Benefits of Praying to Lord Narasimha

Lord Vishnu is the universe's defender, and he takes on the task of protecting people's lives and maintaining their peaceful existence. The Lord himself incarnates on earth from time to time to eliminate evil, defend mankind from cruelties, and build dharma, the ultimate righteousness, in order to achieve this goal. Narasimha, the Lord's fourth incarnation on Earth, is one of these hallowed incarnations or Avatars. Narasimha is a one-of-a-kind form with a human body and a lion's head. The Golden Age, also known as the Krita (Satya) Yuga, is thought to have produced this Avatar. Lord Narasimha (Narsingh, Narasingh and Narasingha) is Lord Vishnu's furthermost intense incarnation. The fourth incarnation is recognised for being fierce in combating and removing all ills that are directed against His worshippers, as well as protecting them from danger. People who embrace the Vaishnava faith revere him in large numbers.

Lord Vishnu's multiple incarnations have occurred at various eras in order to save His worshippers from evil's dominion and to benefit the world. According to the Puranas, Lord Vishnu had taken a Varaha (Boar) Avatar to retake the globe from Patala and kill the tyrant Rakshasha Hiranyaksha. The following incarnation, Lord Narasimha, was the one who defeated Hiranyakashipu, Hiranyaksha's evil brother.

Portrayal of Lord Narasimha

Lord Narasimha is Lord Vishnu's lion-man avatar, with a lion's head and human torso and lower body. He is frequently represented with a ferocious expression on his face, bulging eyes, and four to sixteen hands holding various weapons such as a mace, discus, conch, axe, and so on. One of his hands will be in Abhaya mudra, or blessing stance, at all times. As Lakshmi Narasimha, he is sometimes represented seated calmly with his consort Goddess Lakshmi.

Lord Narasimha is characterised in several forms in addition to his bodily appearances, and is reported to have over 74 forms in terms of varied postures and weapons that he holds in his hands. It is believed that each form should be worshipped with severe discipline, depending on the Lord's stance. Krodha Narasimha, Ugra Narasimha, Jwala Narasimha, Malola Narasimha, Bhargava Narasimha, Varaha Narasimha, Yoga Narasimha, Karanja Narasimha and Lakshmi Narasimha are the most common forms.

Importance of Lord Narasimha

Because ‘Nara' is a human and ‘Simha' is a lion, ‘Nara-Simha' together means ‘Man-Lion.' Lord Vishnu was forced to take this strange form in order to defeat and destroy Hiranyakashipu, who was a powerful demon who was well protected by a series of boons, in order to free the earth and its inhabitants from his tyranny.

Legends behind Lord Narasimha 

The legend of Narasimha is depicted graphically in the Bhagavata Purana. Demon Hiranyakashipu was an Asura of great power (demon). Lord Vishnu, who had murdered his brother previously and put an end to his cruelties, became a target of his rage. Hiranyakashipu performed intense penance before Lord Brahma and received numerous extraordinary boons from him, including the ability to not be killed by the Devas (celestial beings), Asuras, humans, or animals; by any weapon; at any time of day or night; on the ground or in space; and inside or outside any structure. Hiranyakashipu unleashed a reign of terror across all worlds, dethroning the Devas, executing untold crimes on sages, saints, and people, and cruelly punishing anybody who claimed the name of Vishnu or Narayana. As a result, the chanting "Om Hiranyaya Namaha" began to reverberate over the globe. People bowed to the Lord, requesting mercy and assistance, because they were unable to withstand the demon's attacks. Vishnu, the omniscient, set out on a huge quest to vanquish the devil and save the righteous.

Hinranyakashipu had a son named Prahlada, who turned out to be Lord Vishnu's most fervent follower. While the world outside bowed to the Asura's diktats, this pious young prince practically lived and flourished on taking Lord Vishnu's hallowed name and chanting his honour right in Hiranya's palace. Hiranya couldn't stand it when his own kid openly defied him and revered his sworn enemy's name, so he tried everything he could to get the youngster to change his mind and fall in line. His endeavours, however, was unsuccessful. Exasperated, he attempted everything he could to kill him, but nothing could stop that miraculously blessed boy. Hiranya, sure that his great foe Vishnu is instigating and supporting the small kid, asked his devotee son where the Lord is and, after being told that he is anywhere and everywhere by his devotee son, smashed his mace against a pillar in the palace in wrath.

What a surprise! The pillar cracked open, revealing the extraordinary figure of a man-lion with fire-emitting eyes. This incarnation snatched the befuddled Hiranyakashipu with his hands, took him to the palace door, sat him on his lap, tore his body apart with his sharp claws, and murdered the vicious demon at precisely 6:00 p.m. Thus, without breaching any of the magnificent boons that he had gained, this remarkable Narasimha Avatar of Lord Vishnu put a stop to a terrible demon who appeared impregnable, and saved all of his devotee, as well as the universe, from unbearable horrors of the demon Hiranyakashipu.

Benefits of Worshipping Lord Narasimha

On the day of his arrival, some people practise a fast until the nightfall in their homes and temples, while others observe a fast until dusk in their temples. It is widely believed that praying to this Lord can provide a variety of benefits, including the forgiveness of sins, the cure of diseases, the protection from the negative influences of planets and evil forces, the fulfilment of honest desires for longevity, wealth, success, and so on, and the path to liberation.

Events Linked to Lord Narasimha

In the month of Vaishaka (April-May), while Swati Nakshatra was governing, Narasimha is claimed to have emerged at dusk on the Shukla Chaturdashi, the fourteenth lunar day of the bright fortnight of the Moon. Narasimha Jayanthi is a day when devotees worship the mighty and compassionate Lord with zeal and devotion.