Shloka 12

Śiva’s Narasiṃha-Stotra and the Pacification of the Mātṛgaṇas

Devanagari script

शङ्कर उवाच / नमस्ते ऽस्त जगन्नाथ नरसिंहवपुर्धर / दैत्येश्वरेन्द्रसंहारिनखशुक्तिविराजित

Transliteration

śaṅkara uvāca / namaste 'sta jagannātha narasiṃhavapurdhara / daityeśvarendrasaṃhārinakhaśuktivirājita

Translation

Śaṅkara said: Salutations to You, O Lord of the universe, who bear the form of Narasiṃha—You who destroy the foremost lords of the demons, and whose nails shine like radiant mother-of-pearl.

Word by Word

• शङ्करः: Shankara
• शङ्करः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma/Offering (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः ‘नमः + दत्तिविभक्ति’

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive use), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• जगन्नाथ: O Lord of the world
• जगन्नाथ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: जगतः नाथः)

• नरसिंहवपुर्धर: O bearer of the Narasiṃha form
• नरसिंहवपुर्धर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + सिंह + वपुस् + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वपुः धरः; ‘bearing the body/form of Narasiṃha’)

• दैत्येश्वरेन्द्रसंहारिनखशुक्तिविराजित: O one resplendent with nail-shells, slayer of the lordly king of demons
• दैत्येश्वरेन्द्रसंहारिनखशुक्तिविराजित: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैत्य + ईश्वर + इन्द्र + संहारिन् + नख + शुक्ति + विराजित (कृदन्त; from √राज् with वि- + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः (प्रधानः ‘विराजित’), अर्थः ‘नख-शुक्तिभिः विराजितः’ तथा ‘दैत्य-ईश्वर-इन्द्रस्य संहारिन्’ इति उपपद-तत्पुरुषसम्बन्धः

Speaker

Shankara (Lord Shiva)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nāma-rūpa stuti: calling the Lord ‘Jagannātha’ and ‘Narasiṃha’ affirms both universal sovereignty and protective ferocity against adharma.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as both immanent lord of the universe and transcendent protector; divine ‘ugra’ form as compassion toward devotees.

Application: Use protective remembrance (smaraṇa) and recitation of Narasiṃha-nāma during fear, injustice, or inner ‘demonic’ impulses (anger, cruelty, arrogance).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Viṣṇu-nāma and stotra sections emphasizing protection and purification

Characters & Entities

• Shankara
• Jagannatha (Vishnu)
• Narasimha
• Daityas (demons)

FAQs

What is the importance of Narasimha in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Narasimha as the cosmic protector—Jagannatha—whose fierce form destroys demonic oppression and safeguards dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it frames devotion and surrender to the divine protector as a spiritual refuge—an orientation that supports righteous living and steadies the mind in fear and crisis.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use this as a short protective prayer: remember Narasimha’s power to overcome inner “demons” like fear, anger, and injustice, and recommit to dharmic conduct.