Narasimha
नरसिंह
Narasiṃha
Form: Half-man, half-lion — neither man nor beast, neither inside nor outside
Purpose
To slay the asura Hiranyakashipu, who had received a boon that he could not be killed by man or beast, indoors or outdoors, by day or by night, on the ground or in the air, by any weapon — and to protect his devotee son Prahlada.
Demon / threat
Hiranyakashipu — the asura king who forbade worship of Vishnu and tortured his own son Prahlada for refusing to renounce his devotion
Weapons
- • Claws (no weapon, fulfilling the boon)
- • Sudarshana Chakra
- • Gada
Associated tirthas
- • Ahobilam (Andhra) — the nine Narasimha kshetras
- • Simhachalam
- • Mangalagiri
- • Yadagirigutta
Story
Hiranyakashipu, brother of Hiranyaksha, had won from Brahma an apparently airtight boon: he could not be killed by man or beast, by day or by night, indoors or outdoors, on the ground or in the air, by any weapon. Convinced of his immortality, he forbade all worship of Vishnu and demanded worship of himself. His own son Prahlada refused, devotedly worshipping Vishnu instead. After repeated failed attempts to kill the boy — by poison, by elephants, by fire — Hiranyakashipu in fury demanded "Where is your Vishnu? Show him in this pillar!" and struck the pillar. Vishnu burst forth as Narasimha — half-man, half-lion — seized Hiranyakashipu at twilight (neither day nor night), placed him on his lap (neither ground nor sky), at the threshold (neither indoors nor outdoors), and tore him apart with his claws (no weapon). Then he turned, calm, and blessed Prahlada.
Key teaching
No clever legal boundary can outwit dharma. The protection of a true devotee is absolute.
Principal scripture
Bhagavata Purana 7.2–10, Vishnu Purana 1.16–20, Narasimha Purana
Modern relevance
Narasimha is the chosen deity (ishta-devata) of many living traditions in Andhra and Karnataka. The story of Prahlada is read every year at Holika Dahan / Holi as the protective triumph of bhakti over tyranny.