Narasimha Avatar Victory Righteousness over Evil

Devotion at its zenith has been exemplified by Prahlada in this Avataram of Sri Maha Vishnu. The infinite mercy of Lord Vishnu to save his devotees from the jaws of death and in times of distress stands testimony of the Lord Vishnu’s compassion for his creation in Narasimha Avataram.

Narasimha Avataram is 4th incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The awe of fearsome wrath of Lord Vishnu for evil and in contrast His infinite love for His devotees which gives unparalleled succor is the hallmark of Narasimha Avataram.

HiranyaKashipu the demon King who wanted to avenge the death of his brother Hiranyaksha killed by Lord Vishnu in Varaha Avataram performed severe penance to please Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma appeared before him and granted him many boons. The boons that HiranyaKashipu pleaded for were so devised by him so as to make him invincible. HiranyaKapshipu devised his boons so that he would not be killed under any circumstances or by anyone or at anytime in the day or night.

Lord Vishnu, the only one to survive the pralay, who created this entire universe including Brahma, the one the Vedas refer to as moksha adhikari, the Supreme, could have easily overruled the boons given by Brahma and killed HiranyaKashipu. But he didn’t do that. Above all Lord Vishnu is the granter of Salvation also creator of Brahma .

Lord Vishnu didn’t violate any of the boons granted by Lord Brahma; yet He found a way out. This resulted in Lord Vishnu to incarnate as Lord Narasimha. Lord Vishnu took the form of Narasimha Avataram, as a half−lion, half−man seated on a raised platform put Hiranyakashipu on his lap and killed him by tearing his stomach with his nails. This is described evocatively in the Srimath Bhagavatham.

When Hiranyakashipu threatened to kill Prahlad for insisting that Lord Vishnu was Supreme, Vishnu came to Prahlad’s rescue in the form of Narasimha. This way, both Brahma and Sage Narada’s words were honoured, that Prahlad would not be killed. Kayatu, the wife of Hiranyakashipu, was with child when the king proceeded to perform penance.

Indra tried to kill the child in her womb, when Narada stopped him and informed him that a great Vishnu bhakt was to be born to her.
The Alwars have sung beautiful songs on Narasimha Avatar. Prahlad insists that the Lord is Omnipresent. An exasperated Hiranyakashipu strikes at the pillar, asking if the Lord resided in the pillar, too. That very moment the pillar split open and Vishnu appeared in the form of Narasimha.

Narasimhatapaneeya Upanishad refers to Vishnu as Narasimha Trayambaka - one who has three eyes, tapana, indu, agni naya−naha – the sun, the moon and agni are his three eyes. Lord Shiva in Mantraraja Pada Stotram tells Parvati that the most ugra rudra is the Lord as Narasimha. In this manner, Vishnu did what he had to do without overruling the boons given by Brahma and Narada. In order to honour the word of his disciples and followers and to protect them, he innovates and finds a way out. Vishnu devotees believe that in this way, Narasimha comes to the rescue of all those who believe in him and pray to him, just as he came to the rescue of child Prahlad.