Narasimha: The Man-Lion Avatar of Vishnu and the Story of Prahlada

Who is Narasimha?

Narasimha (Narasingha, Narasimhar; nara = man, simha = lion) is the man-lion avatar of Vishnu, the fourth of Vishnu's ten incarnations. Vishnu is seen as a savior who is born on earth again and again to defeat evil, and Narasimha is his fiercest form: he came to save the pious boy Prahlada from his father, the demon king Hiranyakashipu.

In art Narasimha has a lion's head with a long mane and a human body, often with four or more arms. He is shown either in fury, tearing apart Hiranyakashipu across his lap, or calm and seated in meditation as Yoga Narasimha, sometimes with Lakshmi on his lap as Lakshmi Narasimha.

The story of Narasimha and Prahlada

Hiranyakashipu, king of the demons, hated Vishnu. Through long austerity he won a boon from Brahma that seemed to make him immortal: he could not be killed by man or beast, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither by day nor by night.

But his own son, Prahlada, was a devotee of Vishnu. The king tried everything to turn the boy, then to kill him, and every time Prahlada was saved. At last the king pointed to a pillar and mocked him: "Is your Vishnu in this pillar too?" Prahlada said yes, Vishnu is everywhere.

The king struck the pillar, and out burst Narasimha. Every condition of the boon was turned:

The boon	How Narasimha met it
Not by man or beast	He was half-man, half-lion: neither
Not indoors or outdoors	He struck on the threshold, the porch: neither
Not by day or night	He came at twilight: neither

Hiranyakashipu was destroyed, and Prahlada became king. The story's lesson is simple: God protects the devotee, and no cleverness can outwit the divine.

Narasimha among Vishnu's ten avatars

#	Avatar	Form
1	Matsya	Fish
2	Kurma	Tortoise
3	Varaha	Boar
4	Narasimha	Man-lion
5	Vamana	Dwarf
6	Parashurama	Warrior with an axe
7	Rama	The prince of the Ramayana
8	Krishna	The god of the Bhagavad Gita
9	Buddha (or Balarama, in some lists)	The teacher
10	Kalki	The avatar still to come

How Narasimha is worshipped

Narasimha Jayanti, his appearance day, falls in spring on the fourteenth day of the bright half of the month of Vaishakha. Devotees fast until dusk, the hour he appeared.
Great temples include Ahobilam and Simhachalam in Andhra Pradesh and Yadagirigutta in Telangana, and many ISKCON and South Indian temples in the US have Narasimha shrines.
At home, devotees light a lamp at dusk and chant his name for protection.

Diya, the app, has prayers to Vishnu and his avatars, with meanings, and a diya to light each day. Diya is available for iPhone. See the Diya app.

Questions people ask

Who is the god Narasimha and what is he known for?

Narasimha is Vishnu in the form of a man-lion. He is known for protecting his devotee Prahlada by destroying the demon king Hiranyakashipu, and he is worshipped as the protector of anyone who is devoted and in danger.

Are Lord Vishnu and Narasimha the same?

Yes. Narasimha is an avatar of Vishnu, the fourth of his ten incarnations. Devotees worship him as Vishnu himself in a fierce form.

How do you worship Narasimha?

Light a lamp, offer flowers and something simple such as jaggery water or panakam, and chant his name or a Narasimha mantra. Many temples hold special worship on Narasimha Jayanti, his appearance day in spring, and devotees often pray to him at dusk, the hour he appeared.

What are the benefits of praying to Narasimha?

Devotees pray to Narasimha for protection and courage, the same protection he gave Prahlada. The story teaches that sincere devotion is never abandoned.