One can perform arcana of the forms of Bhagavän as listed below, in accordance with the same procedure as for Śrī Gaurāṅga, substituting the meditation verse, mūla-mantra, and obeisance verses with the appropriate meditation verse, mūla-mantra, and obeisance verses for each form of Bhagavān.
It is a common practice to perform arcana of the various forms of Bhagavān on their respective appearance days – Nityānanda Trayodaśī, Advaita Saptami, Rāma Navami, Nṛsiṁha Caturdaśī, Baladeva Purṇimā, Vāmana Dvadaśī and Varāha Dvadaśī – although worship can be performed on any day of the year.
Arcana of Śrī Nityānanda
Meditation on Śrī Nityānanda
(oṁ) vidyut-dāma-madābhimardana-ruciṁ vistīrṇa-vakṣa-sthalaṁ
premodghūrṇita-locanāñcala-lasat-smerābhiramyānanam
nānā-bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣitaṁ sumadhuraṁ vibhrad ghanābhāmbaraṁ
sarvānandakaraṁ paraṁ pravara-nityānanda-candraṁ bhaje
I worship Śrī Nityānanda-candra, who is unparalleled in every respect, whose body displays an unprecedented luster that derides the splendor of lightning, who has a broad chest, whose eyes are rolling with the emotional ecstasies of prema, whose face is adorned with a gentle smile, whose limbs are decorated with beautiful ornaments, whose body is covered with a bluish garment, and who grants the topmost bliss to everyone.
Mūla-mantra
oṁ nityānandāya namaḥ or klīṁ devī-jāhnava-vallabhāya svāhā
Gāyatrī-mantra
klīṁ nityānandāya vidmahe, saṅkarṣaṇāya dhīmahi, tan no balaḥ pracodayāt
Obeisance (praṇāma)
nityānanda namas tubhyaṁ
premānanda-pradāyine
kalau kalmaṣa-nāśāya
jāhnavā-pataye namaḥ
I offer repeated obeisances unto Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, who bestows the bliss of divine love, who eliminates the contamination of the age of Kali, and who is the husband of Jāhnavā-devī.
saṅkarṣaṇaḥ kāraṇa-toya-śāyī
garbhoda-śāyī ca payobdhi-śāyī
śeṣaś ca yasyāṁśa-kalāḥ sa nityā-
nandākhya-rāmaḥ śaraṇaṁ mamāstu
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ädi-līlā 1.7)
Saṅkarṣaṇa, Śeṣa Nāga, and the Viṣṇus who lie on the Kāraṇa Ocean, Garbha Ocean, and Kṣīra Ocean, are the plenary portions and portions of the plenary portions of Śrī Nityānanda Rāma. May He give me shelter.
Arcana of Śrī Advaita
Meditation on Śrī Advaita
sad-bhaktāli-niṣevitāṅghri-kamalaṁ kundendu-śuklāmbaraṁ
śuddha-svarṇa-ruciṁ subāhu-yugalaṁ smerānanaṁ sundaram
śrī caitanya dṛśaṁ varābhaya-karaṁ premāṅga-bhūṣāñcitam
advaitaṁ satataṁ smarāmi paramānandaika-kandaṁ prabhum
His lotus feet are served by the devotees, He wears white cloth that resembles the moon and kunda flowers, His complexion is like pure gold, His two arms are exceedingly beautiful, His smiling face is most charming, His gaze is constantly fixed on Śrī Caitanya, His hands form mudrās bestowing benedictions and fearlessness, and His body is decorated with the ornaments of prema. I meditate on that Śrī Advaita Prabhu, who is the root of supreme bliss.
Mūla-mantra
klīṁ advaitāya svāhā
Gāyatrī-mantra
klīṁ advaitāya vidmahe, mahāviṣṇave dhīmahi, tan no advaitaḥ pracodayāt
Obeisance (praṇāma)
śrī-advaita namas tubhyaṁ
kali-jana-kṛpā-nidhe
gaura-prema-pradānāya
śrī-sītā-pataye namaḥ
I offer obeisance unto You, Śrī Advaita Prabhu, who are an ocean of mercy for the people of Kali-yuga, who award love for Śrī Gaurahari, and who are the husband of Śrīmatī Sītā-devī.
mahā-viṣṇur jagat-kartā
māyayā yaḥ sṛjaty adaḥ
tasyāvatāra evāyam
advaitācārya īśvaraḥ
advaitaṁ hariṇādvaitād
ācāryaṁ bhakti-śaṁsanāt
bhaktāvatāram īśaṁ tam
advaitācāryam āśraye
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Adi-līlā 1.12–13)
Advaita Ācārya is an incarnation of Mahā-Viṣṇu, the efficient cause of the universe, who, through the agency of māyā, creates the universe. He is non-different from the Supreme Lord and is therefore called Advaita, and because He teaches pure devotion (bhakti), He is called Ācārya. He is the Lord and the incarnation of the Lord’s devotee (bhaktāvatara). Therefore, I take shelter of Him.
Arcana of Śrī Rāmacandra
Meditation on Śrī Rāmacandra
vaidehī-sahitaṁ sūraddhamatale haime mahā-maṇḍape
madhye puṣpa-kamalāsane maṇi-maye vīrāsane susthitam
agre vācayati prabhañjana-sūte tattvaṁ munibhyaḥ paraṁ
vyākhyāntaṁ bharatādibhbiḥ parivṛtaṁ rāmaṁ bhaje śyāmalam
At the foot of a celestial tree, within a great golden pavilion, on a gem-studded aerial carrier made of flowers, He is sitting with Śrī Sītā-devī in an heroic posture, surrounded by His brothers headed by Bharata. Situated in front of Him is Śrī Hanumān, who engages in discussion with great munis conversant on the topic of the Supreme Absolute Truth. I worship that dark-complexioned Śrī Rāmacandra.
Mūla-mantra
rāṁ rāmacandrāya namaḥ
Gāyatrī-mantra
rāṁ rāmacandrāya vidmahe, jānakī-vallabhāya dhīmahi, tan no rāmaḥ pracodayāt
Obeisance (praṇāma)
oṁ namo bhagavate uttamaślokāya nama ārya-lakṣaṇa-śīla-vratāya
nama upaśikṣitātmana upāsita-lokāya namaḥ sādhu-vāda-nikaṣaṇāya
namo brahmaṇya-devāya mahā-puruṣāya mahā-rājāya nama iti.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.19.3)
I offer obeisance to that Supreme Lord, who is glorified with topmost verses. All the best qualities of the Āryans (exalted personalities) are present in His character and behavior. He is always in control of His mind and senses. Only for the purpose of delighting the people does He attend to His worldly mundane duties. His character is used as a yardstick to ascertain the good qualities of others, just as a touchstone is used to test the purity of gold. He favours the brahmaṇas, He is the Supreme Person, and He is the greatest king. I offer my obeisance unto Him.
dakṣiṇe lakṣmaṇo dambī
vāmato jānakī śubhā
purato mārutīryasya
taṁ namāmi raghūttamam
On His right side is Śrī Lakṣmaṇa, who carries a bow, and on his left is Śrī Jānakī (Sītā-devī), who is the embodiment of auspiciousness. In front of Him is Śrī Hanumān, the son of Vāyu (the wind god). I offer obeisance to that Śrī Rāmacandra, who is the cynosure of the Raghu dynasty.
rāmāya rāmacandrāya
rāmabhadrāya vedase
raghunāthāya nāthāya
sītāyāḥ pataye namaḥ
I offer obeisance unto Śrī Rāma, who is known as Rāmacandra, Rāmabhadra, the Supreme Controller, Raghunātha, the Supreme Lord, and the husband of Śrī Sītā-devī.
Arcana of Śrī Nṛsiṁha
Meditation on Śrī Nṛsiṁha
pratapta-cāmīkara-caṇḍa-locanaṁ
sphurat saṭā-keśara-jṛmbhitānanam
karāla-daṁṣṭraṁ karavāla-cañcala-
kṣurānta-jihvaṁ bhrukuṭī-mukholbaṇam
stabdhordhva-karṇaṁ giri-kandarādbhuta-
vyāttāsya-nāsaṁ hanu-bheda-bhīṣaṇam
divi-spṛśat kāyam adīrgha-pīvara-
grīvoru-vakṣaḥ-sthalam alpa-madhyamam
candrāṁśu-gauraiś churitaṁ tanūruhair
viṣvag bhujānīka-śataṁ nakhāyudham
durāsadaṁ sarva-nijetarāyudha-
praveka-vidrāvita-daitya-dānavam
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.8.20–22)
His fearsome eyes glow like molten gold, His face is enlarged by a mane of hair, His teeth are deadly, and His razor-sharp tongue is as fickle as a sword. His eyebrows are knitted, His face is menacing, and His ears are erect. His gaping mouth and nostrils resemble the caves of a mountain and the expanse between His jaws is terrifying. His towering body touches the sky. His neck is short but wide, His chest is enormous, His waist is narrow; and His fur is white like moonlight. He eviscerates the Daityas and Dānavas with His hundreds of arms stretched out in all directions and already equipped with His lethal fingernails. He is resplendent with His personal weapons, the conch, discus, mace, and lotus, as well as His preeminent weapons like the thunderbolt. I meditate on that Śrī Nṛsiṁhadeva.
Mūla-mantra
oṁ kṣrauṁ nṛsiṁhadevāya svāhā
Offering arghya
nṛsiṁhācyuta deveśa
lakṣmī-kānta jagat-pate
anenārghya-pradānena
saphalāḥ syurmanorathāḥ
O Nṛsiṁha, who are infallible, the Master of the demigods, the husband of Lakṣmī-devī, and the Lord of the universe. Through the offering of this arghya, may all my heart’s desires become fulfilled.
Gayatrī-mantra
oṁ ugra-daṁṣṭrāya vidmahe, vajra-nakhāya dhīmahi, tan no narasiṁhaḥ pracodayāt
Obeisance (praṇāma)
oṁ ugraṁ vīraṁ mahā-viṣṇuṁ
jvalantaṁ sarvato mukham
nṛsiṁhaṁ bhīṣaṇaṁ bhadraṁ
mṛtyur mṛtyuṁ namāmy ahaṁ
I offer obeisance to You, Mahā Viṣṇu Śrī Nṛsiṁha, who are ferocious, heroic, and full of might. Your special appearance fills all directions. You are terrific and auspicious, and You are death for death personified.
namas te narasiṁhāya
prahlādāhlāda-dāyine
hiraṇyakaśipor vakṣaḥ
śilā-ṭaṅka-nakhālaye
I offer obeisance unto Nṛsiṁha Bhagavān, who gives joy to Prahlāda Mahārāja and whose nails are like chisels on the stone-like chest of the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu.
ito nṛsiṁhaḥ parato nṛsiṁho
yato yato yāmi tato nṛsiṁhaḥ
bahir nṛsiṁho hṛdaye nṛsiṁho
nṛsiṁham ādiṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye
Śrī Nṛsiṁha is here and also there. Wherever I go, Śrī Nṛsiṁha is there. He is in the heart and is outside as well. I surrender unto Śrī Nṛsiṁha, who is the original enjoyer.
oṁ namo bhagavate narasiṁhāya namas tejas-tejase āvir-āvirbhava vajra-nakha vajra-daṁṣṭra karmāśayān randhaya randhaya tamo grasa grasa oṁ svāhā; abhayam abhayam ātmani bhūyiṣṭhā oṁ kṣraum.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.18.8)
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Bhagavān Nṛsiṁhadeva, who is the source of all power. O You possess nails and teeth like thunderbolts, please burn away our desires for fruitive activities, oh please burn them away. Please destroy the darkness of ignorance, oh please destroy it. By Your mercy, may we become free from all fear.
Arcana of Śrī Baladeva
Meditation on Śrī Baladeva
dhyāyamānaḥ surāsuroraga-siddha-gandharva-vidyādhara-muni-gaṇair anavarata-mada-mudita-vikṛta-vihvala-locanaḥ sulalita-mukharikāmṛtenāpyāyamānaḥ sva-pārṣada-vibudha-yūtha-patīn aparimlāna-rāga-nava-tulasikāmoda-madhv-āsavena mādyan madhukara-vrāta-madhura-gīta-śriyaṁ vaijayantīṁ svāṁ vanamālāṁ nīla-vāsā eka-kuṇḍalo hala-kakudi kṛta-subhaga-sundara-bhujo bhagavān mahendro vāraṇendra iva kāñcanīṁ kakṣām udāra-līlo bibharti.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.25.7)
The demigods, demons, Uragas (serpentine demigods), Siddhas, Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, and great sages incessantly meditate on Him. Fully intoxicated, His eyes always express delight, bewilderment and restlessness. Through the nectar of His charming speech, He pleases His associates, who are chief among worshipable beings. He wears a blue cloth, an earring on one ear, His two hands are most auspicious and attractive, and He carries a plow on His back. His pastimes are most magnanimous. Just as devarāja Indra's elephant, Airavata, wears a golden rope around his neck, His neck is adorned by an ever-fresh vaijayantī garland, which is bedecked with tender tulasī-mañjaris., The garland’s sweet nectarean fragrance intoxicates honey-bees, which buzz sweetly, thus rendering it ever more splendid.
Mūla-mantra
oṁ baladevāya namaḥ
Gayatrī-mantra
oṁ baladevāya vidmahe, rohiṇī-nandana dhīmahi, tan no balaḥ pracyodayāt
Obeisance (praṇāma)
oṁ namo bhagavate mahā-puruṣāya sarva-guṇa-saṅkhyānāyānantāyāvyaktāya nama iti.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.17.17)
Chanting the sacred syllable oṁ, I offer obeisance to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who manifests all spiritual qualities, who is unlimited, and who [to the non-devotees] is inconceivable.
namaste haladhṛgrāma
namaste muśalāyudha
namaste revatīkānta
namaste bhaktavatsala
namaste balināṁ śreṣṭha
namaste dharaṇīdhara
pralambāre namaste 'stu
trāhi māṁ kṛṣṇapūrvaja
Brahma Purāṇa (57.22–23)
O Haladhara, who carries a plow, O You who hold a club, O husband of Revatī, O You who are affectionate to Your devotees, O You who are the strongest of the strong, O You who support the Earth (in the form of Ananta-śeṣa), O You who destroyed the demon Pralamba, O elder brother of Kṛṣṇa, I offer my obeisances unto You. Please protect me.
Prayer (prārthanā)
bhaje bhajanyāraṇa-pāda-paṅkajaṁ
bhagasya kṛtsnasya paraṁ parāyaṇam
bhakteṣv alaṁ bhāvita-bhūta-bhāvanaṁ
bhavāpahaṁ tvā bhava-bhāvam īśvaram
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.17.18)
O object of my worship, You are the Supreme Lord. Your lotus feet expel all fear from Your devotees. You are the supreme resting place for all opulences. You manifest Yourself before Your devotees as Their maintainer and protector. O Lord, You deliver Your devotees from material existence, yet You enamor the non-devotees with material existence. O Supreme Lord, I worship You.
Arcana of Śrī Vāmanadeva
Meditation on Śrī Vāmanadeva
oṁ śrīvatsa-kaustubhoraskaṁ pūrṇanandu-sadṛśa-dyutim
sundaraṁ puṇḍarīkākṣa-mati-karvataraṁ harim
mekhalā-jina-daṇḍādi-cihnenāṅkitam-īśvaram
vaṭu-veśa-dharaṁ vande sarva-vedānta-gocaram
His chest is ornamented by the Śrīvatsa (the emblem of the goddess of fortune) and the Kaustubha gems, His complexion resembles a full moon, His eyes are charming, His form is tiny, He is adorned with a girdle, deer skin, and staff, and He wears the cloth of a brahmacārī, I offer prayers to that Śrī Hari, who is visible after one realizes the conclusive truth of all Vedic knowledge.
Mūla-mantra
oṁ vāmanāya namaḥ
Offering arghya
vāmanāya namastubhyaṁ
krānta-tribhuvanāya ca
gṛhāṇārghyaṁ mayā data
vāmanāya namo ‘stu te
I offer obeisance to You, Śrī Vāmanadeva, who stepped over the three worlds. Please accept this argyha I am offering to You. I again offer You obeisance.
Offering dāna (charity)
vāmano buddhido dātā drayasthā vāmanaḥ svayam
vāmanaś ca pratigrāhī tena me vāmane ratiḥ
Śrī Vāmanadeva is the bestower of intelligence, the munificent benefactor, and the Lord of all things, yet He is also the recipient of charity. Therefore, may I develop love for Vāmanadeva.
Obeisance (praṇāma)
labdhvā vairocanādbhūmiṁ
padbhyāṁ dvābhyāmatītya yaḥ
ābrahma bhuvanaṁ krāntaṁ
vāmanaṁ taṁ namāmyaham
I offer obeisance to Śrī Bhagavān Vāmanadeva. He obtained in charity three steps of land from Bali Mahārāja, the son of Virocana. With His first step, He traversed Bhūloka with in His second step, He claimed all the planetary systems up to Satya-loka (Brahma-loka).
trailokya-rājyamācchidya
balerindrāya yau dadau
namas tasmai sureśāya
sadā vāmanarūpiṇe
He took from Bali rule over the three worlds and bestowed it upon Indra. I forever offer obeisance to the Lord of lords , who took the form of Śrī Vāmanadeva.
Arcana of Śrī Varāhadeva
Meditation on Śrī Varāhadeva
āpādaṁ jānu-deśād vara-kanaka-nibhaṁ nābhi-deśād adhas tān
muktābhaṁ kaṇṭha-deśāt taruṇa-ravi-nibhaṁ mastakān nīla-bhāsam
ide hastair dadhānaṁ ratha-caraṇodarau khaṅga-khetau gadākhyaṁ
śaktiṁ dānābhayate ca kṣita-dharaṇa-lasad daṁṣṭramādyaṁ varāham
I meditate upon Lord Varāhadeva, whose legs, from His lotus feet up to His waist, are like golden pillars, whose face is like a blue lotus, and who is very beautifully decorated with the Earth planet situated upon His tusks. In His two hands are the club and discus, and His chest is reddish like the morning sun. To that Bhagavān Varāhadeva, I offer my obeisances.
Mūla-mantra
oṁ namo bhagavate varāha-rupāya
Gayatrī-mantra
oṁ varahādevāya vidmahe, yajñarūpāya dhīmahi, tan no varāhaḥ pracodayāt
Obeisance (praṇāma)
oṁ namo bhagavate mantra-tattva-liṅgāya yajña-kratave mahā-dhvarāvayavāya mahā-puruṣāya namaḥ karma-śuklāya tri-yugāya namas te.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.18.35)
I offer obeisance unto You, O Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are properly understood by the chanting of mantra. You are the embodiment of yajña (sacrifice) and kratu (ritual). You are the very body of all great sacrifices. You are the presiding deity of sacrifice, and Your form is composed of pure goodness (śuddha-sattva). I offer obeisance to You, who are known as tri-yuga (He who appears in the three ages).
pramathya daityaṁ prativāraṇaṁ mṛdhe
yo māṁ rasāyā jagad-ādi-sūkaraḥ
kṛtvāgra-daṁṣṭre niragād udanvataḥ
krīḍann ivebhaḥ praṇatāsmi taṁ vibhum iti
Just as an elephant, on the front portion of its tusk, holds a lotus flower by its stem and comes out of the water to perform sports, in the same way, You, in the form of the original boar, killed your opponent, Hiraṇyākṣa, who resembled an elephant. Then, on the tip of Your tusks, You lifted up the Earth, which had reached the bottom of the universe (Rasātala), and came out of the ocean of dissolution. I offer obeisance to that Supreme Lord.
