Lord Narasimha - The Ferocious but Kind God


Do you know, what links one of the most powerful gods in Hindu pantheon, Ahobilam in Andhra, Multan in Pakistan, State emblem of Karnataka and The Holi festival celebrated in India - Lord Narasimha!!

Narasimha is one of the most powerful avatars of Lord Vishnu, is known to be fierce to fight and remove all that is evil and as a result protect all his devotees from every negative aspect of life. He is regarded as the embodiment of victory of good over evil.

Lord Narasimha is said to have half human and half lion appearance where the torso and the lower body is that of human while the face and claws are that of a ferocious lion. He took this form to protect is devotee Prahalad from death by his own father, the evil king Hiranyakasipu.

Before Krishna, before Rama, before Vamana, the Narasimha Avatar of Vishnu came to earth to rescue a single devotee who chanted his name.

Hiranyakasipu was very powerful due to a boon from Brahma. He asked for immortality wich Brahma refused. So he asked for 7 conditions which are almost impossible to fulfill for any killer, granting him almost immortality.

Inside or outside my residence
During the daytime or at night,
Nor on the ground or in the sky. 
With or without weapons 
Killed By Human or Animal 
Any entity created by you
Any demigod or demon

Narasimha killed him fulfilling all 7 conditions above of Brahmas boon.

At entry - neither inside or outside house 
At dusk - neither night or day 
On his lap - neither ground nor sky
Using claws - with or without weapons
Half lion and man - neither man or animal
Lord Narasimha was not created by Brahma, neither is he a demigod or demon. 

Sri Narasimha Maha Mantra

Ugram viram maha-vishnum jvalantam sarvato mukham 
nrisimham bhishanam bhadram mrityur mrityum namamy aham 

Meaning: ‘Oh Angry and Brave Maha-Visnu, your radiance, heat and fire permeate everywhere. O Lord Narasimha, you are everywhere. You are the death of death itself and I surrender to You.’

This chant is supposed to remove all fears, anxieties, annihilates all problems and gives you a fearless and blessed life.

Lord Narasimha is highly benign and merciful though he might appear ferocious. He came to being in response to the answer given by Prahlad to his angry father. His Avatar is the shortest duration for any Visnu avatar, just lasting a few hours to save a devotee. That's why in Tamil, he is called Azhagiya Singham (The beautiful Lion, not ferocious Lion) - as kindness is always beautiful.

Do you know, what links Ahobilam in Andhra, Multan in Pakistan, State emblem of Karnataka, The Holi festival celebrated in India - Lord Narasimha!!

Ahobilam, in Andhra Pradesh, as per Legend, is where  Lord Narasimha appeared on earth to save his devotee Prahalada. The Lord here appears in his fierce aspect, called Ugra Narasimha, who is the presiding deity of the temple and is known as Ahobila Nrisimha Swamy. It is firmly believed the Lord Narasimha was 'Svayambhu' (self-manifest) here.. there are nine temples to Narasimha. The all Nine Narasimhasthalas are self-manifest :- 1. Jwala Narasimha 2. Ahobilam Narasimha 3. Malola Narasimha 4. Kroda Narasimha 5. Karanja Narasimha 6. Bhargava Narasimha 7. Yogananda Narasimha 8. Chatravata Narasimha and 9. Pavana Narasimha

The state emblem of Karnataka (and mysore kingdom) has the mythical bird, Ganda Berunda featured. This bird is considered to be so strong it can carry two elephants on its claws. And this bird, was a fiercer version of Maha vishnu sent to calm Lord Shiva (astharbeshwara) who came to calm Lord Narasimha after he killed Hiranyakasipu 

The original Sultan of Multan (in current dsy Pakistan) was not Virendar Sehwag who scored triple century, but Lord Narasimha? Prahlada had built a temple for Narasimha in Moolasthana (Called Multan). It was therefore eponymously known as the Prahladapuri temple and had withstood repeated Islamic ravages, all the way till 1992, when Taliban destroyed the temple. According to some traditions, the Holika Dahan festival originated at Prahladapuri.

Holika Dahan is a Hindu occasion that celebrates the legend Holika and Prahlada. According to legend, having acquired a boon that rendered her invulnerable to fire, Holika attempted to kill her nephew Prahlada by sitting with him upon a bonfire. However, she got burnt herself and Prahlada was saved It precedes the occasion of Holi, the festival of colours, which celebrates the spring season.

Glory to Lord Narasimha the ferocious but kind Lion.

Jai Narasimha!!

Lord Lakshmi Narasimha swamy, the peaceful form with his wife and devotees 

The Ferocious form in full action, protecting the good from evil.

The KIND & Compassionate form of God 

The Vishnu Avatar predating Rama and Krishna 

The state emblem of Karnataka 


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