Sri Nrisimha Kavacha of Prahlad
From the Brahmanda Purana
Shri Nrisimha kavacha-stotram
nrisimha-kavacham vakshye
prahladenoditam puraa
sarva-raksha-karam punyam
sarvopadrava-naashanam
I shall now recite the Narasimha-kavacha, formerly spoken by Prahlada Maharaja. It is most pious, vanquishes all kinds of impediments, and provides one all protection.
sarva-sampat-karam chaiva
svarga-moksha-pradaayakam
dhyaatva nrisimham devesham
hema-sinhaasana sthitamah
It bestows upon one all opulences and can give one elevation to the heavenly planets or liberation. One should meditate on Lord Narasimha, Lord of the universe, seated upon a golden throne.
vivritasyam tri-nayanam
sharad-indu-sama-prabham
lakshmyaalingita-vaamaangam
vibhuutibhi rupaashritam
His mouth is wide open, He has three eyes, and He is as radiant as the autumn moon. He is embraced by Lakshmi devi on his left side, and His form is the shelter of all opulences, both material and spiritual.
chatur-bhujam komalaangam
svarna-kundala-shobhitam
saroja-shobitoraskam
ratna-keyuura-mudritam
The Lord has four arms, and His limbs are very soft. He is decorated with golden earrings. His chest is resplendent like the lotus flower, and His arms are decorated with jewel-studded ornaments.
tapta-kaanchana-sankasham
pita-nirmala-vasasam
indradi-sura-maulishthaha
sphuran manikya-diptibhih
He is dressed in a spotless yellow garment, which exactly resembles molten gold. He is the original cause of existence, beyond the mundane sphere, for the great demigods headed by Indra. He appears bedecked with rubies which are blazingly effulgent.
virajita-pada-dvandvam
shankha-chakradi-hetibhihi
garutmata cha vinayat
stuyamanam mudanvitam
His two feet are very attractive, and He is armed with various weapons such as the conch, disc, etc. Garuda joyfully offers prayers with great reverence.
sva-hrit-kamalasamvaasam
kritvaa tu kavacham pathet
nrisimho me shirah patu
loka-rakshartha-sambhavaha
Having seated Lord Narasimhadeva upon the lotus of one’s heart, one should recite the following mantra: “May Lord Nrisimha, who protects all the planetary systems, protect my head.”
sarvago ‘pi stambha vasaha
phalam me rakshatu dhvanim
nrisimho me drishau paatu
soma-suryagni-lochanaha
Although the Lord is all-pervading, He hid Himself within a pillar. May He protect my speech and the results of my activities. May Lord Narasimha, whose eyes are the sun, and fire, protect my eyes.
smritam me patu nriharih
muni-vaarya-stuti-priyaha
nasam me simha-nasas tu
mukham lakshmi-mukha-priyaha
May Lord Nrihari, who is pleased by the prayers offered by the best of sages, protect my memory. May He who has the nose of a lion protect my nose, and may He whose face is very dear to the goddess of fortune protect my mouth.
sarva-vidyadhipaha patu
nrisimho rasanam mama
vaktram patv indu-vadanam
sada prahlaada-vanditaha
May Lord Narasimha, who is the knower of all sciences, protect my sense of taste. May He whose face is beautiful as the full moon and who is offered prayers by Prahlada Maharaja protect my face.
Nrisimha patu me kantham
skandhau bhu-bhrid ananta krit
divyastra-shobhita-bhujaha
nrisimhah patu me bhujaha
May Lord Narasimha protect my throat. He is the sustainer of the earth and the performer of unlimitedly wonderful activities. May He protect my shoulders. His arms are resplendent with transcendental weapons. May He protect my shoulders.
karau me deva-varado
nrisimhah patu sarvataha
hridayam yogi-sadhyash cha
nivasam patu me harih
May the Lord, who bestows benedictions upon the demigods, protect my hands, and may He protect me from all sides. May He who is achieved by the perfect yogis protect my heart, and may Lord Hari protect my dwelling place.
madhyam patu hiranyaksha
vaksha-kukshi-vidaranaha
nabhim me patu nriharihi
sva-nabhi-brahma-samstutaha
May He who ripped apart the chest and abdomen of the great demon HiraNyaaksha protect my waist, and may Lord Nrihari protect my navel. He is offered prayers by Lord Brahmaa, who has sprung from his own navel.
brahmanda-kotayah katyam
yasyasau patu me katim
guhyam me patu guhyanam
mantranam guhya-rupa-drik
May He on whose hips rest all the universes protect my hips. May the Lord protect my private parts. He is the knower of all mantras and all mysteries, but He Himself is not visible.
uru manobhavah patu
januni nara-ruupa-drik
janghe patu dhara-dhara
harta yo ‘sau nri-keshari
May He who is the original Cupid protect my thighs. May He who exhibits a human-like form protect my knees. May the remover of the burden of the earth, who appears in a form which is half-man and half-lion, protect my calves.
sura-rajya-pradah patu
padau me nriharishvarah
sahasra-shirsha-purushaha
patu me sarvashas tanum
May the bestower of heavenly opulence protect my feet. He is the Supreme Controller in the form of a man and lion combined. May the thousand-headed Supreme enjoyer protect my body from all sides and in all respects.
mahograh purvatah patu
maha-viragrajo ‘ghnitaha
maha-vishnur dakshine tu
maha-jvalas tu nairritaha
May that most ferocious personality protect me from the east. May He who is superior to the greatest heroes protect me from the southeast, which is presided over by Agni. May the Supreme Vishnu protect me from the south, and may that person of blazing luster protect me from the southwest.
pashchime patu sarvesho
dishi me sarvatomukhaha
nrisimhah patu vayavyam
saumyam bhushana-vigrahaha
May the Lord of everything protect me from the west. His faces are everywhere, so please may He protect me from this direction. May Lord Narasimha protect me from the northwest, which is predominated by Vaayu, and may He whose form is in itself the supreme ornament protect me from the north, where Soma resides.
ishanyam patu bhadro me
sarva-mangala-dayakaha
samsara-bhayatah patu
mrityor mrityur nrikeshari
May the all-auspicious Lord, who Himself bestows all-auspiciousness, protect from the northeast, the direction of the sun-god, and may He who is death personified protect me from fear of the rotation of birth and death in this material world.
idam nrisimha-kavacham
prahlada-mukha-manditam
bhaktiman yah pathenaityam
sarva-papaih pramuchyate
This Narasimha-kavacha has been ornamented by issuing from the mouth of Prahlada Maharaja. A devotee who reads this becomes freed from all sins.
putravan dhanavan loke
dirghayur upajayate
kamayate yam yam kamam
tam tam prapnoty asamshayam
Whatever one desires in this world he can attain without doubt. One can have wealth, many sons, and a long life.
sarvatra jayam apnoti
sarvatra vijayii bhavet
bhumyantariksha-divyanam
grahanam vini varanam
He becomes victorious who desires victory, and indeed becomes a conqueror. He wards off the influence of all planets, earthly, heavenly, and everything in between.
vrishchikoraga-sambhuta
vishhapaharanam param
brahma-rakshasa-yakshanam
durotsarana-karanam
This is the supreme remedy for the poisonous effects of serpents and scorpions, and Brahma-raakshasa ghosts and Yakshas are driven far away.
bhuje va tala-patre va
kavacham likhitam shubham
kara-mule dhritam yena
sidhyeyuh karma-siddhayaha
One may write this most auspicious prayer on his arm, or inscribe it on a palm-leaf and attach it to his wrist, and all his activities will become perfect.
devasura-manushyeshhu
svam svam eva jayam labhet
eka-sandhyam tri-sandhyam va
yah pathen niyato naraha
One who regularly chants this prayer, whether once or thrice (daily), he becomes victorious whether among demigods, demons, or human beings.
sarva-mangala-mangalyam
bhuktim muktim cha vindati
dva-trimshati-sahasrani
pathet shuddhatmanam nrinam
One who with purified heart recites this prayer 32,000 times attains the most auspicious of all auspicious things, and material enjoyment and liberation are already understood to be available to such a person.
kavachasyasya mantrasya
mantra-siddhih-prajayate
anena mantra-rajena
kritva bhasmabhir mantranam
This Kavacha-mantra is the king of all mantras. One attains by it what would be attained by anointing oneself with ashes and chanting all other mantras.
tilakam vinyased yas tu
tasya graha-bhayam haret
tri-varam japamanas tu
dattam varyabhimantrya cha
Having marked ones body with tilaka, taking achamana with water, and reciting this mantra three times, one will find that the fear of all inauspicious planets is removed.
prasayed yo naro mantram
nrisimha-dhyanam acharet
tasya rogah pranashyanti
ye cha syuh kukshi-sambhavaha
That person who recites this mantra, meditating upon Lord Narasimhadeva, has all of his diseases vanquished, including those of the abdomen.
garjantam garjayantam nija-bhuja-patalam sphotayantam hatantam
rupyantam tapayantam divi bhuvi ditiyam kshepayantam kshipantam
krandantam roshayantam dishi dishi satantam samharantam bharantam
vikshantam purnayantam kara-nikara-shatair divya-simham namami
Lord Narasimha roars loudly and causes others to roar. With His multitudes of arms He tears the demons asunder and kills them in this way. He is always seeking out and tormenting the demonic descendants of Diti, both on this earth planet and in the higher planets, and He throws them down and scatters them. He cries with great anger as He destroys the demons in all directions, yet with His unlimited hands He sustains, protects, and nourishes the cosmic manifestation. I offer my respectful obeisances to the Lord, who has assumed the form of a transcendental lion.
iti shri brahmanda-purane prahladoktam
shri nrisimha-kavacham sampurnam
Thus ends the Narasimha-kavacha as it is described by Prahlada Maharaja in the Brahmanda Purana.
