Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotra
Adi Shankaracharya
Stotra Ratnavali (Shankara corpus)
Seventeen verses, each ending with the refrain 'śrī-lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam' — 'O Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.' One of the most-recited stotras in any Sri Vaishnava household; invoked at moments of crisis.
Sanskrit
श्रीमत्पयोनिधिनिकेतन चक्रपाणे भोगीन्द्रभोगमणिराजितपुण्यमूर्ते । योगीश शाश्वत शरण्य भवाब्धिपोत लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
śrīmat-payo-nidhi-niketana cakra-pāṇe bhogīndra-bhoga-maṇi-rājita-puṇya-mūrte | yogīśa śāśvata śaraṇya bhavābdhi-pota lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
O dweller in the milky ocean! O wielder of the discus! O sacred form gleaming with the jewels of Adisesha's hood! Lord of yogis, eternal refuge, ferry across the sea of saṁsāra — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
ब्रह्मेन्द्ररुद्रमरुदर्ककिरीटकोटि- सङ्घट्टिताङ्घ्रिकमलामलकान्तिकान्त । लक्ष्मीलसत्कुचसरोरुहराजहंस लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
brahmendra-rudra-marud-arka-kirīṭa-koṭi- saṅghaṭṭitāṅghri-kamalā-mala-kānti-kānta | lakṣmī-lasat-kuca-saroruha-rāja-haṁsa lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
Whose lotus-feet are polished by the crowns of Brahma, Indra, Rudra, the Maruts, and the Sun; royal swan playing among the lotuses of Lakshmi's bosom — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
संसारघोरगहने चरतो मुरारे मारोग्रभीकरमृगप्रवरार्दितस्य । आर्तस्य मत्स्यपतिवाहन माश्रयार्थं लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
saṁsāra-ghora-gahane carato murāre mārogra-bhīkara-mṛga-pravarārditasya | ārtasya matsya-pati-vāhana māśrayārthaṁ lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
As I wander through the terrible thicket of saṁsāra, slayer of Mura, harried by the fearsome beasts of desire and wrath — to one in distress, O rider of the king of fishes, for refuge — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
संसारकूपमतिघोरमगाधमूलं सम्प्राप्य दुःखशतसर्पसमाकुलस्य । दीनस्य देव कृपणापदमागतस्य लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
saṁsāra-kūpam ati-ghoram agādha-mūlaṁ samprāpya duḥkha-śata-sarpa-samākulasya | dīnasya deva kṛpaṇāpadam āgatasya lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
Fallen into the bottomless, terrible well of saṁsāra, beset by a hundred serpents of sorrow — wretched, Lord, brought to a piteous pass — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
संसारसागरविशालकरालकाल- नक्रग्रहग्रसननिग्रहविग्रहस्य । व्यग्रस्य रागनिचयोर्मिनिपीडितस्य लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
saṁsāra-sāgara-viśāla-karāla-kāla- nakra-graha-grasana-nigraha-vigrahasya | vyagrasya rāga-nicayormi-nipīḍitasya lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
In the vast and terrible ocean of saṁsāra, gripped by the crocodile of time, body seized and held — distracted, crushed by the surging waves of attachment — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
संसारवृक्षमघबीजमनन्तकर्म- शाखाशतं करणपत्रमनङ्गपुष्पम् । आरुह्य दुःखफलितं चकितं दयालो लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
saṁsāra-vṛkṣam agha-bījam ananta-karma- śākhā-śataṁ karaṇa-patram anaṅga-puṣpam | āruhya duḥkha-phalitaṁ cakitaṁ dayālo lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
Climbed upon the tree of saṁsāra — its seed is sin, its hundred branches are endless karma, its leaves are the senses, its flower is desire — and trembling at the bitter fruit it bears, O compassionate one — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
संसारसर्पघनवक्त्रभयोग्रतीव्र- दंष्ट्राकरालविषदग्धविनष्टमूर्तेः । नागारिवाहन सुधाब्धिनिवास शौरे लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
saṁsāra-sarpa-ghana-vaktra-bhayogra-tīvra- daṁṣṭrā-karāla-viṣa-dagdha-vinaṣṭa-mūrteḥ | nāgāri-vāhana sudhābdhi-nivāsa śaure lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
Of one whose body is destroyed and burned by the cruel poison of the sharp fangs in the dense, fearsome jaws of the saṁsāra-serpent — O rider of the serpent's enemy (Garuda), dweller in the ocean of nectar, hero — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
संसारदावदहनातुरभीकरोरु- ज्वालावलीभिरतिदग्धतनूरुहस्य । त्वत्पादपद्मसरसीशरणागतस्य लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
saṁsāra-dāva-dahanātura-bhīkaroru- jvālāvalībhir ati-dagdha-tanūruhasya | tvat-pāda-padma-sarasī-śaraṇāgatasya lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
Of one whose body-hairs are scorched by the lines of terrible flame in the forest-fire of saṁsāra, who has come for refuge to the lotus-pool of your feet — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
संसारजालपतितस्य जगन्निवास सर्वेन्द्रियार्थबडिशार्थझषोपमस्य । प्रोत्खण्डितप्रचुरतालुकमस्तकस्य लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
saṁsāra-jāla-patitasya jagan-nivāsa sarvendriyārtha-baḍiśārtha-jhaṣopamasya | protkhaṇḍita-pracura-tāluka-mastakasya lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
Of one fallen into the net of saṁsāra, O dweller in the worlds — like a fish hooked by the bait of all the sense-objects, palate and head torn through — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
संसारभीकरकरीन्द्रकराभिघात- निष्पीड्यमानवपुषः सकलार्तिनाश । प्राणप्रयाणभवभीतिसमाकुलस्य लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
saṁsāra-bhīkara-karīndra-karābhighāta- niṣpīḍyamāna-vapuṣaḥ sakalārti-nāśa | prāṇa-prayāṇa-bhava-bhīti-samākulasya lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
Of one whose body is being crushed by the trunk-blow of the terrible elephant-king of saṁsāra, O destroyer of every distress — overwhelmed by the dread of the going-forth of the breath and of rebirth — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
अन्धस्य मे हृतविवेकमहाधनस्य चोरैः प्रभो बलिभिरिन्द्रियनामधेयैः । मोहान्धकूपकुहरे विनिपातितस्य लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
andhasya me hṛta-viveka-mahā-dhanasya coraiḥ prabho balibhir indriya-nāmadheyaiḥ | mohāndha-kūpa-kuhare vinipātitasya lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
Blind, my great wealth of discrimination stolen, O Lord, by the powerful thieves whose names are 'the senses' — flung down into the dark hollow of the well of delusion — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
लक्ष्मीपते कमलनाभ सुरेश विष्णो वैकुण्ठ कृष्ण मधुसूदन पुष्कराक्ष । ब्रह्मण्य केशव जनार्दन चक्रपाणे लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
lakṣmī-pate kamala-nābha sureśa viṣṇo vaikuṇṭha kṛṣṇa madhusūdana puṣkarākṣa | brahmaṇya keśava janārdana cakra-pāṇe lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
Lord of Lakshmi, lotus-naveled, lord of the gods, Vishnu! Vaikuntha, Krishna, slayer of Madhu, lotus-eyed! Lover of brahmaṇas, Keshava, Janardana, wielder of the discus — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
एकेन चक्रमपरेण करेण शङ्ख- मन्येन सिन्धुतनयामवलम्ब्य तिष्ठन् । वामेतरेण वरदाभयपद्मचिह्नं लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥
IAST
ekena cakram apareṇa kareṇa śaṅkham anyena sindhu-tanayām avalambya tiṣṭhan | vāmetareṇa vara-dābhaya-padma-cihnaṁ lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha mama dehi karāvalambam ||
Translation
Standing — with one hand the discus, with another the conch, with another supporting the daughter of the ocean (Lakshmi); with the right hand the marks of boon-giving, fearlessness, and the lotus — Lakshmi-Narasimha, give me the support of your hand.
Sanskrit
यन्माययोर्जितवपुःप्रचुरप्रवाह- मग्नार्थमत्र निवहोरुकरावलम्बम् । लक्ष्मीनृसिंहचरणाब्जमधुव्रतेन स्तोत्रं कृतं सुखकरं भुवि शङ्करेण ॥
IAST
yan-māyayorjita-vapuḥ-pracura-pravāha- magnārtham atra nivahoru-karāvalambam | lakṣmī-nṛsiṁha-caraṇābja-madhu-vratena stotraṁ kṛtaṁ sukha-karaṁ bhuvi śaṅkareṇa ||
Translation
For one drowned by the great current of bodily existence raised up by his māyā, this support of the upraised arm is given. The honey-bee at the lotus-feet of Lakshmi-Narasimha — Shankara — has made this stotra in the world for its joy.
How to chant · Best recited daily after the morning sandhya, ideally before a Lakshmi-Narasimha vigraha or salagrama. The refrain alone may be repeated when time is short.