Narasimha Chaturdashi

Narasimha, the name of the ferocious aspect of Mahavishnu, protector of Prahalad and all Vaishnavas. His name, Nara-Simha can be literally translated to Man (Nara) Lion (Simha). His major legends can be found in several puranas; namely the Vishnu Purana, Agni Purana and Bhagavat Purana. The most commonly known legend associated with the great Narasimha is located in the Bhagavath Purana in which he saves the child devottee Prahalada from his demon-king father Hiranyakashipu.

In the legend the demon-king Hiranyakashipu had achieved a conditional immortality through boons granted by the god Bramha, After years of penance Bramha had appeared to the demon-king asking him what his desire was? To this Hiranyakashipu replied,

 O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any of the living entities created by you.

Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought about by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal.

Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliving created by you. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time.  

In this way the demon-king insured that he could not be killed, at least in any simple way. 

After a few events in the story I won't go into the demon-kings son Prahalad is born in the celestial sage Narada's hermitage and becomes a great devotee of Vishnu. Over the years Hiranyakashipu tries over and over to convince his son that he is god. Finally in a last straw the demon king asks Prahalada where his god is and Prahlada replies the Narayana (Vishnu) is in the pillar next to him, the smallest twig and every space in between. In a rage Hiranyakashipu strikes the pillar near Prahalad and suddenly Narasimha arises full of ferocity from its remains. After a fight Narasimha carries the demon-king to the threshold (neither inside or outside) at dusk (neither day or night) and puts him on one of his knees (neither on the ground nor in the sky) and tears him open with his gigantic claws (not by any weapon). Prahalad calms down the angry Narasmha and worships him.





Narasimha worship is traditionally strongest around modern day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Particularly in Ahobilam where many ancient Narasimha temples dot the caves and jungle. Ahobilam is also revered as being the place where Hiranyakashipu's palace was actually situated and Narasimha first took form.

Narasimha worship has also become very popular with ISKCON (Hare Krishnas) who consider Narasimha as a protector of Vaishnavas. The Bangalore ISKCON, Mayapur ISKCON, as well as New Vrindavan in West Virginia all keep amazing Narasimha deities.

A short prose I had written after my first visit to Tirupati Venkateswara Temple..

  The bus rumbled slowly up the hills of Tirumala, the sun just beginning to rise above the landscape pierced the thick mists that had formed on the holy mountains. The air was electrified with devotion; my first sight of the holy temple of Tirupati was of a giant Shank and Chakra glowing in the morning on the peak of the mountain. My heart accelerated its pace and my mind leaped into a frantic want to see that most ancient image of god.

          

     We entered into the temple after an eternity of waiting. My heart and mind were exhausted but I still ached to have darshan of the lord. Before entering into the inner-sanctum I made the simple prayer and hope that I would be able to see the lord properly. The crowd behind and in front of me were relentless… the pushing was almost frightening. One could be caught and pushed in any direction without discretion and the simple mass of bodies all clamoring for a simple look into the golden doors was vast.

I entered the inner-sanctum and came face to face with the image of my lord. Balaji had heeded my prayer and I was pushed into a pocket directly in front of the ageless Srinivasa. Reality and time slowed to a stop, all noise for me was lost and nothing existed except for Venkateshwara and myself. I stood in awe of the grandness, the beauty and grace of the lord. It almost felt as if he was staring back at me, deep into my soul. With that single glance of the Lord my mind was in absolute bliss and I felt as if so many questions, so many confusions I had were all answered in that momentary look into the face of god. My mind was quieted and my heart beat with sheer adrenaline.

          
   After the darshan, that for me lasted an eternity, I was pushed from the face of my lord. I craned my neck for even one tiny look more into that most holy of holies. I exited the temple in complete calmness with the only aspiration of coming to see my lord again. I realized that tears had been flowing down my cheeks as I felt my face wet; I circumbulated the temple in parikrama, the names of God swirling in my mind. Everything, all I have ever wanted or thought suddenly made sense... all questions were answered leaving me with the memory of my visit to abode of Sri Srinivasa.