Sri Narasimhadev aids us in overcoming or own ‘anarthas’ or negative character traits. Worship of Lord Narasimha has the capacity to purify a heart vulnerable to lust, to erase the subtle desire for fame and name; tendency for cunning behavior and to purify us from duplicitous dealings. Lord Narasimha cleanses us and prepares us for genuine loving service to the Divine Couple.
Lord Narasimha gives the benediction of being able to worship Sri Sri Radha-Krishna in the right manner and to live peacefully without disturbance in one’s home or in the Dham. So Bhagavan Narasimha is also protector of the holy places and devotees.
In the struggles of day-to-day life also Lord Narasimha is the one to remove distress and provide succour. Many people ignorantly avoid having deities of Sri Narasimhadev or his worship fearing that it will bring about ruin. Understanding the magnificient nature of the Lord’s grace induces unquestionable faith in the Lord which is a pre-requisite for attaining knowledge about Him and His glory.
Lord Narasimha dev has the gentle protective love of a mother-lion towards her devotee-cubs while at the same time He is extremely ferocious and fearsome to evil-doers.
Lord Narasimha is associated with tantra sandhna also. This is a very secretive and mystical aspect that only someone like our Baba knew about. Lord Narasimha is the one to ultimately award siddhi or perfection to sadhakas.
One or another form of Narasimhadev is generally to be found in most large temples and tirthas. Ancient deities can be found in Vrindavan, Mathura, several places in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Even Lord Rama worshipped Narasimha Bhagavan in Ahobilam.
Narasimhadev removes the evil influences of ghosts, spirits and dark forces. They can never remain where the Lord is present. Those who are under the malevolent infuence of Shani (Saturn) will get relief if they surrender to Lord Narasimha for protection. Lord Shanidev has promised that he will spare the devotees of Narasimhadev.
There 74 different forms of Narasimhadev mentioned in the Vihagendra-Samhita of the Pancaratra-Agama and they all signify different aspects of the Lord.
The nine most prominent forms are:
Vira-narasimha; Vilamba-narasimha; Kopa-narasimha; Yoga-narasimha
Aghora-narasimha Sudarsana-narasimha; Laksmi-Narasimha.
In Ahobila, Andhra Pradesh, the nine forms are as follows:
(1) Chhatra-vata-narasimha (seated under a banyan tree)
(2) Yogananda-narasimha (who blessed Lord Brahma)
(3) Karanja-narasimha (4) Uha-narasimha
(5) Ugra-narasimha (6) Kroda-narasimha
(7) Malola-narasimha (With Laksmi on His lap)
(8) Jvala-narasimha (an eight armed form rushing out of the pillar)
(9) Pavana-narasimha (who blessed the sage Bharadvaja)
Other forms are as follows:
Stambha-narasimha (coming out of the pillar)
Svayam-narasimha (manifesting on His own)
Grahana-narasimha (catching hold of the demon)
Vidarana-narasimha (ripping open of the belly of the demon)
Samhara-narasimha (killing the demon)
Shanta-narasimha (pacified and peaceful Lord)
Eighteen Puranas mention the Narasimha avatara. To be rid of one’s sins, one goes to Prayag, Gaya and Kasi. But all this is not needed, if one goes to Ahobilam, abode of Lord Narasimha, said Kidambi Narayanan. A day in Ahobilam is equal to many years of visit to other places. Donating 1,000 cows, with gold tipped horns in Kurukshetra, is supposed to confer good on a person.
But listening to the story of Narasimha on a full moon day or a new moon day is superior to this. When Lord Srinivasa and Padmavathy marry in Tirupati, the Lord asks Brahma to worship Lord Narasimha at the Ahobilam shrine before the divine wedding. Ahobilam is considered superior to a 1,000 yuga sojourn in Varanasi
Among the Puranas, the Vishnu Purana is considered the most important. In this purana, Maitreya asks Parasara to tell him about Lord Narasimha.
A Vaishnavite Acharya observed that on three occasions the Lord’s quickness to respond to His devotees was challenged, and in each case, He proved Himself to be quick to help them. When Gajendra’s foot was caught in the jaws of a crocodile and the elephant cried out to the Lord, He came in a dashing hurry on His mount Garuda, and using His discus killed the crocodile
Again when Draupadi’s sari was yanked in the Kaurava court, while her husbands and everyone else watched in silence, she called out to Lord Krishna. The Lord instantly responded by sending yards and yards of dress, so that the Kaurava prince kept pulling and unravelling, but the job never seemed to get done. He gave up in exhaustion. Here too, if the Lord had not responded in the nick of time, Draupadi would have been shamed in the presence of many. But the Lord’s help was readily available.
In the case of Prahlada, the child told his father that the Lord was everywhere, including in the pillars of his father’s palace. Hiranyakasipu prepared to strike a pillar. There was no knowing which pillar he would strike. And yet the Lord was keen that the child’s words should not be proved false. So He was present in every pillar, so that whichever pillar the asura struck, He would be there.
