Orissa Review June - 2009 The Origin of Lord Narasimha Dhruva Dasa ( I ) Pilgrimage to Ahovalam : Ahobilam is known to be the place where Nrsimhadeva appeared. In 1980 I was born to devotee parents in the large Hare Krishna community of New Vrindavan, West Virginia. From my infancy my parents brought me to the temple each day. Gradually, as a young child I Reading the accompanying article, I was amazed grew attached to the large, fierce-looking deity to learn about a young sannyasi, Indradyumna of Krishna's form as Lord Nrisimhadeva Swami, who had made an incredible journey to (Narasimha) and His foremost devotee, the boy- Ahovalam, a remote South Indian holy place said saint Prahlada. When I was six, Prahlada's age, to be the very spot where Lord Nrisimhadeva the priest allowed me to assist him in the temple dispatched the evil Hiranyakashipu. His article worship of Lord Nrisimhadeva. Although the inspired me so much that I set my mind then and Lord looked frightening, I always felt protected there on making the difficult pilgrimage to Ahovalam. when I stood before Him. Warnings When I was sixteen my family visited India. I fell in love with the spiritual atmosphere there I began my India adventure in Vrindavana, and decided to return as soon as possible. By the where I visited a remarkable three-eyed deity of time I turned eighteen I had decided to make the Nrisimhadeva. From there I proceeded south to journey on my own. I worked hard to save for several well-known holy places, including the trip and agonized over my itinerary. India is Srirangam and Tirupati, my last stop before so big-where should I go? Ahovalam. One day I visited the Hare Krishna temple The devotees at the ISKCON Tirupati in Miami. As I glanced over a large stack of old temple asked me where I was going next. When issues of Back to Godhead, a stray breeze blew I said Ahovalam, they looked at me as if I were open the top one to a full- page photo of Lord crazy and urged me not to go. Seeing they could Nrisimhadeva. The picture seemed to beckon me. not dissuade me, they strongly cautioned me to 1 Orissa Review June - 2009 stay only for one day and get out of there. I Having been warned about thieves, I thought they were just joking until I realized that I opened the door cautiously. There stood two was the only one laughing. An experienced Indian men. One of them, tall and saintly looking, devotee warned me that people there try to rob introduced himself as Madhu, from Vijaywada. and kill you and that the surrounding jungle holds Years before, he had lived in an ISKCON ashram ferocious, wild animals such as bears, tigers, and and was now initiated in the Ramanuja line. He cobras. With these words of encouragement I felt said he'd heard that I wanted to see all nine forms terrified-but even more excited ! The journey of Lord Narasimha. would truly test my faith in Lord Nrisimhadeva. After a grueling ten-hour bus ride, I arrived at the "Yes," I answered, thinking, Word sure gets around Allagada station, where I'd catch the Ahovalam fast here. bus. As I waited, a large group of people suddenly He said, "I'm going to go tomorrow surrounded me, the only blonde kid in the whole morning. Why don't we go together? I have been station. An English-speaking man asked where I several times and can take you to all nine forms." was going. When I replied, "Ahovalam," he looked at me very strangely. When he told the crowd I felt convinced this must be Nrisimha's what I had said, everyone stared at me even more. arrangement, so I readily agreed. I asked Madhu how much he would charge. "Why do you want to go to such a place?" he asked. "It is a very dangerous place." "I am glad just to serve another devotee," he humbly replied. "I am going to see Lord Nrisimhadeva," I replied. Madhu said that to see all nine forms in "May He protect you," he uttered gravely, and one day, we would have to spend the night in the walked away. jungle. Aboard the bus and getting closer to Ahovalam, I could feel my limbs start to tremble, The Trek Begins and my heart beat fast. I didn't know what lay In the morning I rose early and met Madhu. ahead, but I was going to see my Lord at His We visited the nearby Lakshmi-Narasimha home. temple to pray for a safe journey. Remembering The Lord Sends a Guide a photograph in the old Back to Godhead, I recognized the same pujari who had taken After an hour on the bus through the middle Indradyumna Swami on his tour here in 1979. of nowhere, I reached the tiny village of Lower Ahovalam. There I saw Lord Nrisimhadeva at Our walk to Bhargava-Narasimha, the the Lakshmi-Narasimha temple, the first of nine second of the nine local forms of Nrisimhadeva, forms of the Lord to be seen in the Ahovalam took us through a thick jungle with paths in all area. Then I arranged for some rough directions. Madhu said that no matter how many accommodations-the only kind available. A times you go there you can never remember the shower is a bucket of water you pour over way. yourself. "You have to depend on the Lord," he said. I was in the middle of my shower when The next thing you know, we were lost. I felt someone knocked on the door and called out, nervous. We finally found the way and arrived at "Hello. Hare Krishna !" the beautiful temple, where we chanted for a while. 2 Orissa Review June - 2009 In the past many great sages worshiped the deity did not encounter. Soon we reached the temple here. Madhu said that the deity is named for of Ugra Narasimha, constructed inside His cave. Parashurama (also known as Bhargava), the The deity looked ferocious. We prayed for a safe warrior incarnation of God. Parashurama had trip to our next stop, the Ugra Stambha, said to performed penance near Ahovalam at a place be the actual pillar from which Lord Narasimha now known as Ramatirtha. appeared. Next we set off to see the third form, Atop the Historic Pillar Catravada Narasimha. Madhu mentioned that if After a side trip to the ancient Varaha we were lucky we would be able to see all nine Narasimha cave/temple, we followed an adjacent forms on this holy day. Catravada was a long walk stream bed to the Ugra Stambha and the seventh from town, but I was extremely pleased to see form, Jvala Narasimha. The terrain proved most Him. He was effulgent and had a big smile. We difficult. Madhu told me that not many people were allowed to touch our make this journey because it heads to His lotus feet. requires crossing a huge and Near Catravada is dangerous waterfall. On the Yogananda Narasimha, the way up I saw a couple of last of the nine forms of Lord wooden boxes next to the Narasimha in Lower path. Ahovalam. He looked magnificent and powerful. Of "Those are for the people the nine Narasimhas, who died making the climb," Yogananda is said to be the Madhu said. I didn't need to most merciful. hear that. We ran back to catch Nestled on the side of the bus to Upper Ahovalam, a cliff, the Jvala Narasimha a trip through dangerous and temple is said to be the exact treacherous terrain. After a spot where the Lord killed while the bus stopped, and the demon Hiranyakashipu. the driver directed us to get Next to the temple is a large off. I saw nothing but jungle, stream. At the spot where but as the bus drove away, the temple of Karanja Narasimha washed his hands Narasimha came into view. He is named after a after killing the demon, the water flows blood- fruit- bearing tree growing next to the temple. red and even feels like blood. Having now visited the first five Narasimha After more climbing we reached the top of forms, we had to walk the rest of the way to the the large stone pillar. The view was spectacular. next: Ugra Narasimha, a deity tucked in a cave I couldn't believe I'd actually made it. We'd been between two mountains. The walk was beautiful. walking all day long, with very little to eat and All around was an untouched jungle, overgrown just water to drink, but I hadn't thought of anything and full of wild animals, which, fortunately, we except the thrill of being in this spiritual place. 3 Orissa Review June - 2009 My contentment was short-lived; now it amazed to see that the forest ahead was on fire, was time to go to the eighth form, which meant except for the small path we were following. another long walk through the mountains. At last I thought, It must be Lord Narasimha we reached the temple of Mohaloha Narasimha, lighting up the jungle and keeping wild animals situated on the side of a mountain. According to away. The fire went on all the way to the temple. Madhu, Lakshmi did penance to marry the Lord here. At last we reached the ninth and last deity. Next we went to the Prahlada school, Lord Narasimha and His consort looked so which has Sanskrit writing on the walls dating from beautiful.