Shloka 15

Prahlāda’s Prayers Pacify Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva

Prahlāda-stuti and the Lord’s Benediction Offer

Devanagari script

नाहं बिभेम्यजित तेऽतिभयानकास्य- जिह्वार्कनेत्रभ्रुकुटीरभसोग्रदंष्ट्रात् । आन्त्रस्रज: क्षतजकेशरशङ्कुकर्णा- न्निर्ह्रादभीतदिगिभादरिभिन्नखाग्रात् ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

nāhaṁ bibhemy ajita te ’tibhayānakāsya- jihvārka-netra-bhrukuṭī-rabhasogra-daṁṣṭrāt āntra-srajaḥ-kṣataja-keśara-śaṅku-karṇān nirhrāda-bhīta-digibhād ari-bhin-nakhāgrāt

Translation

હે અજિત પ્રભુ! તમારા અતિભયાનક મુખ અને જિહ્વા, સૂર્ય સમ તેજસ્વી નેત્રો અને ભ્રુકુટીથી હું ડરતો નથી. તમારા ઉગ્ર દાંત, આંતરડાની માળા, લોહીથી ભીંજાયેલ કેસર સમ કેશ અને કીલ સમ ઊંચા કાનથી પણ મને ભય નથી. દિશાના હાથીઓને ભગાડે એવો તમારો ગર્જનનાદ કે શત્રુવિનાશક નખોથી પણ હું ભીત નથી.

Synonyms

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-nipāta (negation)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• bibhemi: fear
• bibhemi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhī (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Parasmaipada, Uttamapuruṣa, Ekavacana

• ajita: O Unconquered One
• ajita: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• te: of you/your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Ṣaṣṭhī (Genitive), Ekavacana

• ati-bhayānaka-āsya: from (your) exceedingly terrifying mouth/face
• ati-bhayānaka-āsya: Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + bhayānaka (प्रातिपदिक) + āsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Pañcamī (5th/Ablative), Ekavacana (in next pada with -āt understood via daṁṣṭrāt etc.); karmadhāraya (ati-bhayānakam āsyam = exceedingly terrifying mouth/face) used as member in larger compound

• jihvā-arka-netra-bhrukuṭī-rabhasa-ugra-daṁṣṭrāt: from (your) fierce fangs with tongue, sun-like eyes, and arched brows
• jihvā-arka-netra-bhrukuṭī-rabhasa-ugra-daṁṣṭrāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jihvā (प्रातिपदिक) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + netra (प्रातिपदिक) + bhrukuṭī (प्रातिपदिक) + rabhasa (प्रातिपदिक) + ugra (प्रातिपदिक) + daṁṣṭrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Pañcamī (Ablative), Ekavacana; bahu-member tatpuruṣa describing daṁṣṭrā (fangs) with qualifiers (tongue, sun-like eyes, brows, violent, fierce)

• āntra-srajaḥ-kṣataja-keśara-śaṅku-karṇāt: from (your) ears (adorned) with intestinal garlands, blood, mane, and pointedness
• āntra-srajaḥ-kṣataja-keśara-śaṅku-karṇāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āntra (प्रातिपदिक) + sraj (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣataja (प्रातिपदिक) + keśara (प्रातिपदिक) + śaṅku (प्रातिपदिक) + karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Pañcamī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (karṇa) qualified by ‘intestinal garland’, ‘blood’, ‘mane’, ‘pointed’ etc.; ablative as source of fear

• nirhrāda-bhīta-digibhāt: from the quarter-elephants frightened by (your) roar
• nirhrāda-bhīta-digibhāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirhrāda (प्रातिपदिक) + bhīta (प्रातिपदिक) + digibha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṁliṅga, Pañcamī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (digibhāt = from the elephants of the quarters) qualified by ‘terrified by roar’

• ari-bhin-nakhāgrāt: from the tips of (your) enemy-splitting nails
• ari-bhin-nakhāgrāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ari (प्रातिपदिक) + bhin (from √bhid, कृत्) + nakha (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṁsakaliṅga, Pañcamī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa (nakhāgra = tip of nails) with modifier ‘ari-bhin’ = enemy-splitting

Purport

Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva’s fierce appearance was certainly most dangerous for the nondevotees, but for Prahlāda Mahārāja such a fearful appearance was not at all disturbing. The lion is very fearsome for other animals, but its cubs are not at all afraid of the lion. The water of the sea is certainly dreadful for all living entities on the land, but within the sea even the small fish is unafraid. Why? Because the small fish has taken shelter of the big ocean. It is said that although great elephants are taken away by the flooding waters of the river, the small fish swim opposite the current. Therefore although the Lord sometimes assumes a fierce appearance to kill the duṣkṛtīs, the devotees worship Him. Keśava dhṛta-nara-hari-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare . The devotee always takes pleasure in worshiping the Lord and glorifying the Lord in any form, either pleasing or fierce.

Characters & Entities

• Prahlāda
• Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva (Ajita)

FAQs

Why does Prahlāda say he is not afraid of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva’s terrifying form?

Because his fear is removed by pure devotion—he recognizes the Lord’s fierce features as protective, meant to destroy evil, not to harm the surrendered devotee.

What is the meaning of “Ajita” in this Bhagavatam verse?

“Ajita” means “the unconquerable one”—the Supreme Lord who cannot be defeated by any power, yet is pleased by the love of His devotee.

How can this verse be applied in modern life when facing fear and anxiety?

It teaches that fear diminishes when one remembers God’s protective presence and takes shelter through prayer, steady devotion, and trust that divine power ultimately destroys what is harmful.