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.
तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे तु विख्यातो ब्राह्मणो वेदपारगः । हारीत इति नाम्ना च ज्ञानध्यानपरायणः
In that field, a renowned Brahmin, accomplished in the Vedas, named Harita, devoted to knowledge and meditation, became known.
तस्य स्त्री तु महापुण्या सतीरूपा सदा प्रभो । लीलावती तु नाम्ना च भर्तुर्वशपरा सदा
His wife was supremely virtuous, always faithful, O Lord; named Lilavati, she was ever devoted to her husband's will.
ताभ्यां तपो महत्तप्तं कालं बहुतरं सुत । एकविंशयुगाश्चैव यातास्तत्र न संशयः । तस्मिन्क्षेत्रे तु वै ताभ्यां प्रत्यक्षो वाभवत्तदा
Together, they performed great austerity for a long time, O son; twenty-one ages passed there, without doubt. In that field, they then saw the divine presence.
नृसिंह उवाच। यं यं वांछयसे ब्रह्मंस्तं ददामि न संशयः । ताभ्यामुक्तं तदा तस्मै दीयते चेद्वरो मम
Narasimha said: Whatever boon you desire, O Brahmin, I grant it without doubt. Whatever they asked at that time, I gave as my boon.
त्वादृशो मम पुत्रस्तु ह्यधुनैव भवत्विति । मयोक्तं तु तदा वत्स पुत्रोऽहं ते न संशयः
Let a son like me be born to you immediately—so I spoke then, O child. I am your son, without doubt.
विश्वकर्मा ह्यहं साक्षात्परमात्मा परात्परः । उदरेऽहं न वत्स्यामि यतोऽहं वै सनातनः
I am Visvakarma himself, the supreme soul, transcending all. I will not reside in the womb, for I am eternal.
हारीतेन तदा चोक्तं भवत्वेवं न संशयः । तदाप्रभृति वै क्षेत्रे स्थितोऽहं भक्तकारणात्
Harita then said: Let it be so, without doubt. From that time, I have remained in the field for the sake of devotees.
अत्रागत्य प्रकुर्वीत दर्शनं भक्तसत्तमः । तस्याहं सकलां बाधां नाशयामि निरंतरम्
Whoever comes here, the best among devotees, and seeks my vision, I destroy all their obstacles continuously.
एतस्मात्कारणाच्चैव व्रतं वै विधिपूर्वकम् । ये कुर्वंति नरश्रेष्ठा न तेषां विद्यते भयम्
For this reason, those best among men who perform the vow according to prescribed rules have no fear.
बालरूपमयं ध्यात्वा ताभ्यां सह विशेषतः । पूजनं कुरुते रात्रौ स वै नारायणो भवेत्
Meditating especially on my child form together with them, whoever performs worship at night becomes Narayana.
चतुर्भुजं महादंष्ट्रं कालरूपं दुरासदम् । सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशं यमकोटिदुरासदम् । सिंहवच्च मुखं यस्य नरवच्चांगसंयुतम्
With four arms, great fangs, a form of time, difficult to approach, resembling ten million suns, hard to approach even for ten million Yamas; whose face is like a lion and limbs are joined with those of a man.
श्रीनृसिंहं दिव्यसिंहं कालरूपं भजेत्सदा । एवं ज्ञात्वा विशेषेण यः स्थानं मामकं व्रजेत्
One should always worship Sri Narasimha, the divine lion, the form of time. Whoever, knowing this especially, approaches my place.
व्रतं पवित्रं परमं श्रीकदंब प्रदं महत् । अंते मुक्तिप्रदं चैव भक्तानां च न संशयः
The vow is pure, supreme, bestows prosperity, and is great; at the end, it grants liberation to devotees, without doubt.
येन वै क्रियमाणेन सहस्रद्वादशी फलम् । स्वाती नक्षत्र संयोगे शनिवारे तु मद्व्रतम्
By performing it, one attains the fruit of a thousand Dvadasis; when my vow is observed on a Saturday during the conjunction with the Svati star.
सिद्धियोगस्य संयोगे वणिजे करणे तथा । योगैः सर्वैश्च संयोगं हत्याकोटि विनाशनम्
During the conjunction of Siddhi Yoga, in the merchant's karana, and with all yogas, its conjunction destroys ten million sins.
एतदन्यतरैर्योगे मद्दिनं पापनाशनम् । विज्ञाय मद्दिनं यस्तु लंघयेत्स तु पापकृत्
On any of these yogas, my day destroys sin. Whoever, knowing my day, transgresses it, becomes a sinner.
अकर्त्ता नरकं याति यावच्चंद्र दिवाकरौ । प्राप्ते मम दिने वत्स दंतधावनपूर्वकम्
One who does not perform this goes to hell for as long as the moon and sun endure; but when my day arrives, O child, after brushing the teeth,
ममाग्रे व्रतसंकल्पं मद्भक्तो विजितेंद्रियः । अद्याहं ते विधास्यामि व्रतं निर्विघ्नतां नय
In my presence, with a vow firmly resolved, my devotee who has mastered the senses—today I will establish the vow for you; carry it out without obstacle.
व्रतस्थेन न कर्त्तव्यं दुष्टसंभाषणादिकम् । ततो मध्याह्नसमये नद्यादौ विमले जले
One who is observing the vow must not engage in wicked speech or similar acts; then, at midday, in a river or other pure water,
गृहे वा देवखाते वा तडागे वाथ शोभने । वैदिकेन तु मंत्रेण स्नानं कुर्याद्विचक्षणः 6.174.
Whether at home, in a temple tank, or in a beautiful pond, the wise should bathe with Vedic mantras.