narasimhanrisimhavishnumadhvacharya

Narasimha Nakha Stuti

नृसिंह नख स्तुतिः

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 Early morning and at dusk; especially on Narasimha Jayanti and Saturdays·📜 Invocation to the Vayu Stuti (Madhva / Dvaita tradition)

Also known as: narasimha nakha stuti · nrisimha nakha stuti · nakha stuti · pantvasman puruhuta vairi · narasimha nakhastuti

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant ⬇️ PDF Download

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हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Narasimha Nakha Stuti is a short, powerful two-verse hymn by Sri Madhvacharya (Anandatirtha) in praise of the nails (nakha) of Lord Narasimha — the very claws that tore apart the demon Hiranyakashipu. Composed in the majestic Sragdhara metre, it serves as the invocation to the famous Vayu Stuti. The first verse prays for the protection of those thunderbolt-like claws; the second declares that nothing in all creation equals the Lord, whose mere glance of wrath reduced even the gods to sparks.

Origin & Story

Invocation to the Vayu Stuti (Madhva / Dvaita tradition) · Sri Madhvacharya (Anandatirtha) · 13th century CE

When Sri Trivikrama Panditacharya, a disciple of Sri Madhvacharya, composed the celebrated Vayu Stuti in praise of his guru as an incarnation of Vayu, Madhvacharya himself is said to have added two verses in the Sragdhara metre — one at the beginning and one at the end — in praise of Lord Narasimha. The opening verse, the Narasimha Nakha Stuti, glorifies the claws of the Man-Lion that destroyed Hiranyakashipu, and is chanted first as a shield of protection before the Vayu Stuti.

✦ As told in scripture

It is traditionally believed that Lord Narasimha manifested before Sri Madhvacharya, and that reciting these two verses invokes the Lord's claws as a living shield; devotees in the Madhva tradition chant the Nakha Stuti to ward off fear, illness and unseen dangers, holding that no darkness can stand before the radiance of those nails.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

पान्त्वस्मान् पुरुहूतवैरिबलवन्मातङ्गमाद्यद्घटा- कुम्भोच्चाद्रिविपाटनाधिकपटुप्रत्येकवज्रायिताः । श्रीमत्कण्ठीरवास्यप्रततसुनखरा दारितारातिदूर- प्रध्वस्तध्वान्तशान्तप्रविततमनसा भाविता भूरिभागैः ॥ १ ॥

Pantvasman puruhutavairibalavanmatangamadyadghata- kumbhoccadrivipatanadhikapatupratyekavajrayitah | Shrimatkanthiravasyapratatasunakhara daritaratidura- pradhvastadhvantashantapravitatamanasa bhavita bhuribhagaih || 1 ||

Meaning:May the long, beautiful claws of the glorious lion-faced Lord protect us — each one of them sharper and more capable than a thunderbolt at ripping open the lofty, mountain-like temple-bones on the heads of the rutting elephant-herd that was the mighty enemy of Indra (Hiranyakashipu). Those claws, which tore the foe asunder and drove away all darkness, are meditated upon with serene and expansive minds by the most fortunate of souls.

Verse 2

लक्ष्मीकान्त समन्ततोऽपि कलयन्नैवेशितुस्ते समं पश्याम्युत्तमवस्तु दूरतरतोऽपास्तं रसो योऽष्टमः । यद्रोषोत्करदक्षनेत्रकुटिलप्रान्तोत्थिताग्निस्फुरत्- खद्योतोपमविस्फुलिङ्गभसिता ब्रह्मेशशक्रोत्कराः ॥ २ ॥

Lakshmikanta samantato'pi kalayannaiveshituste samam Pashyamyuttamavastu duratarato'pastam raso yo'shtamah | Yadroshotkaradakshanetrakutilaprantotthitagnisphurat- khadyotopamavisphulingabhasita brahmeshashakrotkarah || 2 ||

Meaning:O beloved of Lakshmi! Though I search in every direction, I behold no excellent thing anywhere equal to you, the Lord — you who are the supreme 'eighth flavour', set far beyond all the rest. By the fire that blazed and leapt from the corner of your wrath-filled eye, the very hosts of Brahma, Shiva and Indra were reduced to mere ashes, like sparks no brighter than fireflies.

Word-by-Word Meaning

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पान्तु अस्मान्🔊Pantu asmanMay they (the nails) protect us

पुरुहूतवैरि🔊Puruhuta-vairiThe enemy of Indra (Puruhuta) — i.e. the demon Hiranyakashipu

बलवत्🔊BalavatPowerful, mighty

मातङ्ग🔊MatangaElephant

माद्यद्घटा🔊Madyad-ghataAn intoxicated (rutting) herd

कुम्भोच्चाद्रि🔊Kumbhocca-adriThe mountain-like high temples (kumbha) of the elephant's head

विपाटन🔊VipatanaTearing apart / ripping open

अधिकपटु🔊Adhika-patuExceedingly sharp and capable

प्रत्येकवज्रायिताः🔊Pratyeka-vajrayitahEach one acting like a thunderbolt (vajra)

श्रीमत्कण्ठीरवास्य🔊Shrimat-kanthirava-asyaOf the glorious lion-faced one (Narasimha)

प्रततसुनखराः🔊Pratata-sunakharahThe long, beautiful, outstretched nails (claws)

दारिताराति🔊Darita-aratiWhich tore apart the enemy (Hiranyakashipu)

ध्वस्तध्वान्त🔊Dhvasta-dhvantaDispelling the darkness (of ignorance and danger)

भाविताः भूरिभागैः🔊Bhavitah bhuri-bhagaihMeditated upon by the most fortunate ones (with peaceful minds)

लक्ष्मीकान्त🔊Lakshmi-kantaO beloved of Lakshmi (Narasimha / Vishnu)

समन्ततः अपि🔊Samantatah apiEven searching everywhere / in every direction

न एव समं पश्यामि🔊Na eva samam pashyamiI do not see anything equal (to you, the Lord)

रसः यः अष्टमः🔊Rasah yah ashtamahThat which is the eighth rasa (the supreme flavour, set far beyond the seven)

यद्रोष🔊Yad-roshaBy whose wrath / anger

दक्षनेत्र🔊Daksha-netraFrom the corner of the (right/keen) eye

अग्निस्फुरत्🔊Agni-sphuratThe blazing, leaping fire

ब्रह्मेशशक्रोत्कराः🔊Brahmesha-shakra-utkarahThe hosts of Brahma, Shiva and Indra (reduced to sparks like fireflies)

Benefits of Chanting Narasimha Nakha Stuti

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A potent prayer for protection (raksha) invoking the thunderbolt-like claws of Lord Narasimha

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Recited as the auspicious invocation before the Vayu Stuti and other Madhva recitations

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Believed to remove fear, obstacles and the influence of evil forces

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Short enough to memorise yet majestic in its Sragdhara metre, ideal for daily chanting

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Strengthens courage and faith by recalling the Lord's destruction of the demon Hiranyakashipu

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Carries the special grace of Sri Madhvacharya, the great Dvaita acharya

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Traditionally chanted for warding off dangers, disease and negativity

How to Chant Narasimha Nakha Stuti

Repetitions3times

Best TimeEarly morning and at dusk; especially on Narasimha Jayanti and Saturdays

Sit facing east before an image of Lord Narasimha, recite the two verses clearly in the Sragdhara metre, visualising the radiant claws of the Lord dispelling all darkness. It is traditionally chanted first, as the invocation, before reciting the Vayu Stuti. Recite three or more times for protection, especially when beginning a journey or any important undertaking.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a famous two-verse Sanskrit hymn composed by Sri Madhvacharya in praise of the nails (nakha) of Lord Narasimha, the claws with which he slew the demon Hiranyakashipu. It is renowned as a powerful prayer for protection and as the invocation to the Vayu Stuti.

It was composed by Sri Madhvacharya (also called Anandatirtha or Purnaprajna, 13th century CE), the founder of the Dvaita (Tattvavada) school of Vedanta. He wrote it as the auspicious opening of the Vayu Stuti by his disciple Trivikrama Panditacharya.

In the Narasimha avatara, Vishnu used his bare claws to tear apart the demon Hiranyakashipu — who could not be killed by any weapon. The hymn therefore extols those very nails as sharper than thunderbolts and prays for their protective power.

It is recited daily for protection, especially in the morning and at dusk, on Narasimha Jayanti, and as the customary invocation before the Vayu Stuti and other recitations in the Madhva tradition.