Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

नाम त्रिंशदुत्तरद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / नारसिंहस्तुतिं वक्ष्ये शिवोक्तं शौनकाधुना / पूर्वं मातृगणाः सर्वे शङ्करं वाक्यमब्रुवन्

Transliteration

nāma triṃśaduttaradviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / nārasiṃhastutiṃ vakṣye śivoktaṃ śaunakādhunā / pūrvaṃ mātṛgaṇāḥ sarve śaṅkaraṃ vākyamabruvan

Translation

سوت نے کہا—اب دو سو اکتیسواں ادھیائے شروع ہوتا ہے۔ اب میں شیو کے کہے ہوئے اور شونک کو سکھائے گئے شری نرسِمھ ستوتی کا بیان کروں گا۔ پہلے سب ماترِگنوں نے شنکر سے بات کہی۔

Word by Word

• नाम: (entitled)
• नाम: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अध्याय-शीर्षक-निर्देशक ‘named/called’

• त्रिंशत्-उत्तर-द्विशततमः: two-hundred-and-thirtieth
• त्रिंशत्-उत्तर-द्विशततमः: Visheshana (Qualifier of अध्यायः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + द्विशततम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संख्या-समास/तत्पुरुषः: ‘द्विशततमात् त्रिंशदुत्तरः’ (= 230th)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/heading)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदी

• नारसिंहस्तुतिम्: hymn to Narasiṃha
• नारसिंहस्तुतिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारसिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नरसिंहस्य स्तुतिः)

• वक्ष्ये: I will speak
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदी

• शिवोक्तम्: spoken by Śiva
• शिवोक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of स्तुतिम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवेन उक्तम्)

• शौनक: O Śaunaka
• शौनक: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Kala-adhikarana (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), कालवाचक ‘now’

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kala-adhikarana (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘formerly/earlier’

• मातृगणाः: the groups of Mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातृगणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मातॄणां गणाः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier of मातृगणाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शङ्करम्: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अब्रुवन्: said/spoke
• अब्रुवन्: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदी

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Stotra as a means of protection and grace; sanctity of transmission through revered speakers (Śiva, Śaunaka, Sūta).

Vedantic Theme: Śabda-pramāṇa and guru-paramparā; the Lord approached through nāma-stuti; īśvara-anugraha mediated by devotion.

Application: Receive and recite protective hymns with faith; honor authentic lineages; begin spiritual practice with śravaṇa (hearing) and kīrtana (praise).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: forest-āśrama/sacrificial grove

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.231.2–4 (Mātṛgaṇas’ request and ensuing crisis leading to need for Narasiṃha protection)

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Narasiṃha
• Śiva (Śaṅkara)
• Śaunaka
• Mātṛgaṇas (Mātṛkās)

FAQs

What is the importance of the Nārasiṃha-stuti in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces a dedicated hymn to Lord Narasiṃha, presented as an authoritative transmission from Śiva, indicating its role as a protective and spiritually potent praise within Purāṇic practice.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it sets the narrative frame for a Narasiṃha hymn, which in Purāṇic context is often used for protection, fearlessness, and removal of obstacles—supportive themes for spiritual steadiness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use this as a cue to approach stotras through authentic lineage: recite or study the Narasiṃha-stuti with reverence, focusing on protection, courage, and dharmic resolve in daily life.