Lakshmi Nrisimha Pancharatnam Stotram

लक्ष्मीनरसिंहपञ्चरत्नम् स्तोत्रम्

Lakṣmīnarasiṃhapañcaratnam Stotram

All 5 verses

Verse 1

त्वत्प्रभुजीवप्रियमिच्छसि चेन्नरहरिपूजां कुरु सततं प्रतिबिम्बालङ्कृतिधृतिकुशलो बिम्बालङ्कृतिमातनुते । चेतोभृङ्ग भ्रमसि वृथा भवमरुभूमौ विरसायां भज भज लक्ष्मीनरसिंहानघपदसरसिजमकरन्दम् ॥१॥

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Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

त्वत्प्रभुजीवप्रियमिच्छसि चेन्नरहरिपूजां कुरु सततं प्रतिबिम्बालङ्कृतिधृतिकुशलो बिम्बालङ्कृतिमातनुते । चेतोभृङ्ग भ्रमसि वृथा भवमरुभूमौ विरसायां भज भज लक्ष्मीनरसिंहानघपदसरसिजमकरन्दम् ॥१॥: If you desire what is dear to your Lord's life, worship Narasimha constantly; the skilled maker of reflected ornaments produces only reflected ornament. O bee of the mind, you wander in vain on this joyless desert of becoming; worship, worship the honey of the lotus feet of Lakshmi-Nrisimha of spotless renown.

The mind that chases reflected pleasures in samsara builds only more reflection. Constant worship of Narasimha turns the bee-mind from the desert of becoming toward the nectar of the Self hidden in devotion.

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Verse 2

शुक्तौ रजतप्रतिभा जाता कटकाद्यर्थसमर्था चेद्दुःखमयी ते संसृतिरेषा निर्वृतिदाने निपुणा स्यात् । चेतोभृङ्ग भ्रमसि वृथा भवमरुभूमौ विरसायां भज भज लक्ष्मीनरसिंहानघपदसरसिजमकरन्दम् ॥२॥

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Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

शुक्तौ रजतप्रतिभा जाता कटकाद्यर्थसमर्था चेद्दुःखमयी ते संसृतिरेषा निर्वृतिदाने निपुणा स्यात् । चेतोभृङ्ग भ्रमसि वृथा भवमरुभूमौ विरसायां भज भज लक्ष्मीनरसिंहानघपदसरसिजमकरन्दम् ॥२॥: If the appearance of silver in mother-of-pearl could yield bracelets and the like, then this sorrowful samsara might be skilled at giving peace; but it cannot. O bee of the mind, you wander in vain on this joyless desert of becoming; worship, worship the honey of the lotus feet of Lakshmi-Nrisimha.

Samsara is the silver seen in the shell: vivid yet insubstantial, promising fulfilment yet delivering sorrow. Only the Lord who tore illusion apart can grant the peace that no reflected happiness can provide.

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Verse 3

आकृतिसाम्याच्छाल्मलिकुसुमे स्थलनलिनत्वभ्रममकरोः गन्धरसाविह किमु विद्येते विफलं भ्राम्यसि भृशविरसेऽस्मिन् । चेतोभृङ्ग भ्रमसि वृथा भवमरुभूमौ विरसायां भज भज लक्ष्मीनरसिंहानघपदसरसिजमकरन्दम् ॥३॥

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Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

आकृतिसाम्याच्छाल्मलिकुसुमे स्थलनलिनत्वभ्रममकरोः गन्धरसाविह किमु विद्येते विफलं भ्राम्यसि भृशविरसेऽस्मिन् । चेतोभृङ्ग भ्रमसि वृथा भवमरुभूमौ विरसायां भज भज लक्ष्मीनरसिंहानघपदसरसिजमकरन्दम् ॥३॥: By similarity of form you mistook the silk-cotton flower for a land-lotus; scent and taste are absent here. You wander fruitlessly in this utterly joyless realm. O bee of the mind, you wander in vain on this joyless desert of becoming; worship, worship the honey of the lotus feet of Lakshmi-Nrisimha.

Mistaking appearance for reality is the root of fruitless wandering. The silk-cotton bloom looks like a lotus but lacks fragrance and taste, just as worldly objects resemble bliss but cannot deliver it.

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Verse 4

स्रक्चन्दनवनितादीन्विषयान्सुखदान्मत्वा तत्र विहरसे गन्धफलीसदृशा ननु तेऽमी भोगानन्तरदुःखकृतः स्युः । चेतोभृङ्ग भ्रमसि वृथा भवमरुभूमौ विरसायां भज भज लक्ष्मीनरसिंहानघपदसरसिजमकरन्दम् ॥४॥

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Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

स्रक्चन्दनवनितादीन्विषयान्सुखदान्मत्वा तत्र विहरसे गन्धफलीसदृशा ननु तेऽमी भोगानन्तरदुःखकृतः स्युः । चेतोभृङ्ग भ्रमसि वृथा भवमरुभूमौ विरसायां भज भज लक्ष्मीनरसिंहानघपदसरसिजमकरन्दम् ॥४॥: Thinking garlands, sandalwood, women, and other sense-objects to be givers of happiness, you sport among them; but like the gandharuka fruit, these pleasures surely become makers of later sorrow. O bee of the mind, you wander in vain on this joyless desert of becoming; worship, worship the honey of the lotus feet of Lakshmi-Nrisimha.

Sense pleasures are like the gandharuka fruit, sweet at first yet bitter after. The Advaitin sees that suffering follows enjoyment because both arise from identifying the Self with the changing body-mind.

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Verse 5

तव हितमेकं वचनं वक्ष्ये शृणु सुखकामो यदि सततं स्वप्ने दृष्टं सकलं हि मृषा जाग्रति च स्मर तद्वदिति । चेतोभृङ्ग भ्रमसि वृथा भवमरुभूमौ विरसायां भज भज लक्ष्मीनरसिंहानघपदसरसिजमकरन्दम् ॥५॥

Study note

Editorial Advaita reflection

Word breakdown

तव हितमेकं वचनं वक्ष्ये शृणु सुखकामो यदि सततं स्वप्ने दृष्टं सकलं हि मृषा जाग्रति च स्मर तद्वदिति । चेतोभृङ्ग भ्रमसि वृथा भवमरुभूमौ विरसायां भज भज लक्ष्मीनरसिंहानघपदसरसिजमकरन्दम् ॥५॥: I shall tell you one word for your welfare; listen, if you desire happiness: everything seen in dream is indeed unreal; remember the same while awake. O bee of the mind, you wander in vain on this joyless desert of becoming; worship, worship the honey of the lotus feet of Lakshmi-Nrisimha.

The dream teaching is Shankara's direct pointer: if the dream world is known to be unreal upon waking, the waking world shares the same status from the standpoint of the Self. Remembering this, the mind turns to the Lord as the alone-real amid appearance.

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