Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

ध्यायेन्नृसिंहं तरुणार्कनेत्रं सिदाम्बुजातं ज्वलिताग्निवत्क्रम् / अनादिमध्यान्तमज पुराणं परापरेशं जगतां निधानम्

Transliteration

dhyāyennṛsiṃhaṃ taruṇārkanetraṃ sidāmbujātaṃ jvalitāgnivatkram / anādimadhyāntamaja purāṇaṃ parāpareśaṃ jagatāṃ nidhānam

Translation

നൃസിംഹനെ ധ്യാനിക്കണം—ഉദയസൂര്യനെപ്പോലെയുള്ള നേത്രങ്ങളുള്ളവൻ, ശ്വേതപദ്മത്തിൽ നിന്നു പ്രത്യക്ഷനായവൻ, ജ്വലിതാഗ്നിപോലെ പാദചാരമുള്ളവൻ. ആദി-മധ്യ-അന്തമില്ലാത്ത, അജനും പുരാതനനും, പരാപരലോകങ്ങളുടെ ഈശ്വരനും സർവ്വജഗത്തിന്റെ നിധാന-ആധാരവും ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नृसिंहम्: Nṛsiṃha
• नृसिंहम्: Karma (Object of meditation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक) + सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (नृ-सिंहः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तरुणार्कनेत्रम्: whose eyes are like the young sun
• तरुणार्कनेत्रम्: Karma (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (तरुण-आर्क-सदृशं नेत्रं यस्य); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘नृसिंहम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• सिताम्बुजातम्: like a white lotus
• सिताम्बुजातम्: Karma (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (सितम् अम्बुजम् = श्वेतकमलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (मुख/हृदयादि-उपमानरूपेण) ‘नृसिंहम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• ज्वलिताग्निवत्क्रम्: whose stride/step is like blazing fire
• ज्वलिताग्निवत्क्रम्: Karma (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलित (कृदन्त) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (ज्वलित-अग्नि-वत् क्रमः यस्य); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘नृसिंहम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• अनादिमध्यान्तम्: without beginning, middle, or end
• अनादिमध्यान्तम्: Karma (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्वन्द्व (आदि-मध्य-अन्त) + नञ्; ‘without beginning, middle, and end’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘नृसिंहम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• अजम्: unborn
• अजम्: Karma (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘नृसिंहम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• पुराणम्: ancient
• पुराणम्: Karma (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘नृसिंहम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• परापरेशम्: lord of the higher and the lower
• परापरेशम्: Karma (qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक) + अपरा (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (परस्य च अपरस्य च ईशः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘नृसिंहम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• जगताम्: of worlds
• जगताम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• निधानम्: repository, abode
• निधानम्: Karma (qualifier/object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘नृसिंहम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य (उपपद-विशेषणवत्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dhyāna on Narasiṁha as anādi-madhyānta (beyond time), aja (unborn), purāṇa (primeval) and parāpareśa (Lord of higher/lower) leads the mind from form to the formless ground.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-upāsanā as a doorway to nirguṇa insight: the same Lord is the nidhāna (substratum/treasury) of jagat; contemplation dissolves temporal limitation.

Application: Use the verse as a dhyāna-krama: (1) eyes like rising sun (tejas), (2) lotus purity (śuddhi), (3) fiery stride (kṣipra-rakṣā), (4) contemplate timelessness and unborn nature; sit 10–15 minutes after japa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.231.22 (recitation discipline); Garuda Purana 1.231.24 (japa removes sorrow)

Characters & Entities

• Narasiṁha
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the importance of Narasiṁha meditation in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Narasiṁha-dhyāna as a direct contemplative practice—fixing the mind on Viṣṇu’s protective, fiery power and His timeless, all-supporting nature.

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Lord?

It describes the Lord as beginningless, endless, unborn, and ancient, yet also the ‘repository of worlds’—both transcendent (para) and immanent (apara).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the verse as a daily dhyāna: recall Narasiṁha’s radiant gaze and purifying ‘fire-like’ stride to cultivate courage, self-control, and steadiness in dharma.