व्याघ्राश्वक्रोडशाखामृगवरखगराड्भल्लुकाद्यष्टवक्त्रम् |
द्वात्रिंशत्कोटिबाहुं हलमुसलगदाशङ्खचक्रादिहेतीः
बिभ्राणं भीमदंष्ट्रं शरभखगगजान् भक्षयन्तं नृसिंहम् ||
1. Gāṇḍabhēruṇḍa Pakṣirāja:
The Lord is said to have defeated śarabhēśvara and his śaktis with this face. Worship of this face with the associated mantra protects one from abhicāra prayōgas of every kind and destroys enemies.
2. Nr̥siṁha Mr̥garāja:
The Lord is described to have subdued Vīrabhadra, Aghora, and other astra-mūrtis of śarabhēśvara with this face. Worship of this face with the associated mantra destroys diseases and grants good health.
3. Mahāvyāghra:
The Lord is known to have subdued Nndikēśvara, Gaṇēśa and other parivāra-dēvas of śarabhēśvara with this face. Worship of this face with the associated mantra protects one from all dangers: from nature, other humans, or celestial forces.
4. Hayagrīva:
Worship of this face with the associated mantra grants one proficiency in all śāstras and ultimately the liberating knowledge.
5. ādivarāha:
Worship of this face with the associated mantra destroys poverty and blesses one with matrimonial bliss, progeny, and unimaginable riches.
6. Aghora Vānarēndra:
Worship of this face with the associated mantra frees one from graha-bādhā of every kind and grants proficiency in ṣaṭkarma prayōgas.
7. Mahāgaruḍa:
Worship of this face with the associated mantra frees one of nāgadōṣa, nāgabhaya, viṣabhaya, pitr̥dōṣa, etc.
8. Bhallūka:
Worship of this face with the associated mantra grants one ṣōḍaśa siddhis.
The hidden ninth face of the Lord sometimes referred to as Baḍabānala Mukha, refers to ādinārāyaṇa and is visible to a true Bhāgavata alone. This face grants one Kaivalya. The three mantras associated with this face are the Kaivalya Nr̥siṁha mantra, Aṣṭākṣarī, and Mantrarāja.
An advanced upāsaka who has earned the grace of ācārya is blessed with the secret of the upāsanā of Dvādaśamukha Gaṇḍabhēruṇḍa Nr̥siṁha whose form constitutes of the following mūrtis:
1. Gaṇḍabhēruṇḍa Nr̥siṁha
2. Vyāghra Nr̥siṁha
3. Hayānana Nr̥siṁha
4. Vānarēndra Nr̥siṁha
5. ādivarāha Nr̥siṁha
6. Gāruḍa Nr̥siṁha
7. Bhallūka Nr̥siṁha
8. Vr̥śabhārūḍha Nr̥siṁha
9. Haṁsārūḍha Nr̥siṁha
10. Kūrmārūḍha Nr̥siṁha
11. śarabhārūḍha Nr̥siṁha
12. Mahāviśṇumukha Garuḍārūḍha Nr̥siṁha
The Lord in this form is worshipped with thirteen mālāmantras and the 118-lettered mūlamantra. The uttarāṅgas for this mantra are eight including Mahāsudarśana.
The Upāsaka with greater qualification and control on the senses is blessed by the ācārya with the details of the worship of ūrdhvamukha Gaṇḍabhēruṇḍa Nr̥siṁha, who, along with the previous twelve forms, encompasses the following additional mūrtis:
1. Māyā Nr̥siṁha (with consort as Māyādēvī)
2. Raudra Nr̥siṁha (seated on Aghora-mūrti)
3. Vidāraṇa Nr̥siṁha (visualized as ripping open Hiraṇyakaśipu)
4. Vāruṇa Nr̥siṁha
5. Jvālā Nr̥siṁha
6. Vīra Nr̥siṁha
7. Aghōravīra Baḍabānala Nr̥siṁha
8. Mahōgravīra Vijayapratāpa Nr̥siṁha
9. Sudarśana Nr̥siṁha (propitiated by Jayanta, the son of Indra)
10. Lakṣmīnr̥siṁha (propitiated by Mahādēva and Brahmā on either side)
The dhyāna for each of these faces, the māhātmya, and details of the associated śaktis (For e.g. śakti for Haṁsārūḍha Nr̥siṁha is Vāgvādinī; Padmāvatī is the consort of Kūrmārūḍha Nr̥siṁha who is nidhipradāyaka) should be understood from Sadguru.
Other forms of the Lord which include the Dvātriṁśanmukha and Pañcāśanmukha Gaṇḍabhēruṇḍa Nr̥siṁhas are also worshipped by upāsakas for attaining various siddhis. The Gaṇḍabhēruṇḍa Nr̥hari nāma stotra popular among upāsakas is simply a list of the fifty faces/forms of the Lord. The kalpas declare aṣṭākṣarī and Mantrarāja as the basic qualification for the initiation into the worship of this wondrous form of Bhagavān known as Gaṇḍabhēruṇḍa Nr̥siṁha.