Narasimha Bhagwan Aarti – Om Jai Narsingh Hare Lyrics and Significance
Narasimha Bhagwan Aarti Lyrics (हिंदी में)
ॐ जय नरसिंह हरे, प्रभु जय नरसिंह हरे ।
स्तंभ फाड़ प्रभु प्रकटे, स्तंभ फाड़ प्रभु प्रकटे, जनका ताप हरे ॥
ॐ जय नरसिंह हरे ॥
तुम हो दीन दयाला, भक्तन हितकारी, प्रभु भक्तन हितकारी ।
अद्भुत रूप बनाकर, अद्भुत रूप बनाकर, प्रकटे भय हारी ॥
ॐ जय नरसिंह हरे ॥
सबके हृदय विदारण, दुष्टों को मारी, प्रभु दुष्टों को मारी ।
दास जान अपनायो, दास जान अपनायो, जन पर कृपा करी ॥
ॐ जय नरसिंह हरे ॥
ब्रह्मा करत आरती, माला पहिनावे, प्रभु माला पहिनावे ।
शिवजी जय जय कहकर, शिवजी जय जय कहकर, पुष्पन बरसावे ॥
ॐ जय नरसिंह हरे ॥
Narasimha Bhagwan Aarti – Transliteration (English)
Om Jai Narsingh Hare, Prabhu Jai Narsingh Hare,
Stambh Phad Prabhu Prakte, Stambh Phad Prabhu Prakte, Janka Taap Hare ॥
Om Jai Narsingh Hare ॥
Tum Ho Deen Dayala, Bhaktan Hitkaari, Prabhu Bhaktan Hitkaari,
Adbhut Roop Banakar, Adbhut Roop Banakar, Prakte Bhay Haari ॥
Om Jai Narsingh Hare ॥
Sabke Hriday Vidaaran, Dushton Ko Maari, Prabhu Dushton Ko Maari,
Das Jaan Apnaayo, Das Jaan Apnaayo, Jan Par Kripa Kari ॥
Om Jai Narsingh Hare ॥
Brahma Karat Aarti, Maala Pahiwave, Prabhu Maala Pahiwave,
Shivji Jai Jai Kahkar, Shivji Jai Jai Kahkar, Pushpan Barsaave ॥
Om Jai Narsingh Hare ॥
Meaning & Significance
The Narasimha Bhagwan Aarti opens with a rousing invocation - 'Om Jai Narsingh Hare' - and immediately establishes the central miracle: the Lord Who split the pillar (stambha) to manifest and relieve the suffering of His devotee Prahlada. Each verse layers another dimension of His divine nature: He is the compassionate protector of the helpless (Deen Dayala), the destroyer of evil and wickedness (Dushtan Ka Mari), the One who recognises His own devotees and claims them as His own (Das Jaan Apnaayo), and the Almighty before whom even Brahma the Creator and Shiva the Destroyer bow in adoration and shower flowers. This aarti encapsulates the complete theology of Narasimha in four compact verses - fierce power in service of pure devotion.
Recited with deep fervour, this aarti is a prayer for protection and an act of remembrance of the Lord's extraordinary appearance in the half-lion, half-man form - one of the most theologically rich of Vishnu's ten principal avatars.
About Narasimha Bhagwan
Narasimha (also Nrisimha or Narsingh) is the fourth avatar of Lord Vishnu, appearing in a form that is half-human and half-lion to protect the child-devotee Prahlada from his demoniac father Hiranyakashipu. The asura king had obtained a boon that he could not be killed by man or animal, inside or outside, day or night, on earth or in the sky, by weapon or by hand. The Lord manifested as Narasimha - neither fully man nor fully lion - and dispatched Hiranyakashipu at the threshold of his palace, at twilight, placing him on His thighs and using His claws, thereby honouring every clause of the boon while fulfilling justice. Major Narasimha temples include those at Ahobilam in Andhra Pradesh, Simhachalam, and the Ugra Narasimha shrine at Hampi in Karnataka.
Benefits of Reciting the Narasimha Bhagwan Aarti
- Invokes the Lord's fierce protective energy, traditionally believed to shield devotees from malevolent forces and dangers.
- Strengthens inner courage and resolve, drawing inspiration from Prahlada's unwavering devotion under extreme adversity.
- Reciting this aarti on Narasimha Jayanti is considered especially powerful for seeking protection and divine grace.
- Helps dissolve deeply rooted fears, as Narasimha embodies the principle that divine love overcomes all obstacles.
- Believed in the tradition to neutralise negative planetary influences when recited regularly.
- Deepens understanding of the Bhagavata Purana's teaching on surrender and the Lord's unfailing protection of sincere devotees.
How to Perform the Aarti (Pooja Vidhi)
- Place an image or murti of Shri Narasimha Bhagwan on the altar; if available, a combined image showing Him protecting Prahlada is especially evocative.
- Offer red flowers, sandalwood paste, and fresh fruits; light a ghee diya and incense.
- Begin by chanting the Narasimha mool mantra - 'Om Ugram Viram Mahavishnum Jvalantam Sarvato Mukham' - or the Narasimha ashtakam before the aarti.
- Hold the aarti thali with the lit diya and move it in a clockwise arc before the deity, increasing the pace of chanting to match the energetic character of this aarti.
- Ring the bell vigorously during the refrain 'Om Jai Narsingh Hare' to amplify the devotional atmosphere.
- Conclude with a heartfelt prayer for protection, bow in full pranam, and distribute prasad to all present.
Best Day & Time to Recite
Narasimha Jayanti - observed on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi (the fourteenth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Vaishakha) - is the most auspicious occasion for chanting this aarti, ideally at twilight (Pradosh Kala), the time of the Lord's historic manifestation. Saturdays are also considered favourable for Narasimha worship. Regular recitation every evening strengthens the home's protective spiritual environment. Devotees in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka traditionally maintain Narasimha puja as part of their daily household worship throughout the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Prahlada and why is he central to Narasimha's story?
Prahlada was the young son of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, born as a great devotee of Lord Vishnu despite his father's fierce opposition. No amount of torture, poison, fire, or assault could shake Prahlada's devotion, and every attempt by his father to destroy him was thwarted by the Lord's invisible protection. Prahlada's story, narrated in detail in the Bhagavata Purana, is the foundational teaching of surrender (sharanagati) - that genuine devotion to the Lord renders the devotee absolutely invincible against all external harm.
What does the 'splitting of the pillar' symbolise?
When Hiranyakashipu mockingly asked Prahlada whether his God was present even in a pillar of the palace, and then struck it, Narasimha burst forth from within. This act symbolises that the Divine is omnipresent - not confined to temples, idols, or sacred sites - and that He responds immediately and directly to the sincere cry of a devotee in danger. The pillar episode is one of the most profound philosophical moments in all of Puranic literature.
Can the Narasimha Aarti be recited for personal protection during difficult times?
Yes. The Narasimha tradition especially emphasises the Lord's role as a refuge in times of crisis, danger, or fear. Devotional texts describe Him as 'Bhakta Vatsala' - deeply loving toward His devotees - and His swift, unconditional response to Prahlada's helplessness is the paradigm that inspires devotees to call upon Narasimha in their own moments of distress, trusting in His immediate, compassionate protection.
Narasimha's fierce compassion: the aarti of the Lord who protects his devotees
Lord Narasimha - the man-lion avatar of Vishnu - represents one of the most theologically rich and emotionally intense forms in the Vaishnava tradition. He is simultaneously the fiercest and the most compassionately devoted of the dashavatara, having descended in that terrible form for no reason other than to protect the child-devotee Prahlad who called out to him in complete surrender. The aarti Om Jai Narsingh Hare invokes that same fierce protective energy, and devotees approach it not in fear of the Lord's power but in the confidence that this power is wholly devoted to the protection of sincere bhaktas. The primary rasa here is vira mixed with bhakti - heroic protection inseparable from love.
This aarti is especially recited on Narasimha Jayanti, which falls on Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi, and is observed with fasting and evening puja as devotees celebrate the moment of the Lord's emergence from the pillar. Beyond the annual observance, many devotees recite this aarti daily as a prayer for protection against danger, fear, and the forces of adharma. In the Jyotish tradition, Narasimha is sometimes propitiated when Mars (Mangal) is severely afflicted or when a horoscope indicates periods of acute threat, as his form embodies the righteous, unconquerable quality of divine strength. The devotional tradition holds that a heart filled with Narasimha's name becomes fearless - and that fearlessness itself is the greatest gift the Lord bestows on those who call upon him.