Oṃ namō bhagavatē nārasiṁhāya ||
The ritual of Nr̥simhēṣṭi is performed when one is suffering from various afflictions related to the physical, spiritual or divine nature. This prayoga is used both for nigraha and anugraha, based on saṅkalpa.
On the pre-determined day, one should wake up during the brahmamuhūrta, complete nityakarma, should approach the ācārya who is a Siddha of Nr̥simhamantra. Having prostrated before him and offered phala, puṣpa etc., he should request him thus:
mahātman dēśikaśrēṣṭha jagatkalyāṇakāraṇa |
bhaktakalpadruma śrīman kr̥pāṁ kuru mayi prabhō ||
duṣṭagrahairahaṁ tīvraṁ bādhitō,asmi cirādbhuvi |
tadbādhāmapahartuṁ mē tvamēvārhasi mantravit ||
The ācārya, having uttered a dīrgha praṇava, should enter the yajñabhūmi. He should first invoke Viṣvaksēna to overcome all obstacles, followed by puṇyāhavacana. He should then place a Kumbha made of gold, silver or tāmra suitably sanctified and filled with pañcāmr̥ta, pañcagavya etc., on pañcadhānya upon a ṣaṭkōṇa maṇḍala. Placed therein is an idol (or a picture drawn in red sandalwood) of the Great Lord as per the below lakṣaṇa:
aṣṭabāhurmahābhīmaḥ karālavadanō?dbhutaḥ |
śaṅkhacakragadāpadmabāṇatūṇīralāñchitaḥ ||
khaḍgakhēṭakayuktaśca tahta paraśuśōbhitaḥ |
musalāyudhadhārī ca mr̥tyudaṁṣṭrāñcitaḥ prabhuḥ ||
daityāntakō raudrarūpaḥ duṣṭapaiśācasaṁharaḥ |
raktāmbaradharaḥ tīkṣṇadr̥ṣṭiḥ bhūtabhayapradaḥ ||
Having performed shuddhi with pañcagavya, the ācārya should perform prāṇapratiṣṭhā and perform the āvāhana of the Great Nr̥siṁha within the Kumbha by employing the sacred Mantrarāja. Starting with arghya, up to tāmbūla, all upacāras should be offered to Nr̥kēsarī. This is followed by a homa using the Mantrarāja and Nr̥siṁha gāyatrī where 10,000 or 1000 āhutis are offered. After pūrṇāhuti, the Kumba is energized by the recitation of Nr̥simha gāyatrī uttered 108 times.
In front of the Kumbha, a śaṭkōṇa maṇḍala is constructed using chandana and kuṅkuma. In the six corners of this maṇḍala, the six letters of the great mantra of Sudarśana are written. Shōḍaśōpacāra pujā is offered to Mahāsudarśana within the maṇḍala. In the eight directions, Bali is offered with haridrānna. While making victorious sounds with instruments such as bherī etc., pradakṣiṇā of the maṇḍala is performed. Facing the awe-inspiring mūrti of Nr̥simha, Sadguru brings the intended person within the maṇḍala, seats him at its center and bathes him with the sacred water from the Kumbha.
With a daṇḍa that is sanctified with Mantrarāja, he touches the afflicted person several times uttering kṣrauṁ mōcaya mōcaya thrice, looking at his affliction with anger channeled through the Great Narasimha. With the string tied around the mūrti, a rakṣāyantra is constructed and tied around the right shoulder of the afflicted person. By performing this rite of Nr̥simhēṣṭi taught by Brahmā in the Pāñcarātrāgama, all grahas are destroyed and one attains long life and prosperity.