vishnunarasimhanrisimhaashtakam

𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌷𑍍𑌟𑌕𑌮𑍍

Kamasika Ashtakam in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 8× repetitions·🕐 Early morning after bath; especially on Narasimha Jayanti and Saturdays·📜 Composed by Sri Vedanta Desika (Stotra literature, Kanchipuram)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Composed by Sri Vedanta Desika (Stotra literature, Kanchipuram) · Sri Vedanta Desika (Venkatanatha) · c. 13th–14th century CE

At Kanchipuram, near the Ashtabhuja temple on the bank of the river Vegavati, Lord Narasimha is enshrined in the serene Yoga-Narasimha form known as Kamasika. Sri Vedanta Desika, who spent much of his life at Kanchi, composed this eight-verse hymn in praise of this very deity. Rather than dwelling only on the terrifying man-lion who tore apart Hiranyakashipu, Desika reveals the Lord's inner calm and boundless compassion — a yogi seated in meditation, fierce only as a 'disguise' for his grace toward devotees.

✦ As told in scripture

Devotees of Kamasika Narasimha hold that the Lord, though fierce enough to rend a demon with his bare claws, is in truth as tender as a mother nursing her child; it is said that sincere recitation of this hymn, especially its closing verse of surrender, draws the Lord's protective grace so completely that no fear or affliction can touch one who has taken refuge in him.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌤𑍀𑌨𑌾𑌮𑍁𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌰𑌂 𑌭𑌾𑌗𑌂 𑌵𑍇𑌗𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌚 𑌦𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌣𑌮𑍍 । 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌦𑌧𑌿𑌵𑌸𑌨𑍍 𑌜𑍀𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍𑌕𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌦𑌦𑍍𑌭𑍁𑌤𑌕𑍇𑌸𑌰𑍀 ॥ ௧ ॥

śrutīnāmuttaraṃ bhāgaṃ vegavatyāścha dakṣiṇam | kāmādadhivasan jīyātkaśchidadbhutakesarī || 1 ||

Meaning:May that wondrous Lion-Lord (Narasimha) be ever glorious, who out of loving desire dwells to the north of the Vedas' crown (the Upanishads) and to the south of the river Vegavati (at Kanchipuram).

Verse 2

𑌤𑌪𑌨𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌿𑌨𑌯𑌨𑌃 𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌾𑌨𑌪𑌚𑌿𑌨𑍋𑌤𑍁 𑌨𑌃 । 𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌨𑍀𑌯𑌰𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌸𑌾𑌰𑌃 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌕𑌾𑌹𑌰𑌿𑌃 ॥ ௨ ॥

tapanendvagninayanaḥ tāpānapachinotu naḥ | tāpanīyarahasyānāṃ sāraḥ kāmāsikāhariḥ || 2 ||

Meaning:May Kamasika Hari — whose three eyes are the sun, moon and fire, and who is the very essence of the secrets of the Nrisimha-tapaniya Upanishad — take away all our afflictions.

Verse 3

𑌆𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠𑌮𑌾𑌦𑌿𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌷𑌂 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠𑍀𑌰𑌵𑌮𑍁𑌪𑌰𑌿 𑌕𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌠𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌾𑌤𑌿𑌮𑍍 । 𑌵𑍇𑌗𑍋𑌪𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠𑌸𑌙𑍍𑌗𑌾𑌦𑍍𑌵𑌿𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤𑌵𑍈𑌕𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌠𑌬𑌹𑍁𑌮𑌤𑌿𑌮𑍁𑌪𑌾𑌸𑍇 ॥ ௩ ॥

ākaṇṭhamādipuruṣaṃ kaṇṭhīravamupari kuṇṭhitārātim | vegopakaṇṭhasaṅgādvimuktavaikuṇṭhabahumatimupāse || 3 ||

Meaning:I worship that Primal Person who is man up to the neck and a lion above, who blunts the power of his foes, and who, drawn to the bank of the Vegavati, has set aside even his fondness for Vaikuntha to abide here.

Verse 4

𑌬𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍁𑌮𑌖𑌿𑌲𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌰𑍍𑌬𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍁𑌰𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌬𑌨𑍍𑌧𑌰𑌮𑌣𑍀𑌯𑌮𑍍 । 𑌵𑌿𑌷𑌮𑌵𑌿𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌮𑍀𑌡𑍇 𑌵𑍇𑌗𑌵𑌤𑍀𑌪𑍁𑌲𑌿𑌨𑌕𑍇𑌲𑌿𑌨𑌰𑌸𑌿𑌂𑌹𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௪ ॥

bandhumakhilasya jantorbandhuraparyaṅkabandharamaṇīyam | viṣamavilochanamīḍe vegavatīpulinakelinarasiṃham || 4 ||

Meaning:I extol that fierce-eyed Narasimha who sports on the sandy shore of the Vegavati — the true kinsman of every creature, beautiful as he sits bound in the graceful yogic posture upon his couch.

Verse 5

𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌾𑌨𑍇𑌷𑍁 𑌮𑌰𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌗𑌣𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌨𑌿𑌯𑌮𑌯𑌨𑍍 𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌧𑍀𑌨𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌃 𑌪𑌰𑍍𑌯𑌙𑍍𑌕𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌰𑌧𑌾𑌰𑌣𑌾𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌟𑌿𑌤𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌙𑍍𑌮𑍁𑌖𑌾𑌵𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌿𑌤𑌿𑌃 । 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌾𑌯𑍇𑌣 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌣𑌿𑌪𑍇𑌦𑍁𑌷𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌭𑍁𑌰𑌸𑍗 𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌯𑌨𑍍 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌤𑌨𑍁𑌤𑌾𑌦𑌶𑍇𑌷 𑌜𑌗𑌤𑌾𑌂 𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌕𑌾 𑌕𑍇𑌸𑌰𑍀 ॥ ௫ ॥

svasthāneṣu marudgaṇān niyamayan svādhīnasarvendriyaḥ paryaṅkasthiradhāraṇāprakaṭitapratyaṅmukhāvasthitiḥ | prāyeṇa praṇipeduṣaḥ prabhurasau yogaṃ nijaṃ śikṣayan kāmānātanutādaśeṣa jagatāṃ kāmāsikā kesarī || 5 ||

Meaning:Controlling the vital airs in their seats, master of all his senses, fixed in steady meditation upon his couch and turned inward — this Lord, as though teaching his own yoga to those who bow before him, the Lion of Kamasika, fulfils the desires of all the worlds.

Verse 6

𑌵𑌿𑌕𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌰𑌨𑌖𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌰𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌤𑌹𑌿𑌰𑌣𑍍𑌯𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌃𑌸𑍍𑌥𑌲𑍀 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑌰𑍍𑌗𑌲𑌵𑌿𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌗𑌲𑌦𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌧𑌿𑌰𑌸𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍁𑌸𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌯𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌃 । 𑌅𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑌦𑌨𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌕𑌾 𑌮𑌨𑍁𑌜𑌪𑌞𑍍𑌚𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌮𑌾𑌂 𑌅𑌹𑌮𑍍𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌥𑌮𑌿𑌕𑌾 𑌮𑌿𑌥𑌃 𑌪𑍍𑌰𑌕𑌟𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌹𑌵𑌾 𑌬𑌾𑌹𑌵𑌃 ॥ ௬ ॥

vikasvaranakhasvarukṣatahiraṇyavakṣaḥsthalī nirargalavinirgaladrudhirasindhusandhyāyitāḥ | avantu madanāsikā manujapañchavaktrasya māṃ ahamprathamikā mithaḥ prakaṭitāhavā bāhavaḥ || 6 ||

Meaning:May the arms of the Man-Lion protect me — those arms that, rivalling one another as if each cried 'I first!', revealed open battle, while his blossoming claws tore open Hiranyakashipu's golden chest so that the unchecked torrent of gushing blood glowed red like the twilight sky.

Verse 7

𑌸𑌟𑌾𑌪𑌟𑌲𑌭𑍀𑌷𑌣𑍇 𑌸𑌰𑌭𑌸𑌾𑌟𑍍𑌟𑌹𑌾𑌸𑍋𑌦𑍍𑌭𑌟𑍇 𑌸𑍍𑌫𑍁𑌰𑌤𑍍𑌕𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌧𑌿𑌪𑌰𑌿𑌸𑍍𑌫𑍁𑌟𑌭𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌕𑍁𑌟𑌿𑌕𑍇𑌽𑌪𑌿 𑌵𑌕𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌰𑍇 𑌕𑍃𑌤𑍇 । 𑌕𑍃𑌪𑌾𑌕𑌪𑌟𑌕𑍇𑌸𑌰𑌿𑌨𑍍 𑌦𑌨𑍁𑌜𑌡𑌿𑌮𑍍𑌭𑌦𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌨𑌾 𑌸𑌰𑍋𑌜𑌸𑌦𑍃𑌶𑌾 𑌦𑍃𑌶𑌾 𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌤𑌿𑌵𑌿𑌷𑌜𑍍𑌯 𑌤𑍇 𑌵𑍍𑌯𑌜𑍍𑌯𑌤𑍇 ॥ ௭ ॥

saṭāpaṭalabhīṣaṇe sarabhasāṭṭahāsodbhaṭe sphuratkrudhiparisphuṭabhrukuṭike'pi vaktre kṛte | kṛpākapaṭakesarin danujaḍimbhadattastanā sarojasadṛśā dṛśā vyativiṣajya te vyajyate || 7 ||

Meaning:O Lion whose fierceness is but a mask of grace! Even when your face is made terrible with its mane-like bristling, your roaring laughter and the quivering knit of your wrathful brows, your love shines through — tender as a mother offering her breast to the demon's child, beheld in your lotus-soft eyes.

Verse 8

𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌤𑌿 𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌕𑍈𑌃 𑌕𑌿𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌯𑍈𑌸𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌚𑌾𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌤𑌿 𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌕𑍈𑌃 𑌕𑌿𑌮𑌨𑍍𑌯𑍈𑌃 । 𑌇𑌤𑌿 𑌨𑌿𑌶𑍍𑌚𑌿𑌤𑌧𑍀𑌃 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌨𑍃𑌹𑌰𑍇 𑌵𑍇𑌗𑌵𑌤𑍀𑌤𑌟𑌾𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌯𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌮𑍍 ॥ ௮ ॥

tvayi rakṣati rakṣakaiḥ kimanyaistvayi chārakṣati rakṣakaiḥ kimanyaiḥ | iti niśchitadhīḥ śrayāmi nityaṃ nṛhare vegavatītaṭāśrayaṃ tvām || 8 ||

Meaning:When you protect, what need of any other guardian? And when you do not protect, what use is any other guardian? Resolved in this conviction, O Narahari, I take eternal refuge in you who abide on the bank of the Vegavati.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌶𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌤𑍀𑌨𑌾𑌮𑍍 𑌉𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌰𑌂 𑌭𑌾𑌗𑌂🔊śrutīnām uttaraṃ bhāgaṃThe northern region / the latter (concluding) portion of the Vedas (the Upanishads)

𑌵𑍇𑌗𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌃 𑌦𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌿𑌣𑌮𑍍🔊vegavatyāḥ dakṣiṇamTo the south of the river Vegavati (at Kanchipuram)

𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌤𑍍 𑌅𑌧𑌿𑌵𑌸𑌨𑍍🔊kāmāt adhivasanDwelling there out of his own free will / loving desire

𑌜𑍀𑌯𑌾𑌤𑍍🔊jīyātMay he be ever victorious / glorious

𑌅𑌦𑍍𑌭𑍁𑌤𑌕𑍇𑌸𑌰𑍀🔊adbhuta-kesarīThe wondrous lion (Narasimha)

𑌤𑌪𑌨-𑌇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍁-𑌅𑌗𑍍𑌨𑌿-𑌨𑌯𑌨𑌃🔊tapana-indu-agni-nayanaḥWhose three eyes are the sun, the moon and fire

𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌅𑌪𑌚𑌿𑌨𑍋𑌤𑍁 𑌨𑌃🔊tāpān apachinotu naḥMay he remove / lessen our afflictions (the three tapas)

𑌤𑌾𑌪𑌨𑍀𑌯𑌰𑌹𑌸𑍍𑌯𑌾𑌨𑌾𑌂 𑌸𑌾𑌰𑌃🔊tāpanīya-rahasyānāṃ sāraḥThe very essence of the Nrisimha-tapaniya Upanishad's secrets

𑌕𑌾𑌮𑌾𑌸𑌿𑌕𑌾 𑌹𑌰𑌿𑌃🔊kāmāsikā hariḥLord Hari (Narasimha) of Kamasika (the shrine at Kanchi)

𑌆𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠𑌮𑍍 𑌆𑌦𑌿𑌪𑍁𑌰𑍁𑌷𑌂🔊ākaṇṭham ādipuruṣaṃThe Primal Person (Vishnu) up to the neck

𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌠𑍀𑌰𑌵𑌮𑍍 𑌉𑌪𑌰𑌿🔊kaṇṭhīravam upariAnd a lion (kaṇṭhīrava) above (the neck)

𑌕𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌠𑌿𑌤𑌾𑌰𑌾𑌤𑌿𑌮𑍍🔊kuṇṭhitārātimWho blunts / subdues his enemies

𑌵𑌿𑌮𑍁𑌕𑍍𑌤 𑌵𑍈𑌕𑍁𑌣𑍍𑌠 𑌬𑌹𑍁𑌮𑌤𑌿𑌮𑍍🔊vimukta vaikuṇṭha bahumatimWho has set aside his high regard even for Vaikuntha (to dwell at Vegavati's bank)

𑌬𑌨𑍍𑌧𑍁𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌖𑌿𑌲𑌸𑍍𑌯 𑌜𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍋𑌃🔊bandhum akhilasya jantoḥThe kinsman / true friend of every living being

𑌵𑌿𑌷𑌮 𑌵𑌿𑌲𑍋𑌚𑌨𑌮𑍍🔊viṣama vilochanamOf fierce / uneven (terrible) eyes

𑌵𑍇𑌗𑌵𑌤𑍀𑌪𑍁𑌲𑌿𑌨𑌕𑍇𑌲𑌿 𑌨𑌰𑌸𑌿𑌂𑌹𑌮𑍍🔊vegavatī-pulina-keli narasiṃhamNarasimha who sports on the sandy bank of the Vegavati

𑌮𑌰𑍁𑌦𑍍𑌗𑌣𑌾𑌨𑍍 𑌨𑌿𑌯𑌮𑌯𑌨𑍍🔊marudgaṇān niyamayanControlling the vital airs (pranas) in their proper places

𑌸𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌧𑍀𑌨 𑌸𑌰𑍍𑌵𑍇𑌨𑍍𑌦𑍍𑌰𑌿𑌯𑌃🔊svādhīna sarvendriyaḥHaving all his senses under his own mastery

𑌯𑍋𑌗𑌂 𑌨𑌿𑌜𑌂 𑌶𑌿𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌯𑌨𑍍🔊yogaṃ nijaṃ śikṣayanAs if teaching his own yoga (to devotees who bow before him)

𑌕𑍃𑌪𑌾𑌕𑌪𑌟𑌕𑍇𑌸𑌰𑌿𑌨𑍍🔊kṛpā-kapaṭa-kesarinO lion whose ferocity is but a disguise for compassion

𑌦𑌨𑍁𑌜𑌡𑌿𑌮𑍍𑌭𑌦𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌸𑍍𑌤𑌨𑌾🔊danuja-ḍimbha-datta-stanāTender as a mother giving her breast to the demon's child (Prahlada)

𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌯𑌿 𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑌿𑌮𑍍 𑌅𑌨𑍍𑌯𑍈𑌃 𑌰𑌕𑍍𑌷𑌕𑍈𑌃🔊tvayi rakṣati kim anyaiḥ rakṣakaiḥWhen you protect, what need is there of any other protector?

𑌨𑍃𑌹𑌰𑍇 𑌶𑍍𑌰𑌯𑌾𑌮𑌿 𑌨𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌯𑌂 𑌤𑍍𑌵𑌾𑌮𑍍🔊nṛhare śrayāmi nityaṃ tvāmO Man-Lion (Narahari), I take refuge in you forever

Benefits of Chanting Kamasika Ashtakam

✦

Invokes the protective grace of Yoga-Narasimha, who calms and shields his devotees

✦

A model hymn of prapatti (total surrender) — its final verse expresses complete refuge in the Lord

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Believed to remove the three afflictions (tapatraya) — bodily, mental and external sufferings

✦

Distils the secret teaching of the Nrisimha-tapaniya Upanishad into devotional verse

✦

Carries the blessing of Sri Vedanta Desika, the great Sri Vaishnava acharya-poet

✦

Balances the fierce and gracious aspects of Narasimha, inspiring both awe and love

✦

Traditionally recited for protection, fearlessness and steadiness of mind

How to Chant Kamasika Ashtakam

Repetitions8times

Best TimeEarly morning after bath; especially on Narasimha Jayanti and Saturdays

Sit calmly facing east before an image of Lord Narasimha, light a lamp and recite the eight verses slowly, picturing the serene Yoga-Narasimha of Kanchi seated in meditation on the bank of the Vegavati. Dwell on the final verse of surrender, offering yourself wholly to the Lord's protection. It is especially recited on Narasimha Jayanti and as a daily prayer for fearlessness.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Kamasika Ashtakam written in the Grantha script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It is an eight-verse Sanskrit hymn (ashtakam) by Sri Vedanta Desika in praise of Lord Narasimha worshipped as 'Kamasika' (Yoga-Narasimha) at the Vegavati shrine in Kanchipuram, where the Lord is seen in a calm, meditative yogic posture rather than his fierce battle form.

It was composed by Sri Vedanta Desika (Venkatanatha, 1268–1369 CE), the renowned Sri Vaishnava philosopher and poet, who lived at Kanchipuram near the Kamasika Narasimha shrine.

'Kamasika' refers to the Lord dwelling at this Kanchipuram shrine out of his own loving will ('kāmāt' — by desire). Here Narasimha is worshipped in the gentle Yoga-Narasimha form, seated in meditation, rather than in the ferocious moment of slaying Hiranyakashipu.

The eighth verse is a celebrated expression of prapatti (surrender): 'When you protect, what need of any other guardian? And when you do not, what use is any other?' — declaring that the Lord alone is the devotee's sole refuge.