Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotram is the Sloka in praise of and as prayer to Sri Narasimha Swamy, the fourth Avatar (incarnation) of Sri Maha Vishnu.
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotram was composed by Sri Adi Sankaracharya. The word “Karavalambam” means asking the God for His protecting / aiding hand. This prayer seeks the helping hand of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha for the troubles faced in life.
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha is the manifestation of Sri Narasimha with His consort Sri Maha Lakshmi (Sri Chenchu Lakshmi) on His lap.
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotram, if chanted daily as part of the daily prayer is believed to bring peace and harmony at home. Variant versions are available for this Stotram. The versions are compiled here to the extent of their availability. The benefits of reciting the Stotram is given at the end.
The Devanagari & English scripts and a simple English translation are provided in this narrative.
श्रीमत्पयोनिधि निकेतन चक्र पाणे
भोगीन्द्र भोग मणि राजित पुण्य मूर्ते
योगीश शाश्वत शरण्य भवाब्धिपोत
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (1)
srimath-payoaniDhi nikaethana chakra paaNe
Bhoageendhra Bhoaga maNi raajitha puNya moorthae
yoageesha shaaswatha sharaNya Bhabdhi-poatha
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karaavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-You reside in the splendorous cosmic ocean which is the treasure;
-You have Sri Chakra, the holy wheel in Your hand;
-You have the auspicious form of adorning the heads of the Snake King (Adi Sesha) as precious gems;
-You are always surrendered to by the Sages with devotion;
-You are eternal; and
-You help like a ship to cross the ocean of worldly existence.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
ब्रह्मेन्द्र रुद्र मरुदर्क किरीट कोटि
सङ्घट्टि ताङ्घ्रि कमलामल कान्ति कान्त
लक्ष्मी लसत्कुच सरोरुह राजहंस
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (2)
brahmaendhra rudhra marudharka kireeTa koaTi
sangatti thaangri kamalaamala kaanthi kaantha
lakshmee lasath-kucha saroaruha raajahamsa
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karaavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-You have the holy pair of lotus feet revered and touched by the headgears of Sri Brahma, Sri Rudra, Sri Indra, Sri Marut and Sri Surya when they worship You;
-You are dazzling and resplendent; and
-You are like a royal swan playing in the bosom (heart) of Sri Mahalakshmi.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
संसार घोर गहने चरतो मुरारे
मारोग्र भीकर मृग प्रवरार्दि तस्य
आर्तस्य मत्सर निदाघ निपीडितस्य
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (3)
samsaara ghoara gahanae charathoa muraarae
maroagra Bheekara mruga pravardhi thasya
aarthasya mathsara nidhaagha nipeeDithasya
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karaavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-You have destroyed the asura named Mura and hence called Murari;
-I am wandering in the dark and dense forest of worldly life;
-Various unwary desires and wishes pester me with fear in the life like ferocious animals causing menace in the forest; and
-I am pained and distressed with the selfishness and the ill effects of the worldly life.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
संसार कूपमति घोर मगाध मूलं
सम्प्राप्य दुःखशत सर्प समाकुलस्य
दीनस्य देव कृपणा पदमागतस्य
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (4)
samsaara koopam-athi ghoara magaaDha moolam
sampraapya dukkha-shatha sarpa samaakulasya
dheenasya dhaeva krupaNaa padamaagathasya
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karaavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-This worldly life is like a terribly deep well and I have reached the immeasurable depth;
-The life is full of sorrows similar to the well full of deadly snakes; and
-This despondent soul is immersed in calamities.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
संसार सागर विशाल कराल काल
नक्र ग्रह ग्रसन निग्रह विग्रहस्य
व्यग्रस्य राग रसनोर्मिनि पीडितस्य
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (5)
samsaara saagara vishaala karaala kaala
nakra graha grasana nigraha vigrahasya
vyagrasya raaga rasanormini peedithasya
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karaavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-In this worldly life, the time is tearing asunder every aspect just like a crocodile in the ocean;
-My life is under pressure and it is being consumed like Rahu eating away the moon (during eclipse); and
-My senses are entangled with passion and attachments which crush my life.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
संसार वृक्ष मघ बीजमनन्त कर्म
शाखा शतं करण पत्र मनङ्ग पुष्पम्
आरुह्य दुःख फलितं पततो दयालो
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (6)
samsaara vruksha magha beeja-manantha karma
shaakhaa shatham karaNa pathra mananga puShpam
aroohasya dukha phalitham pathathoa dhayaaloa
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karaavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-I have scrambled up this tree of worldly life which originally sprouted from evil;
-The branches in the tree are my karma; the leaves are my sensory organs and the flowers are the desires;
-I have procured the fruits of the tree which are sorrows; and
-I am now falling down from this tree of the worldly life fast.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
संसार सर्प घन वक्त्र भयोग्र तीव्र
दंष्ट्रा कराल विष दग्ध विनष्ट मूर्तेः
नागारि वाहन सुधाब्धि निवास शौरे
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (7)
samsaara sarpa ghana vakthra Bhyogra theevra
damShtraa karaala viSha daaghdha vinaShta moorthae
naagaari vaahana sudhaabdhi nivaasa shourae
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karaavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-This worldly life is like a deadly snake with a terrible mouth and it emits the poison which destroys me;
-You ride on Garuda, which is the enemy of the snakes; and
-The cosmic ocean on which You live as Sri Vishnu contains the nectar which soothes the burns in my life;
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
संसार दाव दहनातुर भीकरोरु
ज्वाला वली भिरति दग्धत नूरुहस्य
त्वत्पाद पद्म सरसी शरणागतस्य
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (8)
samsaara dhaava dhahanaathura Bheekaroru
jwalaa valee Bhirathi dhaghtha nooruhasya
thwath-paada padma sarasee sharaNaagathasya
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karaavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-This worldly life is too hot which creates fear and misery in the mind and the intensity is burning every part in the body; and
-Your holy divine lotus feet are like a cool pool of water and the burnt souls take refuge in your feet.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
संसार जाल पतितस्य जगन्निवास
सर्वेन्द्रियार्त वडिशार्थझषोपमस्य
प्रोत्खण्डित प्रचुर तालुक मस्तकस्य
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (9)
samsaara jaala pathithasya jagan-nivaasa
sarvaen-dhriyaartha badisharTha-jhashopamasya
proth-khaNditha prachoora thaaluka masthakasya
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karaavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-In this worldly life, I have fallen in the net of attachments;
-All of my sense organs are tormented like a fish on a hook; and
-My head and my body are hooked and torn with miseries.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
संसार भीकर करीन्द्र कराभिघात
निष्पिष्ट मर्म वपुषः सकलार्ति नाश
प्राण प्रयाण भव भीति समाकुलस्य
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (10)
samsaara Bheekara kareendhra karaBhighaatha
nishpiShta marma vapuSha sakalaarthi naasha
praaNa prayaaNa bhava bheethi samaakulasya
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karaavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-This worldly life, like an elephant, has hit me with its trunk (illusions)
-It has stamped on my vitals and I am crushed;
-You are wonderful and destroy the pains; and
-I am afflicted with the fears of life and death.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
अन्धस्य मे हृत विवेक महा धनस्य
चोरैः प्रभो बलिभिरिन्द्रिय नाम धेयैः
मोहान्ध कूप कुहरे विनिपाति तस्य
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (11)
anDhasya mae hrutha vivaeka mahaa Dhanasya
chorai praBho baliBhi-rindhriya naama Dheyai
moahanDha koopa kuharae vinipaathi thasya
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karaavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-In this worldly life, my senses have robbed from me the sense of discrimination;
-This has made me blind with respect to good or bad; and
-I have fallen into the deep dark well of the delusions.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
बद्ध्वा गले यमभटा बहु तर्जयन्त
कर्षन्ति यत्र भव पाश शतैर्युतं माम्
एकाकिनं परवशं चकितं दयालो
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (12)
badhDhvaa galae yamabhathaa bahu tharjayanthah
karshanthi yathra Bhava paasha shathairyutham maam
ekaakinam paravasham chakitham dhayaaloa
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-In my worldly life I am tied up with attachments;
-The soldiers of Yama Dharma have tied the pasha around my neck;
-They are dragging me with the pasha; and
-I am lonely, fearful and tired.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
एकेन चक्रमपरेण करेण शङ्ख
मन्येन सिन्धु तनया मवलम्ब्य तिष्ठन्
वामे तरेण वरदाभय पद्मचिह्नं
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (13)
ekaena chakrama-paraeNa karaeNa shamkha
manyaena sinDhu thanyaaa mavalambya tiShTan
vaamae karaeNa varadha-abhaya padmachihnam,
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-You hold Sri Sudharshan, Srichakra in one hand;
-You hold the conch in another hand;
-You embrace the daughter of the ocean (Sri Mahalakshmi) with another hand; and
-Your fourth hand blesses both protections and the boons.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
संसार सागर निमज्जन मुह्यमानं
दीनं विलोकय विभो करुणानिधे माम्
प्रह्लाद खेद परिहार परावतार
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (14)
samsaara saagara nimajjana muhyamaanam
dheenam viloakaya viBhoa karuNaaniDhae maam
prahlaadha khedha parihaara paraavathaara
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-In this ocean of worldly life, I keep drowning;
-You are the paragon of compassion and affection; and
-You have appeared to remove the worries and sorrows of Prahlada.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
प्रह्लाद नारद पराशर पुण्डरीक
व्यासादि भागवत पुङ्गवहृन्निवास
भक्तानुरक्त परिपालन पारिजात
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् (15)
prahlaadha naaradha paraashara puNDareeka
vyaasaadhi Bhaagavatha pungavah-rinnivaasa
bhakthaanuraktha paripaalana paarijaatha
lakshmee nrusimha mama daehi karavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-You reside in the hearts and minds of sages and scholars such as Prahalada, Narada, Parashara, Pundarika and Vyasa;
-You bless and protect your devotees; and
-You fulfill their wishes.
I humbly surrender to You seeking Your divine protecting hands.
लक्ष्मीपते कमलनाभ सुरेश विष्णो
वैकुण्ठ कृष्ण मधुसूदन पुष्कराक्ष
ब्रह्मण्य केशव जनार्दन वासुदेव
देवेश देहि कृपणस्य करावलम्बम् (16)
lakshmee-pathae kamala-naabha suresha vishNoa
vaikuNTa krushNa maDhu-soodhana puShkara-akSha
brahmaNya kaeshava janardhana vaasudhaeva
devaesha dehi krupaNasya karavalambam
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-You are the consort of Lakshmi;
-You have lotus on your belly;
-You are the Lord of the Suras;
-You are Sri Vishnu;
-You live in Sri Vaikuntham;
-You are Sri Krishna who killed the asura Madhu;
-Your eyes are like lotus;
-You are the Brahmam;
-You are Keshava;
-You protect the people;
-You live as God in the minds of people; and
-You are the Lord of all Devas.
I ardently beg to you to protect me with your divine hands.
यन्माययोर्जित वपुः प्रचुर प्रवाह
मग्नार्थमत्र निवहोरु करावलम्बम्
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह चरणाब्ज मधुव्रतेन
स्तोत्रं कृतं सुखकरं भुवि शङ्करेण (17)
yan-maaya-yoaurjitha vapuh prachura pravaaha
magna-artham-athra nivahoaru karaavalambam
lakshmee nrusimha charaNa-abja madhu-vrathena
sthothram krutham sukha-karam Bhuvi shangkareNa
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha,
-Your appearance is sourced from the divine power of Maya;
-Your beautiful form is fortified with abundant divinity;
-The same source of divinity is in your protecting arms which salvage your devotees who are immersed in misery; and
-By being enthralled in the nectar of the lotus feet of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha, this Stotram has been composed by Shankara (Sri Adi Sankaracharya).
This stotram and its recitation give immense enjoyment in this World.
लक्ष्मी नृसिंह चरणाब्ज मधुव्रतेन
स्तोत्रं कृतं शुभकरं भुवि शङ्करेण
ये तत्पठन्ति मनुजा हरिभक्ति युक्ता
स्ते यान्ति तत्पद सरोज मखण्ड रूपम् (18)
lakshmee nrusimha charaNaabja maDhu-vrathena
sthothram krutham shubhakaram Bhuvi shankareNa
ye thathpaTanthi manujaa hariBhakthi yukthaa
sthae yaanthi thathpadha saroja makhaNda roopam
This Stotram composed by Shankara (Sri Adi Sankaracharya) blesses the earth with auspiciousness;
This was composed drinking in the nectar from the lotus feet of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha;
Those who read and recite this Stotram with ardent devotion to Sri Hari (Sri Maha Vishnu) will attain the moksha at the lotus feet of the God.
