महादेव उवाच। शृणु देवि प्रवक्ष्यामि व्रतं त्रैलोक्यदुर्लभम् । यं श्रुत्वा मुच्यते लोको ब्रह्महत्यादिपातकात्
Mahadeva said: Listen, O goddess, I will tell you of a vow rare even in the three worlds; by hearing it, people are freed from the sin of killing a Brahmin and other grave offenses.
उत्पतिः स्वप्रकाशस्य भक्तानां सुखहेतवे । तिथिर्वापि समासो वै संजातः पुण्यकारकः
The manifestation of the self-luminous one arose for the happiness of devotees; whether as a lunar day or a month, it came into being as a bringer of merit.
यस्य नाम गृणन्देवि मुक्तिं लभति शाश्वतीम् । स एव परमात्मा च कारणानां च कारणम्
O goddess, by uttering his name, one attains eternal liberation; he is the supreme self and the cause of all causes.
विश्वात्मा विश्वरूपी च सर्वेषां भगवान्प्रभुः । द्वादशार्का धृता येन नृसिंहेन महात्मना । स एव प्रकटीजातो भक्तानां शमभीप्सया
He is the soul of the universe, of universal form, the blessed Lord of all; by whom the twelve suns were sustained, by the great-souled Narasimha; he indeed appeared openly, desiring the peace of devotees.
पार्वत्युवाच। अवतारा ह्यसंख्याताः कथिताः सुरसत्तम । नृसिंहाख्यं परं धाम वद विश्वेश्वर प्रभो । येन विज्ञानमात्रेण सुख लोकमवाप्नुयात्
Parvati said: O best of the gods, countless incarnations have been described; tell me, O Lord of the universe, about the supreme abode called Narasimha, by knowing which one attains a happy world merely through understanding.
महादेव उवाच। हिरण्यकशिपुं हत्वा देवदेवं जगद्गुरुम् । सुखासीनं तदुत्संगे स्थितो वचनमब्रवीत्
Mahadeva said: Having slain Hiranyakashipu, the god of gods, the teacher of the world, sat happily with him on his lap and spoke these words.
प्रह्लादो ज्ञानिनां श्रेष्ठः पितॄहंतारमुत्तमम्
Prahlada, the best among the wise, the foremost slayer of his father.
प्रह्लाद उवाच। नमस्ते भगवन्विष्णो नृसिंहाद्भुतरूपिणे । त्वद्भक्तोहं सुरश्रेष्ठ त्वां पृच्छामि च तत्वतः
Prahlada said: O blessed Vishnu, Narasimha, wondrous in form, I bow to you; I am your devotee, O best of the gods, and I ask you truly.
स्वामिंस्त्वयि ममाभिन्ना भक्तिर्जाता ह्यनेकधा । कथं तेऽहं प्रियो जातः कारणं वद मे प्रभो
Lord, in you my devotion has arisen in many ways; tell me, O master, how I have become dear to you, what is the reason.
नृसिंह उवाच। कथयामि महाप्राज्ञ शृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसः । भक्तेर्यत्कारणं वत्स प्रियत्वस्य च यत्पुनः
Narasimha said: I will tell you, O greatly wise one; listen with focused mind to the cause of devotion, my child, and again, the cause of dearness.
पुरा कस्य द्विजस्यापि जातस्त्वं नाप्यधीतवान् । नाम्ना तु वसुदेवो हि वेश्यायामति लंपटः
In a former birth, you were not born to any Brahmin, nor did you study; by name, you were Vasudeva, exceedingly lustful, born to a courtesan.
तस्मिन्जन्मनि नैवं च चकार सुकृतं कियत् । भुक्त्वा मधु घृतं चैव वेश्यासंगमलालसः
In that life, you did not perform even a little virtuous deed; indulging in honey and ghee, you were eager for union with courtesans.
मद्व्रतस्य प्रभावेन भक्तिर्जाता तवानघ । प्रह्लादोवाच। विस्तराद्वद देवेश कस्य पुत्रस्य किं व्रतम्
By the power of my vow, devotion arose in you, O sinless one. Prahlada said: O Lord of the gods, tell in detail—whose son, and what vow was it?
वेश्यायां वर्तमानेन कथंचिद्धि कृतं मया । ममोपरि कृपां कृत्वा सर्वं कथय सांप्रतम्
While living with a courtesan, I somehow performed it; having shown your compassion to me, tell me everything now.
नृसिंह उवाच। सृष्ट्यर्थं तु पुरा ब्रह्मा चक्रे ह्येतदनुत्तमम् । मद्व्रतस्य प्रभावेन निर्मितं सचराचरम्
Nṛsiṃha said: Formerly, for the purpose of creation, Brahma made this supreme vow; by the power of my vow, all moving and unmoving beings were created.
ईश्वरेण व्रतं चीर्णं वधार्थं त्रिपुरस्यच । व्रतस्यास्यप्रभावेन त्रिपुरस्तु निपातितः
The Lord performed the vow for the destruction of Tripura; by the power of this vow, Tripura was cast down.
अन्यैश्च बहुभिर्देवैरृषिभिश्च पुरातनैः । राजभिश्च महाप्राज्ञैर्विहितं व्रतमुत्तमम्
This excellent vow was also undertaken by many other ancient gods, sages, and great wise kings.
व्रतस्यास्य प्रभावेन सर्वे सिद्धिमवाप्नुयुः । मम ते वै प्रिया जाता दिवि भोगाननेकशः
By the power of this vow, all attain success; in heaven, many enjoyments have become dear to you through me.
भुक्त्वा मयि विलीनास्तु प्रह्लाद त्वं विशस्व माम् । कार्यार्थमवतारस्ते मच्छरीरत्पृथग्यतः
Having enjoyed them, they merge in me; Prahlada, enter into me. For the sake of duty, your descent is separate from my body.
न तेषां पुनरावृत्तिर्महाकल्पशतैरपि । दरिद्रो लभते लक्ष्मीं धनदस्य च यादृशी
There is no return for them, even after hundreds of great aeons; a poor man obtains wealth like that of Kubera.
ततः कामी लभेत्कामं राज्यार्थी राज्यमुत्तमम् । आयुष्कामो लभेदायुर्यादृशं च शिवस्य हि
Then, one who desires pleasure attains pleasure, one who seeks sovereignty attains supreme sovereignty, and one who desires long life attains a lifespan like that of Shiva.
अवैधव्यकरं स्त्रीणां पुत्रदं भाग्यदं तथा । धनधान्यकरं चैव तथाशोकविनाशनम्
It grants freedom from widowhood to women, sons, good fortune, wealth and grain, and the removal of sorrow.
स्त्रियो वा पुरुषा वापि कुर्वंति व्रतमुत्तमम् । तेभ्यो ददाम्यहं सौख्यं भुक्ति मुक्ति फलं तथा
Whether women or men perform this supreme vow, to them I grant happiness, the fruits of enjoyment and liberation.
बहुनोक्तेन किं वत्स व्रतस्यास्य फलस्य हि । मद्व्रतस्य फलं वक्तुं नाहं शक्तो न शंकरः
What is the use of speaking at length, dear one? I am not able to describe the fruit of this vow, nor is Shankara.
प्रह्लाद उवाच। भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन श्रुतं व्रतमनुत्तमम् । व्रतस्यास्य फलं श्रोतुं त्वयि मे भक्ति कारणम्
Prahlada said: O Lord, by your grace I have heard of this supreme vow; my devotion to you is the reason I wish to hear the fruit of this vow.
अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामि व्रतस्यास्य विधिं परम् । कस्मिन्मासे भवेदेव कस्मिंश्चिद्वासरे प्रभो
Now I wish to hear the supreme procedure of this vow—O Lord, in which month and on what day should it be performed?
एतद्विस्तरतो देव वक्तुमर्हसि सांप्रतम् । विधिना येन वै स्वामिन्समग्रफलभाग्भवेत्
O God, you should now tell this in detail—by what procedure, O Master, one may obtain the complete fruit.
नृसिंह उवाच। प्रह्लाद वत्स भद्रं ते शृणुष्वैकमना व्रतम् । वैशाखेसित पक्षे तु चतुर्दश्यां समाचरेत्
Nṛsiṃha said: Prahlada, dear one, may it be well with you; listen attentively to the vow. In the bright fortnight of Vaiśākha, it should be performed on the fourteenth day.
ममाविर्भावसंयुक्तं मम संतुष्टिकारणम् । शृणु पुत्र ममोत्पत्तिं भक्तानां सुखहेतवे
Hear, my son, of my manifestation, the cause of my satisfaction; listen to my origin, which brings happiness to devotees.
पश्चिमायां दिशायां च संजातं कारणांतरात् । मौलिस्तानमिदं क्षेत्रं पवित्रं पापनाशनम्
In the western direction, due to another cause, this place of the crown arose; it is sacred and destroys sin.