Śrī Narasimha Pahimām
Śrī Narasimha Rakshamām
(1) When wild beasts & foes attack,
When famines, floods, & fires strike,
When quakes & cyclones leave just lack,
When laughless, life’s not lief to like,
When all my ships of hope have wrecked
And I’ve no fruits of joy to tend,
Lord Narasimha, pray protect!
Lord Narasimha, do defend!
(2) When I’m heart-racked with household care,
When pressures to succeed upset,
When in duress, dismay, despair,
In fearful doubt & fretful debt,
When usurers swarm to collect
And no one hath a cent to lend,
Lord Narasimha, pray protect!
Lord Narasimha, do defend!
(3) When I’m embroiled in battle’s heat,
When hemmed in by mean enemies,
When wearied, wounded, in retreat,
When vanquished, pleading on my knees,
When scourged & stoned by separate sect,
By crown & court & crowd condemned,
Lord Narasimha, pray protect!
Lord Narasimha, do defend!
(4) When I’m left reft of roof & hearth,
When starving, sapped of funds for foods,
When lost, alone I roam the earth
Through strange & dangerous neighborhoods,
When shunned & naked in neglect,
No soul on whom I can depend,
Lord Narasimha, pray protect!
Lord Narasimha, do defend!
(5) When tyrants are oppressing me,
When bureaucrats are vexing me,
When hoodlams are harassing me,
When sorcerers are hexing me,
When lovers heartlessly reject,
When I’m betrayed by every friend,
Lord Narasimha, pray protect!
Lord Narasimha, do defend!
(6) When overwrought & red with wrath,
When lost in lust & cravings coarse,
When wending off the dharma's path,
When self-reproaching in remorse,
When all my views are incorrect,
When wayward sins I must emend,
Lord Narasimha, pray protect!
Lord Narasimha, do defend!
(7) When weapons tear my flesh apart,
When bites & kicks & punches bruise,
When Nritti stingeth with his dart,
When Yama stalketh with his noose,
When age enfeebleth, plagues infect,
When life’s last battle’s at an end,
Lord Narasimha, pray protect!
Lord Narasimha, do defend!
(8) When I’m astray on astral plane,
My body shed to rot or burn,
No known material terrain,
No stars to signal where to turn,
And if my soul is not elect
And into dark hells I descend,
Lord Narasimha, pray protect!
Lord Narasimha, do defend!
—Begun on Narasimha’s Appearance Day, 5113 Kali-Yuga
Completed on Narasimha’s Appearance Day, 5116 Kali-Yuga
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