Narasimha

Narasimha (Sanskrit: नरसिंह, lit. 'man-lion', IAST: Narasiṃha, or Sanskrit: नृसिंह, IAST: Nṛsiṃha), is the fourth avatara of the Hindu god Vishnu in the Satya Yuga. He incarnated as a part-lion, part-man and killed Hiranyakashipu, ended religious persecution and calamity on earth, and restored dharma. Narasimha has three eyes, and is the God of Destruction in Vaishnavism; He who destroys the entire universe through (Pralaya). Hence, He is known as Kala (time), Mahakala (great-time), or Parakala (beyond time) in His names. There exists a matha (monastery) dedicated to Him by the name of Parakala Matha at Mysuru in the Sri Vaishnava tradition. There is also Ahobila mutt another srivaishnava matha that primarily worships Narasimha, and controls Ahobilam, Thiruvallur, pulamboothangudi, and aadanur temples. Kshetras for Narasimha include Ahobilam where Lakshmi Narasimha and Nava Narasimhas are worshiped. Narasimha is the God of Yoga, as Yoga-Narasimha.

Narasimha has a human torso and lower body, with a lion face and claws, with the asura Hiranyakashipu being disemboweled and killed by Him in His lap. Hiranyakashipu was the megalomaniacal elder brother of the evil Hiranyaksha - who had been previously killed by Vishnu's Varaha avatar - and, consequently, harboured profound hatred for Vishnu's devotees. Hiranyakashipu gained a boon from Brahma due to which he could not be killed during the day or night, inside or outside the house; neither in the sky nor on land nor in Svarga nor in Patala, by any weapon or hand, nor by humans, deities, demons, or animals. Endowed with this boon, he began to wreak chaos and havoc, persecuting all the devotees of Vishnu, including his own son Prahlada. Vishnu, cognisant of the asura's boon, creatively assumed a mixed form that was neither human nor animal as a lion in the name of Narasimha, and Narashima disemboweled and killed Hiranyakashipu and at evening, which is neither day nor night, at the threshold of his palace, which was neither inside nor outside, upon his lap, which is neither sky nor land, and with his claws, which are neither weapons nor hands. Narasimha is known primarily as the 'Great Protector' who specifically defends and protects his devotees from evil and destroys evil. The most popular Narasimha myth is the legend of his protection of his devotee Prahlada, and the killing of Prahlada's evil father and demon Hiranyakashipu.

Lord Mahavishnu Ji is highly worshipped in his Narasimha form by his devotees through the prayers in Trisandhya. In Vishnu Shodashnaam Stotram, it is mentioned that one should chant his name "Narsimha" while facing trouble in the forest. Also, through "Dashaavatar Stotram" devotees pray to his Half-man, Half-lion form in which he, with his sharp weapon like nails ripped open Hiranyakashipu's (demon) chest and killed him. Through these prayers devotees receive his grace and protection from all negativity and evil.

Narasimha is one of the major deities in Vaishnavism, and his legends are revered in Vaikhanasas, Sri Vaishnavism, Sadha Vaishnavism, and various other Vaishnava traditions of Hinduism. He is celebrated in many regional Hindu temples, texts, performance arts, and festivals such as the Hindu festival of colours of the spring, called Holi.

One of the earliest representation of Narasimha, dating back to the 4th-century CE, is from Kondamotu in Coastal Andhra. Other older known artworks of Narasimha have been found at several sites across Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, such as at the Mathura archaeological site. These have been variously dated between the 2nd century CE and the 4th century CE.