliance and asking Him to crush karmic impulses, devour ignorance, and grant inner fearlessness.

Why does the Bhagavatam pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva for fearlessness?

Because Nṛsiṁha is revered as the Lord who protects devotees and annihilates fear born of ignorance and karmic conditioning; the prayer specifically asks for abhayam—fearlessness—within the heart.

How can this shloka be applied in modern life for anxiety and fear?

Use it as a devotional remembrance: pray for clarity (removal of tamaḥ), for restraint over harmful impulses (karmāśayān), and for steady courage (abhayam) while acting responsibly in daily duties.