Fourth Avatar of Bhagwan Vishnu: Narsimha Avatar

Narsimha Avatar of Bhagwan Vishnu.Out of 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu,fourth and most furious avatar of Vishnu was "Lord Narsimha".He had half body of man and half body of Lion.Lord Narsimha is worshipped as a protector in the time of calamity.This Avatar of Lord Vishnu as Lord Narsimha to save his great devotee Prahlad(son of Hiranyakashipu) from the evils of Hiranyakashipu( Demon King ).

Lord Narsimha Mantra

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STORY OF NARSIMHA AVATAR:

          When Hiranyaksha was killed by Lord Varaha(Third Avatar of Lord Vishnu), his brother Hiranyakashipu was very sad.  He became a fierce opponent of God.  He did severe and harsh  penance ( tapsaya ) of Lord Brahma with the feeling of becoming invincible ( immortal ). Pleased by  penance of Hirankashipu Lord Brahma gave him the boon. He got a boon that he would neither die during the day nor at night, neither by weapon nor by weapon, nor by man, nor by animal, neither inside nor outside the house.       

           After receiving the boon, he became as if invincible. Demon Hiranyakashipu's rule was very harsh. He had won all the three worlds because of his boon. All the gods and demons used to worship at his feet.  He used to give harsh punishment to those who worshiped God and he made them all to do his worship. 

      All the people were frightened by his rule.  Finding no support anywhere else, they started praying to Lord Vishnu.  Pleased with the praise of the gods and other living beings, Lord Vishnu assured the killing of Hiranyakashipu.

   On the other hand, the tyranny of the demon king were increasing day by day.  His son was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu .He even started giving various kinds of trouble to his own son Prahlad for taking the name of Lord Vishnu.  From childhood, Prahlad used to leave sports and become absorbed in the meditation of Lord Vishnu.  He was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu.  From time to time, he also used to preach Dharma to the Asura-children. 

          Hiranyakashipu became very angry after hearing the teachings of the asura-children. He tried to crush his son Prahlad under the feet of an elephant, poisoned him, locked him in a dungeon full of snakes, threw him from top of a mountain, tied him in chains and drowned him in water.

      Hiranyakashipu asked his sister Holika to use his boon to burn Prahlad in the fire.Holika prepared a pyre after listening to her brother and sat down with her nephew in her lap.Holika sat down wearing her robe, in which she got the boon of not burning.But by the grace of Lord Vishnu, Holika got burnt in that pyre and nothing happened to Prahlad.

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     Hiranyakashipu was shocked and angry to see Prahlad alive as he consider his own son his greatest enemy.Prahlad survived every time and after that he called Prahlad to the court.  Prahlad stood humbly and smiling in front of the demon king.  Seeing him, the demon king scolded Prahlad.

       On this Prahlad again smiled and said ,"Father!  From Brahma to the straw, all the small and big, variable and immovable beings have been controlled by Lord Vishnu.  It is Lord Shree Hari Vishnu who creates, protects and destroys this world by his powers. Leave this feeling of yours and make your mind generous towards everyone".

    Hearing Prahlad's words, Hiranyakashipu's body trembled with anger.  He said to Prahlad- 'O retarded fool!  If your Lord Vishnu is everywhere, tell me why is it not visible in this pillar?". And  He hit the pillar with a big blow. 

LORD NARASIMHA AND DEMON HIRANYAKASHIPU
SOURCE:WIKIMEDIA

          After that Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of Lord Narsimha from the pillar. Lord Narsimha first hitted Demon Hiranyakashipu from which he fell down away and then again hiranyakashipu tried  to kill Narsimha but his every blow was waste. After that Lord vishnu in form of Narsimha placed Hiranyakashipu on the doorstep of the palace entrance, which was neither outside nor inside the house, at dusk, when there was neither day nor night, half man, half animal who was neither male nor animal.  In the form of such a huge Narasimha, with his long sharp nails, which was neither weapon nor weapon, and cut his stomach to death and saved his dear devotee Prahlad and peoples from the tyranny of Hiranyakashipu.

   But even after killing Demon King the rage of Lord Narsimha did not calm down, he started roaring due to which caused an outcry in the whole universe. Prahlad and gods tried to calm Lord Narsimha by praising him but they all failed to calm him. Then they went to Lord Shiva.To calm Lord Vishnu's fierce form Lord Shiva took  Sharabha Avatar.

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MENTIONED IN:

Narsimha avatar of Lord Vishnu is mentioned in these Puranas:

1. Vishnu Puran
2. Bhagwat Puran
3. Narsimha Puran

  "Ugram viram maha-vishnum jvalantam sarvato mukham |

nrisimham bhishanam bhadram mrityur mrityum namamy aham ||"

 

"I bow down to Lord Narasimha who is highly ferocious and brave and the emanation of Lord Maha Vishnu. He is full of effulgence, terrific and auspicious and the death of death"

                                                       || OM NAMHO NARAYANA ||

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