Bhagwan Narasimha Mantra: Mool, Gayatri, Dhyana & Pranam - Text & Meaning
Bhagwan Narasimha Mantra - Sanskrit Text
Narasimha Mool Mantra (Root)
ॐ नृं नृं नृं नरसिंहाय नमः ॥
Ugra Narasimha Mantra
ॐ उग्रं वीरं महाविष्णुं ज्वलन्तं सर्वतोमुखम् ।
नृसिंहं भीषणं भद्रं मृत्युमृत्युं नमाम्यहम् ॥
Narasimha Gayatri Mantra
ॐ वज्रनखाय विद्महे तीक्ष्णदंष्ट्राय धीमहि ।
तन्नो नृसिंहः प्रचोदयात् ॥
Lakshmi-Narasimha Dhyana Mantra
सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म पुरुषं श्रीनृसिंहं भजे ।
ॐ ध्यायेन्नृसिंहं तरुणार्कनेत्रं
सिंहासनस्थं स्थिरयोगयुक्तम् ॥
Narasimha Pranam Mantra
नमस्ते नरसिंहाय प्रह्लादाह्लाददायिने ।
हिरण्यकशिपोर्वक्षःशिलाटङ्कनखालये ॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
oṃ nṛṃ nṛṃ nṛṃ narasiṃhāya namaḥ.
oṃ ugraṃ vīraṃ mahā-viṣṇuṃ jvalantaṃ sarvato-mukham, nṛsiṃhaṃ bhīṣaṇaṃ bhadraṃ mṛtyu-mṛtyuṃ namāmyaham.
oṃ vajra-nakhāya vidmahe tīkṣṇa-daṃṣṭrāya dhīmahi, tanno nṛsiṃhaḥ pracodayāt.
namaste narasiṃhāya prahlādāhlāda-dāyine, hiraṇyakaśipor-vakṣaḥ-śilā-ṭaṅka-nakhālaye.
Meaning
The Mool mantra is a bija-charged salutation to Narasimha (nṛṃ being his seed-syllable). The Ugra mantra bows to the fierce-yet-auspicious man-lion, the Death of Death. The Gayatri contemplates him of diamond claws and sharp fangs, praying he illumine the intellect. The Pranam verse offers salutation to Narasimha, “giver of joy to Prahlada, whose nails were the chisel that split the rock of Hiranyakashipu’s chest.”
About these Mantras
This is the essential collection of mantras used in the worship of Lord Narasimha, the fourth avatara of Vishnu. Together they cover every mode of practice: the Mool (root) mantra for japa, the Ugra shloka for protection, the Gayatri for meditation and illumination, the Dhyana verse for visualization, and the Pranam verse for offering obeisance. A devotee typically meditates with the Dhyana, offers the Pranam, and then repeats the Mool or Gayatri on a mala. All of them centre on the supreme protective grace of the man-lion who appeared to defend his devotee Prahlada.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
Narasimha mantras are chanted above all for fearlessness, protection, and the destruction of obstacles. They are believed to dispel enemies, black magic, evil spirits, fear, and disease, and to grant courage and victory. The Gayatri form sharpens the intellect and steadies the mind; the Mool mantra builds a protective shield around the practitioner; the Pranam mantra cultivates the loving surrender that won Prahlada’s deliverance. Regular practice is said to surround the devotee and their home with a fierce guardian presence.
Astrological Relevance
Narasimha is the great pacifier of cruel grahas - Rahu (hidden enemies, black magic, sudden upheaval), Ketu (mysterious troubles, spiritual crisis), Mangal/Mars (conflict, accidents, surgery), and a harsh Saturn (chronic adversity, sade-sati). His Mool and Ugra mantras are prescribed during malefic dashas and antardashas, for protection against abhichara (sorcery) and drishti-dosha (evil eye), and to strengthen a weak ascendant. As the “Death of Death,” he is invoked against eighth-house and Maraka afflictions threatening longevity. The Narasimha Gayatri specifically benefits a weak Mercury or afflicted Moon by sharpening and steadying the mind.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
Bathe and sit before an image of Lord Narasimha (or Lakshmi-Narasimha) facing east, with a ghee lamp. Begin with the Dhyana to fix the form in mind, offer the Pranam, then repeat the Mool mantra or the Gayatri 108 times on a tulsi or rudraksha mala. The Ugra shloka may be chanted at night for protection. Firm faith and a fearless, surrendered heart unlock the mantras’ power.
Best Day & Time
Saturday and the Swati nakshatra are linked to Narasimha, and the pradosha twilight hour recalls the dusk of his appearance. Narasimha Jayanti (Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi) is the most auspicious day for beginning or intensifying the practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Narasimha mantra should a beginner chant?
The Mool mantra “Om Nrim Narasimhaya Namah” or the Narasimha Gayatri are ideal for daily japa; the Ugra shloka is added for protection.
What is the seed (bija) of Narasimha?
The bija “nṛṃ” (नृं) is the seed-syllable of Narasimha, repeated in the Mool mantra to invoke his energy.
What are these mantras chanted for?
Chiefly for protection and fearlessness - against enemies, black magic, evil spirits, accidents, disease, and the fear of death - and for courage, victory, and spiritual surrender.
Narasimha's fierce grace: the protective fire within every mantra
Lord Narasimha - the Man-Lion avatara who emerged from a pillar to protect Prahlada - represents in the devotional imagination the idea that divine grace is not passive but fiercely present wherever a sincere devotee calls upon it. The mantras collected in this post span several registers of approach: the Mool mantra invokes him directly with his seed syllables; the Gayatri meditates on his solar brilliance; the Dhyana verse builds an inner image of his form for visualisation; and the Pranam mantra bows to his all-pervading protection. Together they offer a complete sadhana framework for a devotee wishing to cultivate a relationship with this most intense and loving expression of Vishnu.
In the Jyotish tradition, Lord Narasimha is particularly associated with remedy for malefic planetary influences, especially those of Rahu and Ketu, which are said to create fear, confusion, and sudden upheaval. Devotees facing such afflictions traditionally recite the Narasimha mantras on Fridays, at twilight - the liminal hour that corresponds to Narasimha's own appearance, which was neither day nor night. The Ugra shloka in particular is recited for protection against unseen obstacles and negative energies, with the faith that the same roar that silenced the demon Hiranyakashipu continues to resonate as a shield around every sincere devotee.