Narasimha Nakha Sthuthi

Narasimha Nakha Sthuthi
(Prayer of the nails of Narasimha)

By
Madhvacharya

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(Among the many great works of saint Madhvacharya , the proponent of the Dwaitha system of philosophy, this very small prayer extolling the nails of the man lion form of Lord Vishnu stands out. It was written as an introduction for the Hari Vayu Sthuthi which was written by his disciple SriTrivikramacharya.)


Om panthwasman puru hootha vairi bhalavan mathanga madyath ghata,
Kumbochadri vipata nadhikpatu prathyeka vajrayutha,
Srimath kanteera vasya prathatha sunakharaa dharitha arathi dhoora,
Pradhwastha dhwantha santhi pravathitha manasa bhavitha bhoori bhagai. 1

Oh Lord Narasimha who is with Goddess Lakshmi,
Please protect all of us with your omnipotent nails,
For Just like a ferocious lion attacks herd of elephants,
And splits apart their heads with its nails,
And the Vajrayudha of Indra splits highest mountains
Your nails kill the asuras who are like exhilarated elephants,
And the same precious nails of Sri Narasimha with Lakshmi,
Destroyed and removed the duties of a Brahmana,
And solved the darkness of poor knowledge,
So that the devas became with a calm mind,
Along with Brahma and all the other Gods.

Lakshmi kanta samantatopi kalyanai veshithesthusamam,
Pashyamittamavasthu duritharathopasthamv rasayosthama,
Yadroshakkara daksha nethra kutila pranthopi agni sphurat,
Kandhyothopama vishpulinga basitha brahmesa shakrothkara. 2

Hey consort of Lakshmi, I do not find any one equal to you in showering graces,
And see you as something even at a distance, as the king of all mixtures- ashtama rasa.
And if those eyes of yours which are angry and burning, opens slightly in a curve,
It sends sparks that look tiny like a glow worm but is more like the glowing Sun God,
An these are capable of burning several ions of Brahma, Shiva and Indra.


Ithi Srimad Ananda Theertha bhagwat padacharya virachitham,
Sri Nrusimha nakah Sthuthi sampoornam

Thus ends the prayer to Nails of Lord Narasimha
Composed by Srimad Ananda theertha (Madhvacharya)