How did Narasimha break every condition of Brahma's boon?

Narasimha was neither man nor animal (half-man, half-lion). He killed Hiranyakashyap at the doorstep (neither inside nor outside), during twilight (neither day nor night), on his lap (neither on earth nor in sky), and with his nails (neither weapon nor projectile). This ingeniously fulfilled every condition of the boon.

Why is Narasimha considered the fiercest avatar of Vishnu?

Narasimha's rage was so intense after killing Hiranyakashyap that even Brahma and Lakshmi could not calm him. The three worlds trembled with his roar. Only the innocent touch of his devotee Prahlad could soothe his anger. This fierce form represents the protective wrath of God against those who persecute his devotees.

When is Narasimha Jayanti celebrated?

Narasimha Jayanti is observed on Vaishakh Shukla Chaturdashi (the 14th day of the bright fortnight of the month of Vaishakh, typically in May). Devotees fast and worship Lord Narasimha, praying for protection from evil and obstacles. Special pujas are performed at Narasimha temples across India.

PuranicBhagavata Purana

नरसिंह अवतार

Narasimha Avatar

NarasimhaHiranyakashyapPrahlad

Daityon ke vansh mein do bhai hue — Hiranyaksha aur Hiranyakashyap. Dono atyant shaktishali aur ahankari the. Hiranyaksha ne prithvi ko samudra mein dubo diya tha jise bachane ke liye Bhagwan Vishnu ne Varah (suar) avatar lekar Hiranyaksha ka vadh kiya. Apne bhai ki mrityu se Hiranyakashyap Vishnu se atyant ghrina karne laga aur usne Vishnu se badla lene tatha amar hone ka sankalp liya.

Hiranyakashyap ne Mandrachal parvat par jaakar atyant kathor tapasya ki. Hazaron varshon tak usne ek pair ke angoothe par khade hokar tap kiya. Uski tapasya itni prachand thi ki uske shareer se nikalne wali ooshma se teenon lok jalne lage. Devtaon ne Brahma ji se prarthana ki. Brahma ji prakat hue aur prasann hokar vardaan maangne ko kaha.

Hiranyakashyap ne atyant chaturai se vardaan manga — "Mujhe koi devta, manushya, pashu ya raakshas na maar sake. Na main din mein maroon, na raat mein. Na ghar ke andar maroon, na bahar. Na bhoomi par maroon, na aakaash mein. Na astra se maroon, na shastra se. Na koi janma hua praani mujhe maar sake." Brahma ji ne "Tathastu" kehkar vardaan de diya. Is vardaan se Hiranyakashyap ko laga ki woh vyavaharik roop se amar ho gaya hai.

Vardaan paakar Hiranyakashyap ne teenon lokon par aadhipatya jama liya. Usne swarg par adhikaar kar liya, devtaon ko bhaga diya, aur swayam ko Parameshwar ghoshit kar diya. Uska aadesh tha ki sampoorn srishti mein keval uski puja aur stuti hogi. Vishnu ka naam lena mrityudand yogya apraadh tha. Sampoorn sansaar uske atyachaar se kaamp raha tha.

Parantu vidhi ka vidhaan anokha hai. Hiranyakashyap ka apna putra Prahlad janm se hi Bhagwan Vishnu ka ananya bhakt tha. Garbh mein hi Narad Muni se Vishnu bhakti seekhkar Prahlad ne janm liya tha. Prahlad sada "Om Namo Narayanaya" ka jaap karta aur sabhi ko batata ki Vishnu hi sachche Bhagwan hain, ve sarvavyapi hain. Hiranyakashyap ne Prahlad ko daraya, dhamkaya, marne ke anek prayas kiye — parvat se giraya, agni mein jalaya, vishaile sarpon se katwaya, hathiyon se kuchalwaya, Holika ki god mein agni mein baithaya — parantu har baar Bhagwan Vishnu ne apne bhakt ki raksha ki.

Ant mein Hiranyakashyap ka dhairya toot gaya. Usne Prahlad se poocha — "Kahan hai tera Vishnu? Kya woh is khambhe mein bhi hai?" Prahlad ne dridh swar mein kaha — "Haan Pitaji, Bhagwan Vishnu is khambhe mein bhi hain, is dhool ke kan mein bhi hain, aap mein bhi hain, mujh mein bhi hain — ve sarvatra hain." Hiranyakashyap ne krodh mein gada uthakar khambhe par prahaar kiya. Usi kshan ek bhayanak garjana ke saath khamba phat gaya aur usmein se ek adbhut roop prakat hua — oopar ka shareer singh ka aur neeche ka manushya ka. Yahi the Bhagwan Narasimha.

Bhagwan Narasimha ne Hiranyakashyap ko pakad liya. Ve use ghar ki chaukhat (dehleez) par le gaye — jo na ghar ke andar tha, na bahar. Godhuli bela thi — jo na din tha, na raat. Unhone Hiranyakashyap ko apni janghaon par rakha — jo na bhoomi thi, na aakaash. Aur apne teekshn nakhon se — jo na astra the, na shastra — Hiranyakashyap ka vakshasthala cheer diya. Narasimha — jo na manushya the, na pashu, na devta, na raakshas — ne Brahma ke vardaan ki pratyek shart ka paalan karte hue Hiranyakashyap ka ant kiya.

Vadh ke baad Narasimha Bhagwan atyant ugra aur krodhit the. Unki dahaad se teenon lok kaamp rahe the. Koi bhi devta — Brahma, Vishnu ki Lakshmi, anya koi — unke sameep jaane ka saahas nahi kar pa raha tha. Tab balak Prahlad nirbhay hokar Bhagwan Narasimha ke charanon mein gaya aur prempoorvak pranaam kiya. Prahlad ke shuddh prem aur bhakti ke sparsh se Narasimha Bhagwan ka krodh shaant ho gaya. Unhone Prahlad ko god mein uthakar kaha — "Vatsa, tu mera sabse priya bhakt hai. Teri bhakti ne mujhe is avatar mein prakat hone par vivash kiya." Prahlad ko asuron ka nyaypriya raja banaya gaya.

Narasimha Avatar Bhagwan Vishnu ke Dashavataaron mein chautha avatar hai. Yeh avatar hamein sikhaata hai ki Ishwar apne bhakt ki raksha ke liye kisi bhi roop mein prakat ho sakte hain. Koi bhi vardaan, koi bhi shakti Ishwar ki ichchha ke viruddh karya nahi kar sakti. Adharm chahe kitna bhi shaktishali ho, uska ant nishchit hai. Narasimha Jayanti Vaishakh Shukla Chaturdashi ko manai jati hai.

॥ इति ॥

Significance

Narasimha Avatar Ishwar ki sarvashaktimatta aur bhakt-vatsalta ka param pramaan hai. Yeh avatar sikhaata hai ki koi bhi shakti, koi bhi vardaan Ishwar ki ichchha se bada nahi. Bhagwan ne apne bhakt ki raksha ke liye aisa anokha roop dhaaran kiya jo kisi shreni mein nahi aata — na manushya, na pashu. Ahankaar aur adharm ka vinash avashyambhavi hai. Prahlad ki bhakti batati hai ki sachchi shraddha sabse badi shakti hai.

Frequently Asked Questions

Source

Bhagavata Purana

Key Characters

Narasimha, Hiranyakashyap, Prahlad

Tradition

This story is part of the Puranic tradition, one of the pillars of Hindu history and spiritual wisdom.