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Dear Bhakti List Members:

 

In the last few months Sriman Mohan Sagar had presented several

articles on Lord Narasimha Swamy. Adiyen, through a series of

articles, would like to further this discussion. In particular,

Adiyen wants to focus on the nine forms of Narasimha in Ahobilam.

 

Anustana Sloka (Nrusimha Mantra)

"Ugram viram mahavishnum

Jwalaantham sarvato mukham

Nrusimham bhisanam bhadram

Mruthyu mruthyur namamyaham"

 

The state of Andhra Pradesh (AP) is fortunate to have been

endowed with some of the ancient and most famous temples dedicated

to Lord Narasimha Swamy (or Nrusimha Swamy). Epigraphic sources

indicate that there were 79 ancient temples dedicated exclusively

to Lord Narasimha Swamy in AP of which 27 temples have received

continuous temple worship from ancient times. Chief amongst them

are the Ahobila Kshetra (also called Ahobilam in Kurnool district)

followed not in any particular order by Simhachalam, Mangalagiri,

Yadagiri, Yadvadri, Antharvedi, Vedadri, Khadri and Gutti, Nagari

and the list goes on and on.

 

Ahobilam Kshetra is a group of temples located on the Ahobilam

Hills (also known as Garudadri or Garudachala and Vedachala).

The presiding deity being Ahobila Narsimhaswamy or

Prahaladavarada. Lord Narasimha Swamy in swamyambhu form

(self manifested form) is located generally in a rock cavern

(Bilam) as he is personified as half lion (a source of infinite

energy as paramatma) and half man (limited energy of a soul).

Nallamalai hills or Sri Parvatha (hill), whose range extends

from Tirupati at one end via Ahobilam in the middle to Srisailam

at the other end is conceptualized as Adisesha, with Tirupati

representing the head, Ahobilam the body, and Srisailam the

tail. It is thus called Seshachala.

 

Ahobilam is unique in that all the nine Narasimha forms are

worshipped on the Ahobilam Hills. That is why it is called

Nava Narasimha Kshetra. The upper Ahobilam temple is about

2,800 ft above sea level and is located in a valley between

two hills: Garudadri and Vedadri (near the sacred river

Papanasini). These two hills are conceptualized as the

separation of the pillar from where the ferocious Lord

Narasimha Swamy emerged to destroy Hiranyakasipa. There are

three caves in the Southern side, the central one is the

main one containing Ugra Narasimha or Ahobila Narasimha

depicted as though ripping open the abdomen of Hiranyakasipa.

On the eastern side of the entrance there is a shrine of

Varaha Narasimha. On a steep incline 1/2 mile away from

the Varaha Narasimha there is a shrine dedicated to Lord

Prahalada Narasimha.

 

Inside the cave, the Lord is depicted in a "soumya" or

graceful form with Sri Mahalakshmi on His lap (Malola

Narasimha). The utsava idol is believed to have appeared in

the dream of the Satakopa Yati, the first Jeer and the founder

of Ahobila Mutt. Since then this idol has been in the custody

of the Jeers of Ahobila Mutt who carry it with them to various

places they travel and worship it regularly. Close by there

is a shrine dedicated to Yogananda Narasimha, where

Lord is in Yogasana posture. Close to the Deity is a slab

known as Prahalada Banda (stone slab), where Bhakta Prahalada

is set to have sat for his yoga lessons from Lord Yogananda

Nrushimha.

 

Higher up about two miles from there is the Ukkustambha (steel

pillar) where Lord Ugra Narasimha had emerged to destroy

Hiranyakasipa. A mile and a half from there is the Jwala

Narasimha shrine.

 

The nine forms of Lord Narasimha are: Jwala (emitting fire);

Ahobila (Ugra or ferocious); Malola (graceful-with the Divine

Goddess Sri. Mahalakshmi by his side); Krodha (ferocious);

Varaha-Nrushimha; Karancha; Bhargava; Yogananda; Chatravata;

and Pavana (adorable or gracious).

 

1. Ahobila Narasimha or Ugra Narasimha

According to the Sthalapurana, Garuda performed penance for a number

of years on a hill, which later came to be known as Garudachala, to

obtain the divine grace of Lord Narasimha. The Lord in His infinite

grace, manifested Himself in a rock cavern (Bilam) on the hill. Garuda then

worshipped Lord Narasimha and praised Him as "Ahobilam Mahabalam". It is

believed that it is this Lord who is worshipped regularly by Lord Brahma and

other celestial Gods. It may be noted that this is the only full fledged

temple in Eguva (or Upper) Ahobilam with Prakaras, Galigopuram,

Dhwajastambham, the Lord's consort (Sri Chenchulakshmi Ammavaru), Alwars,

and Acharyas. It is also well maintained with Nitya worship while the

remaining Narasimha murties on the Ahobilam Hills are more or less exposed

to nature or meagerly covered with a shelter.

 

It has been a common belief that in the ancient times people were

afraid to face the fierce deity of Ugra Nrushimha in the sanctum.

It seems when a stack of grass was left in front of the deity by the

priest, it would soon result in fire and one could witness the smoke

from a distance. This was attributed to the intensity of heat

emanating from the Lord Ugra Nrushimha.

 

To be continued...

 

The credit for the information provided herein should be given to

"Sapthagiri" which is a Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Publication.

 

adiyen rAmAnuja dAsan,

Venkata Yatiraj Anand

 

 

 

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