Lord Nrsimhadev

Lord Narsimhadev is the half-man, half-lion incarnation of Sri , the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Narsimhadev appeared in the Satya-yauga, millions of years ago, to protect His devotee Prahalad Maharaja from the violence of his demoniac father King Hiranyakasyapu.

Hiranyakasyapu was born of the great sage Kasyapa Muni and his wife Diti. He had an elder brother named Hiranyaksh. When Hiranyaksh, the younger brother of Hiranyakasyapu was killed by Sri in His Varha incarnation, Hiranyakasyapu was furious and vowed to retaliate the death of his brother by killing Vishnu Himself. He accused Lord Vishnu of being partial to the demigods, and sent his followers to the different planetary systems, to spread chaos. These followers of Hiranyakasyapu attacked the saintly people, stopped all kinds of yajnas or sacrifices and spread irreligosity every where. The demigods, deprived of their offerings from the yajnas became weak and ineffective. Meanwhile Hiranyakasyapu went to Mount Mandara to perform severe austerities in order to please , the creator of the universe.

Taking advantage of the absence of Hiranyakasyapu, , the king of the demigods attacked and drove away the demons. Indra also took captive Queen Kayadhu, the wife of Hiranyakasyapu, who was at that time pregnant. Indra, aware that any child of Hiranyakasyapu could also be a future threat, wanted to kill the child at the time of birth. He was however stopped by Narada Muni, the transcendental sage of the demigods. Narada brought Queen Kayadhu in his ashram and instructed her on the glories of Lord Krishna. In the womb of Kayadhu, her son, who would later become Prahalad, also heard and absorbed these nectarean instructions. Kayadhu, fearful that Indra may still return to kill her child on birth, requested Narada Muni to give her the blessing that her child would not be born until Hiranyakasyapu returns. Prahalad thus stayed in the womb of his mother for 100 years of the demigods (36,000 of earthly years), spiritually associating with a pure devotee, Narada Muni, through speech, while his father performed intense austerities.

Over this period, Hiranyakasyapu's body was eaten away be ants and insects. His life air remained trapped in his skeleton by his mystic powers. Pleased by his austerities, Lord Brahma came, restored Hiranyakasyapu's body and granted him a boon. The boon was that he would not be killed during day or night, in the ground or the air, inside or outside, by man, animal or demigod, by any weapon living or non living. In asking for such a boon, Hiranyakasyapu was attempting to become immortal.

Kayadhu on being re-united with Hiranyakasyapu, gave birth to Prahalad. Hiranyakasyapu, empowered with the boons from Brahma soon brought the three worlds under his power. He ruled his kingdom cruelly, causing enormous miseries to the demigods, humans and the inhabitants of the lower planetary systems. He deprived the demigods of all their powers and assumed all their positions. He accepted all sacrifices for himself without glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Who is the ultimate receiver of all sacrifices. Miserable under the cruelty of Hiranyakasyapu, the demigods ultimately surrendered to Lord Krishna, praying to Him for protection and deliverance. Pleased by their prayers, Lord Krishna Who always protects His devotees promised to bring an end to Hiranyakasyapu.

Prahalad, although born in a demoniac family was a pure devotee. Understanding the true position of Vishnu, Prahalad spend his time meditating on the name, form and pastimes of Lord Krishna. Despite the efforts of his teachers, employed by Hiranyakasyapu, Prahalad refused to accept his father as the supreme being. Being a devotee, he was always kind, gentle and respectful, but firm in his faith. Finally after several tricks, Hiranyakasyapu frustrated with the determination of Prahalad, ordered him to be killed.

The cruel guards of Hiranyakasyapu tried very hard to kill Prahalad, but failed. When one is protected by Sri Krishna, it is impossible to harm him. Hiranyakasyapu now grew fearful of his son, and urged his teachers to try harder. The teachers tried using different methods to explain the supremacy of Hiranyakasyapu. However when Prahalad was taken back to Hiranyakasyapu, he remained firm in his belief and even advised his father to give up his envy for Vishnu and become his devotee. Angered by this Hiranyakasyapu decided to kill Prahalad himself. He insultingly asked him if his God was there to save him now. When Prahalad explained that Lord Vishnu is present everywhere, Hiranyakasyapu kicked a column asking him if his Vishnu was present in that pillar.

Lord Narsimhadev emerged from the pillar in an extraordinary form that was half man and half lion. He was brilliant in His arms, garments, helmet and weapons. Hiranyakasyapu, confident of the power of his boons, fearlessly attacked Lord Narsimhadev and a terrific fight took place. It is said that Lord Narsimhadev played with Hiranyakasyapu, much like Garuda, the carrier of Lord Vishnu, plays with a snake before killing it. Finally, when it was dusk, neither day nor night, Lord Narsimhadev, Who in that form was neither man nor animal, took Hiranyakasyapu on his lap, which was neither in the ground or the air, took him under the palace gate, which was neither inside nor outside and killed him with his nails, which was not a weapon, living or dead. In this way Lord Narsimhadev honored all the benedictions of Brahma and protected His devotees.

The killing of Hiranyakasyapu was greeted with much relief and celebration in all the three worlds. All the demigods, headed by Lord Brahma and Lord assembled to glorify Lord Narsimhadev. So fearful was the form and anger of Lord Narsimhadev, which no one dare approach Him and it was finally Prahalad Maharaj, fearless under the protection of his own Lord, who pacified Lord Narsimhadev by offering sweet prayers to Him. Finally when the Lord was pacified, He offered many benedictions to Prahalad Maharaj and was then worshipped by all the demigods assembled there.