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Sree Narasimha Ashtothram At the tender touch of Prahalad the Lord was pleased. He grew calm and anger gave way to kindness.

 

 

Narasimha, the fourth incarnation of God Vishnu, is half-human half-lion and provides a very fascinating study of the Lord's incarnation in order to alleviate the sufferings of his devotees. Sage Kashyap had four wives, Diti, Aditi, Vinita and Kudroo. Diti gave birth to demons and from Aditi were born gods, while from Vinita was born Garud, the carrier of Vishnu and the last one Kudroo created the hydras. Dithi gave birth to Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu. Vishnu killed Hiranyaksha as he oppressed the devas. At the death of Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu was overpowered with grief. His mother Dithi was heart-broken. Hiranyakashipu also was filled with sorrow and it burnt his own heart like fire. He hated Vishnu and Vishnu's very name was like poison to him. His blood was boiling with the hatred of Vishnu.

Hiranyakashipu, King of the Rakshasas, retired to the mountain Mandara and began tapas - the severe order of penance. Brahma was pleased with his devotion. He appeared to Hiranyakashipu and said, 'Hiranyakashipu, arise. I am pleased with your devotion. I have never seen such a severe meditation before. Ask for whatever you desire.' Hiranyakashipu replied, "Great Lord, if you will grant my prayer, this is what I seek: Let not death come to me from any creature created by you; let me not meet with death either in the house or outside it; let not my death occur either during the day or at night; no weapon should cause my death; I should not die either on land or in the sky."

After this blessing the demon crossed all bounds in oppression and dethroned Indra, the king of heavens. The very gods were filled with fear. Indra, along with the other gods, appeared before Brahma and prayed for deliverance. Brahma was very much worried and replied that the demon had become powerful due to the blessings bestowed by him and he could not destroy him. He also advised Indra to go to Vishnu, which they did. The gods went to Vishnu and retold their story of sufferings and said that due to boons given by Brahma the demon had been indulging in all sorts of oppression. Vishnu promised to destroy him in due course of time.

Hiranyakashipu had a son named Prahalad. Right from his very childhood Prahalad was attracted towards Vishnu and the other gods. Prahalad had not obeyed the orders of his father not to worship Vishnu. His father tried to destroy his son in a fit of anger; tying a stone to Prahalad's body, he was thrown into the river but Vishnu himself stopped him from drowning. Hiranyakashipu later tried to get Prahalad trampled under the feet of an elephant but the elephant lifted Prahalad lovingly by the help of his trunk and put him on its back. He then built a house and put Prahalad into it and set the same to fire; even this could not harm Prahalad. The father even tried to poison the son, but to no avail.

At last the king thundered at the boy, "You, curse of the family! Have you not yet given up your evil thoughts? The three worlds tremble at my glance. But you, my son, how do you dare to disobey me? You are very young; some one must have misled you and encouraged you. Otherwise you would not have had such evil ideas and such courage. Tell me who has shown you such an evil path." The earth shook as the king roared at the boy. But Prahalad calmly replied, "Dear father, it was Hari who gave me this courage. He is stronger than anyone else. You and I, the universe, even Brahma are nothing before his strength. He is the real Lord of the Universe."

All the gods were under the thumb of the mighty Hiranyakashipu; and here was a mere boy of five giving him advice. The king of the Rakshasas was mad with anger. He shouted in rage: "Unlucky fool, your death is near. I am the Lord of all the worlds, the only master. Is there another? Where is he? Show him to me.He is everywhere," young Prahlad's answer came without a moment's delay. The king could no longer control himself through anger. He hit a pillar with his mace. "Wicked fellow, is he everywhere? You mad boy, why should he not appear to me in this pillar? I am going to kill you this very moment. You have been praising Hari as the Lord of the Universe. Let him come to your help if he can." So saying he drew out his sword and pounced upon the little boy. There was a terrible deafening noise as if the universe itself split into two. Even the very brave Hiranyakashipu stared from his place at the terrible noise. The courtiers shook with fear and stood

like statues of stone. As the stunned men watched, the pillar split into two.

There was Sri Hari, in the form of Narasimha. He had the head of a lion and the body of a man. (Nara = Man : Simham = Lion). The eyes of this terrible figure were dazzling and they looked like molten gold. The hair on the head and the moustache and the beard stood straight and erect. The sharp and pointed jaws chattered harshly; the tongue quivered like a sword and was sharp as a dagger. His eyebrows were close knit. The ears were raised and stood erect. The mouth gaped like a mountain cave. The two nostrils looked like wells turned upside down. The body was huge and mountain-like. It seemed to touch the skies and to stop the very clouds. It had countless arms. The body was covered with a white substance like silver. The very sight of the sharp claws made one tremble.

This terrible form split the pillar and came out. Hiranyakashipu's courtiers had crowded the hall; but not one dared to look at him, not to speak of ever approaching him. Narasimha caught Hiranyakashipu with a loud roar and carried him to the threshold of the hall. He sat on the threshold with the Rakshasa in his lap. Then he dug his nails deep into his body and tore it open. He took out the entrails and wore them round his neck. Thus the wicked asura was finally killed at the hands of the man-lion, Vishnu. All the asura bodyguards who fell on Narasimha in fierce rage were crushed into a lump of flesh in the winking of an eye. After the enemies were destroyed, Narahari (Vishnu) sat on the throne of the Rakshasa King, glaring at those around him. The gods showered flowers from heaven. The Gandharva sang divine music and the Apsaras, the dancers of heaven, danced in joy. The entire earth rejoiced. The gods praised Vishnu's ways. "Hiranyakashipu got boons

from Lord Brahma; and Narasimha has respected all the promises. For it is now twilight, which is neither day nor night; the place is neither outside the house nor inside it, it is the threshold. Again he was killed neither on land nor in the sky, but on the lap of the god; he was killed neither by weapons nor by missiles but torn by nails; no one created by Brahma has killed him nor was he born in the wombs by ordinary course; it is Vishnu, in the form of Narasimha, who slew him. O wonder of wonders!" so they sang the praise of the Lord. But the terrible anger of Narasimha did not diminish. Even Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Vishnu's wife, was afraid to go near him.

Lord Shiva assumed the form of a Sarabam, characterised by both an animal and human form with four hands, eight legs, two wings, a beak of that of a falcon and fierce flaming eyes, to mollify the angry Narasimha. The two wings were Kali and Durga. Shiva embraced Narasimha in a tight hold and cooled his temper by fanning his two wings till Narasimha gradually calmed down and assumed the yoga posture. Thus Narasimha became Yoga Narasimhar and Lord Shiva as Sarabam is wordshipped as Sarabeswarar. The little boy Prahalad touched the feet of Narasimha with his head in deep devotion. At the tender touch of Prahalad the Lord was pleased. He grew calm and anger gave way to kindness. Vishnu gave his blessings to Prahalad - the true devotee.

Narasimha Dyanam

Satyanjgnana sugasvaroopa mamalamKsheeraapthi matyasthithamYogarooda mithiprasanna vadanamPoosha sahasrojvalamTriyaksham chakra pinaka sabayavaraanpipranna margachchavimsareerbhoodhapaneennthra minthu tvalamLakshmi Nruham BhajeSree Narasimha AshtothramOm Narasimhaya Namah Om Mahasimhaya Namah Om Divyasamhaya Namah Om Mahabalaaya Namah Om Ugrasimhaya Namah Om Mahadevaaya Namah Om Sthambha-jaaya Namah Om Ugralochanaaya Namah Om Raodraya Namah Om Sarwa-adbhutaaya Namah Om Srimad yogaanandaaya Namah Om Trivikramaaya Namah Om Haraye Namah Om Kolaahalaaya Namah Om Chakrine Namah Om Vijayaaya Namah Om Jayavardhanaaya Namah Om Pamchanaaya Namah Om Parabramhane Namah Om Aghoraaya Namah Om Gora-vikramaya Namah Om Jwalanmukhaya

Namah Om Jvalaa maaline Namah Om Mahajvalaaya Namah Om Maha prabhave Namah Om Nitalaakshaya Namah Om Saha-srakashaya Namah Om Durni-rikshaya Namah Om Prataapanaaya Namah Om Mahadamstrayudhaya Namah Om Pragnyaya Namah Om Chanda kopine Namah Om Sadaasivaaya Namah Om Hiranyakasipu dwamsine Namah Om Daityadaanava bhamjanaaya Namah Om Guna bhadraya Namah Om Maha bhadtraya Namah Om Bala bhadhraya Namah Om Subhadragaaya Namah Om Karaalaaya Namah Om Vikaraalaya Namah Om Vikarte Namah Om Sarwakartrukaya Namah Om Shimshumaaraaya Namah Om Trilokaatmane Namah Om Eshaaya Namah Om Sarveshvaraaya Namah Om Vibhave Namah Om Bhairavaadambaraaya Namah Om Divyaya Namah Om Achyutaaya Namah Om Kavaye Namah Om Maadavaaya

Namah Om Adokshaya Namah Om Aksharaaya Namah Om Sharvaya Namah Om Vanamaaline Namah Om Parapradaaya Namah Om Vishwam-bharaaya Namah Om Adbhutaaya Namah Om Bhavyaya Namah Om Sri vishnave Namah Om Purushottamaaya Namah Om Anaghastraya Namah Om Nakhastraya Namah Om Suryajothishe Namah Om Sureshwaraaya Namah Om Saha sabrahave Namah Om Sarvagnyaya Namah Om Sarvasiddi pradaayakaaya Namah Om Vajradamstraya Namah Om Vajrakhaya Namah Om Mahanamdaaya Namah Om Paramtapaaya Namah Om Sarvamaothreka rupaaya Namah Om Sarvayantra-vidaranaya Namah Om Sarvatam-tratmakaaya Namah Om Avyaktaya Namah Om Suvyaktaya Namah Om Bhakthavatsalaaya Namah Om Vaishaakha shukla bhutottaya Namah Om Sharanagata vatsalaaya Namah Om Udaarakirthiye

Namah Om Punyatmane Namah Om Mahatmane Namah Om Chanda vikramaaya Namah Om Vedattraya prapujyaya Namah Om Bhagavate Namah Om Parameswaraaya Namah Om Sri vatssmkaaya Namah Om Srinivaasaya Namah Om Jagadvyapine Namah Om Jaganmayaaya Namah Om Jagatpalaaya Namah Om Jagannadaya Namah Om Mahakaayaya Namah Om Dviroopa-brute Namah Om Paramatmane Namah Om Paramjyotishye Namah Om Nirgunaaya Namah Om Nru kesarine Namah Om Parathatvaya Namah Om Paramdhamane Namah Om Sachitananda vigrahaya Namah Om Lakshminarasimhaya Namah Om Sarvatmane Namah Om Dheeraya Namah Om Prahaladha palakaya Namah

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