Sri Narasimha Jayanti is celebrated in the month of Vrishabha masam during Chathurthasi thidi. In that day it is celebrated with religious favor in Puttakonda, Andhra Pradesh when utsava Narasimha moorthy’s are decorated after abhishekam and specail poojas are performed. On that day evening Utsavam is celebrated grandly by the all the devotees at Puttakonda
Sri Vaishnava Narasimha Jayanti, 2024 date is 22nd May, Wednesday. Narasimha Jayanti is an important festival of Hindu and celebrated to venerate Lord Maha Vishnu’s incarnation as Narasimha−the fourth and the greatest Avatara (incarnation) that signifies Lord’s omnipresence.
Bhajans and birth Kirtans are sung in praise of Lord Narasimha−the half man-half lion avatara during this festival. Devotees offer prayers to the lion headed Lord especially during the evening twilight period.
Significance of Narasimha Jayanti
One significant aspect of Narasimha-Avatara shows Lord’s unparalleled ferocity matching His gentleness towards His devotees.
“Srimad payonidhi nikethana chakra pane
Bhogeendra Bhoga mani rajitha punya moorthe
Yogeesha shaswatha sharanya Bhabdhi potha
Lakshmi Nrsimha Mama Dehi Karavalambam”
Meaning: Oh Great God Lakshmi Nrsimha, Who lives in the ocean of milk, Who holds the holy wheel as weapon, Who wears the gems on the head, Of Adhishesha as ornaments, Who has the form of good and holy deeds, Who is the permanent protector of sages, And who is the boat which helps us cross, This ocean of misery called life, Please give me the protection of your hands.
There is no incarnation of Lord Narayana that is greater than the
Nrusimha avataram nor is there a deity that is equal to or greater
Than Bhagavan Nrusimha. The Veda is replete with His glory. A
sampling of Vedic hymns reflecting this fact can be found in the
following places:
1. The Purusha Sooktham of the sama vEdam glorifies Bhagavan
Nrusimha in the opening anuvakam through the “sa BhUmim sarvathO
vruthvA” referring to His omniscient nature.
2. The shanty mantram of the MundakOpanishad glorifies
Bhagavan Nrusimha “Bhadram KarNe BishruNuyAma dhevA: Bhadram
PashyEmAkshaBhiryajatrA: SthiraiRangaIsthushTuvAmsastanUBhirvyashema Devahitam YadAyu:”
(Meaning: Oh Lord! May we be blessed to hear auspicious sounds with our ears. May our eyes behold all
things auspicious. Praising the Lord with sturdy limbs and bodies may we live the full−life span as ordained
by the Lord.
3. Further testimony to vedic glorification of Bhagavan
Nrusimha is found in the mantram “svasthina indhrO vruddhasravA :
svasthina pooshA vishva vEdhA: , svastinasthArkshyO arishtanEmi:
svasthinO bruhaspathir dhaDhAtu” May He, who is the Lord of
unbounded knowledge, bless us with prosperity. He who is the
sustainer of all; May He, who is the source of all Vedas, bless us
with prosperity. May He, who confers the wealth of horses and cows
bless us with
prosperity. May He, who rules over all elements guarantee our
welfare.
4. The taittriya Upanishad glorifies Bhagavan Nrusimha
as “BhIshAsmAth vAtha: pavathE BhIshOdhEthi sUrya: BhIshAsmAth
agnischEndhrascha mruthyur DhAvathi panchama ithi” Out of fear of
the awe−inspiring one (Bhagavan Nrusimha) the wind−God (vAyu)
performs his assigned function; Out of fear of Him, the Sun carries
out his prescribed duties; Out of fear of Him, agni (Lord of fire),
Indra (king of the Devas) and Yama (God of death) perform their
respective duties.
5. The Mahanarayana Upanishad glorifies Bhagavan Nrusimha
through the mantram “ya AtmadhA baladhA yasya vishva upAsathE
prashiSham yasya dhEvA: yasya cChayA amrutam yO mrutyumrutyu: kasmai
dhEvAya haviShA viDhEma” He who bestows refuge to those who seek His
protection, He who gives strength to experience Himself, He whose
divine command is implicitly obeyed by all beings, He to whom gods
like Indra are all subservient, He whom immortality follows like a
shadow and He who is death to death itself, to that Lord all
creatures may we offer the oblation in form of our atman. This
mantram is most important in context of performing SharaNagati to
the Lotus feet of Bhagavan Nrusimha and contains several layers of
inner meanings.
The Azhwars wax eloquent in their praise of Bhagavan Nrusimha:
1. For example PeriyAzhwar maps the entire mantrarajapada
Stotram into Tamil in his glorification of Bhagavan Nrusimha
2. Tirumangai Azhwar sings his glory in the singavElkundram
verses.
3. Swami NammAzhwar, who is an avowed lover of Lord Krishna,
desires to see none other than Bhagavan Nrusimha even in
Srivaikuntam (en singapirAn perumai).
|
