Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 139

The Exposition of Nṛsiṁha Worship-Mantras, Nyāsa, Mudrās, Yantras, Kavaca, and Nṛsiṁha Gāyatrī

Devanagari script

नृसिंहं भीषणं भद्रं मृत्युमृत्युं नमाम्यहम् । पञ्चाशीत्यक्षरो मन्त्रो भजतामिष्टदायकः ॥ १३९ ॥

Transliteration

nṛsiṃhaṃ bhīṣaṇaṃ bhadraṃ mṛtyumṛtyuṃ namāmyaham | pañcāśītyakṣaro mantro bhajatāmiṣṭadāyakaḥ || 139 ||

Translation

我はナラシンハに帰敬する—悪に対しては恐るべく、信愛の者には吉祥なる御方、死そのものを滅する「死の死」。八十五音節より成るこの真言は、礼拝し誦持して依り頼む者に、望む成就を授ける。

Word by Word

• नृसिंहम्: Nṛsiṃha
• नृसिंहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ + सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘man-lion’

• भीषणम्: terrible
• भीषणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying नृसिंहम्

• भद्रम्: auspicious
• भद्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying नृसिंहम्

• मृत्यु-मृत्युम्: death of death
• मृत्यु-मृत्युम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु + मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘death of death’ (destroyer of death)

• नमामि: I bow (salute)
• नमामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (nominative/1st), एकवचन

• पञ्चाशीत्यक्षरः: eighty-five-syllabled
• पञ्चाशीत्यक्षरः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चाशीति (संख्या) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु ‘having eighty-five syllables’ (qualifying मन्त्रः)

• मन्त्रः: the mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भजताम्: of (those) worshipping
• भजताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त-सम्बद्ध षष्ठी बहुवचन (genitive plural) of present participial base used substantively: ‘of those who worship’ (भजत्-जनानाम्)

• इष्टदायकः: giver of desired boons
• इष्टदायकः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट + दायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘giver of desired (boons)’; qualifying मन्त्रः

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in a Vedanga-oriented context on mantra-prayoga)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Narasimha
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It presents Nṛsiṃha as the supreme protector who overcomes fear and mortality itself, and affirms that devoted recitation of the prescribed (85-syllable) mantra yields desired spiritual and worldly attainments.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti is expressed through reverential surrender—"I bow"—and sustained worship/recitation (bhajatām). The verse links heartfelt reliance on Nṛsiṃha with tangible grace: the granting of iṣṭa (chosen aims) and freedom from the terror of death.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It emphasizes mantra-śāstra practice through akṣara-count (syllabic precision) and prayoga—indicating that correct formulation and disciplined japa of a specific syllable-count mantra is a technical feature aligned with Vedanga concerns such as Śikṣā (phonetics) and Vyākaraṇa (correct form).