The fourth of incarnation of Vishnu dashavatara is Narsingh avatar (half man half lion). This incarnation is also related to Holi Festival and Holika Dahan in India
The story of Hiranyakashyap and Brahma’s boon
Hiranyakashyap was a demon king who did severe penance of Brahma. Brahma became pleased with him and asked for a boon. Hiranyakashyap demanded immortality. Brahma replied that this is not possible as everyone who takes birth has to die, so ask something else. Hiranyakashyap then asks “no one created by you can kill me; I cannot die inside the house or outside, during the day or the night. I cannot be killed by any weapon by any human or beast, living or non living, any demi-god or demon. ” Brahma granted him this boon.
Narsingh Bhagwan Image
His son Prahlad – A devotee of Lord Vishnu [Narsingh]
Thus Hiranyakashyap became very strong and he started asking people to treat him as god. But his own son, Prahlad was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He was initiated by Sage Narada and he belived in none other than Narayan. Knowing this, Hiranyakashyap became very angry and tried to dissuade Prahlad from worshipping Vishnu.
He wants to kill Prahlad
He tried to kill him by burning him in fire, by giving him poison, by crushing him under elephants’ feet, by rolling down from high hills, by snake bites, by many kinds of weapons, but because of his devotion, Prahalad could not be killed by any means.
Holika tries to help her brother and kill Prahlad
Hirankashyap’s sister Holika, offered a solution. She sat with Prahalad on a pyre, thinking that the flames would burn Prahalad and she would be saved by a cloth which was immune from fire. But by god’s grace, Holika was burnt and Prahalad was saved. This is still celebrated as Holika dahan which is followed by Holi, a prominent Indian festival.One day, Hiranyakashyap challenged Prahalad that where is his god. Prahalad replied – he is everywhere. Out of rage, Hiranyakashyap asked, is he in the pillar and broke the pillar with his mace.
Emergence of Narsingh avatar
Duly, Narsingh avatar or fourth dashavatara of lord Vishnu appeared in form of half lion and half man. It was twilight (neither day nor night) and it was the entrance of the palace (neither inside nor outside). At that moment the Narsingh Avatar ( neither man nor beast), killed Hiranyakashyap with his nails. (Not with a weapon).
Note: Hiranyaksha, brother of Hiranyakashyap, was killed by Varaha avatar of Dashavatara and Prahlad grandson Bali was neutralized by another dashavatara (Vamana) of Lord Vishnu.
Narsingh Kavach
Narsingh Kavach is a powerful armor of protection, believed to ward off negative energies and provide divine protection. It is a sacred text in Hinduism, particularly associated with the fierce avatar of Lord Vishnu, Narsingh.
॥’नृसिंह कवच’॥
नृसिंह कवचम वक्ष्येऽ प्रह्लादनोदितं पुरा ।
सर्वरक्षाकरं पुण्यं सर्वोपद्रवनाशनं ॥
सर्वसंपत्करं चैव स्वर्गमोक्षप्रदायकम ।
ध्यात्वा नृसिंहं देवेशं हेमसिंहासनस्थितं॥
विवृतास्यं त्रिनयनं शरदिंदुसमप्रभं ।
लक्ष्म्यालिंगितवामांगम विभूतिभिरुपाश्रितं ॥
चतुर्भुजं कोमलांगम स्वर्णकुण्डलशोभितं ।
ऊरोजशोभितोरस्कं रत्नकेयूरमुद्रितं ॥
तप्तकांचनसंकाशं पीतनिर्मलवासनं ।
इंद्रादिसुरमौलिस्थस्फुरन्माणिक्यदीप्तिभि: ॥
विराजितपदद्वंद्वं शंखचक्रादिहेतिभि:।
गरुत्मता च विनयात स्तूयमानं मुदान्वितं ॥
स्वहृतकमलसंवासम कृत्वा तु कवचम पठेत
नृसिंहो मे शिर: पातु लोकरक्षात्मसंभव:।
सर्वगोऽपि स्तंभवास: फालं मे रक्षतु ध्वनन ।
नरसिंहो मे दृशौ पातु सोमसूर्याग्निलोचन: ॥
शृती मे पातु नरहरिर्मुनिवर्यस्तुतिप्रिय: ।
नासां मे सिंहनासास्तु मुखं लक्ष्मिमुखप्रिय: ॥
सर्वविद्याधिप: पातु नृसिंहो रसनां मम ।
वक्त्रं पात्विंदुवदन: सदा प्रह्लादवंदित:॥
नृसिंह: पातु मे कण्ठं स्कंधौ भूभरणांतकृत ।
दिव्यास्त्रशोभितभुजो नृसिंह: पातु मे भुजौ ॥
करौ मे देववरदो नृसिंह: पातु सर्वत: ।
हृदयं योगिसाध्यश्च निवासं पातु मे हरि: ॥
मध्यं पातु हिरण्याक्षवक्ष:कुक्षिविदारण: ।
नाभिं मे पातु नृहरि: स्वनाभिब्रह्मसंस्तुत: ॥
ब्रह्माण्डकोटय: कट्यां यस्यासौ पातु मे कटिं ।
गुह्यं मे पातु गुह्यानां मंत्राणां गुह्यरुपधृत ॥
ऊरु मनोभव: पातु जानुनी नररूपधृत ।
जंघे पातु धराभारहर्ता योऽसौ नृकेसरी ॥
सुरराज्यप्रद: पातु पादौ मे नृहरीश्वर: ।
सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुष: पातु मे सर्वशस्तनुं ॥
महोग्र: पूर्वत: पातु महावीराग्रजोऽग्नित:।
महाविष्णुर्दक्षिणे तु महाज्वालस्तु निर्रुतौ ॥
पश्चिमे पातु सर्वेशो दिशि मे सर्वतोमुख: ।
नृसिंह: पातु वायव्यां सौम्यां भूषणविग्रह: ॥
ईशान्यां पातु भद्रो मे सर्वमंगलदायक: ।
संसारभयद: पातु मृत्यूर्मृत्युर्नृकेसरी ॥
इदं नृसिंहकवचं प्रह्लादमुखमंडितं ।
भक्तिमान्य: पठेन्नित्यं सर्वपापै: प्रमुच्यते ॥
पुत्रवान धनवान लोके दीर्घायुर्उपजायते ।
यंयं कामयते कामं तंतं प्रप्नोत्यसंशयं ॥
सर्वत्र जयवाप्नोति सर्वत्र विजयी भवेत ।
भुम्यंतरिक्षदिवानां ग्रहाणां विनिवारणं ॥
वृश्चिकोरगसंभूतविषापहरणं परं ।
ब्रह्मराक्षसयक्षाणां दूरोत्सारणकारणं ॥
भूर्जे वा तालपत्रे वा कवचं लिखितं शुभं ।
करमूले धृतं येन सिद्ध्येयु: कर्मसिद्धय: ॥
देवासुरमनुष्येशु स्वं स्वमेव जयं लभेत ।
एकसंध्यं त्रिसंध्यं वा य: पठेन्नियतो नर: ॥
सर्वमंगलमांगल्यंभुक्तिं मुक्तिं च विंदति ।
द्वात्रिंशतिसहस्राणि पाठाच्छुद्धात्मभिर्नृभि: ।
कवचस्यास्य मंत्रस्य मंत्रसिद्धि: प्रजायते।
आनेन मंत्रराजेन कृत्वा भस्माभिमंत्रणम ॥
तिलकं बिभृयाद्यस्तु तस्य गृहभयं हरेत।
त्रिवारं जपमानस्तु दत्तं वार्यभिमंत्र्य च ॥
प्राशयेद्यं नरं मंत्रं नृसिंहध्यानमाचरेत ।
तस्य रोगा: प्रणश्यंति ये च स्यु: कुक्षिसंभवा: ॥
किमत्र बहुनोक्तेन नृसिंहसदृशो भवेत ।
मनसा चिंतितं यस्तु स तच्चाऽप्नोत्यसंशयं ॥
गर्जंतं गर्जयंतं निजभुजपटलं स्फोटयंतं
हरंतं दीप्यंतं तापयंतं दिवि भुवि दितिजं क्षेपयंतं रसंतं ।
कृंदंतं रोषयंतं दिशिदिशि सततं संभरंतं हरंतं ।
विक्षंतं घूर्णयंतं करनिकरशतैर्दिव्यसिंहं नमामि ॥
॥ इति प्रह्लादप्रोक्तं नरसिंहकवचं संपूर्णंम ॥
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This is inaccurate! Narasimnha/Narasingh avatar is actually the fourth (4th) Incaranation of Vishnu. But here its mentioned fifth incarnation in the beginning & as sixth incarnation in the end of the article.
Hi Vivek, Thanks for pointing. This will be rectified. Regards.
Jai shree narsigh. Bhagwan jee
Today is Narsingh Jayanti…
Very well put together
Great Article
Hi, in Durga chalisa it is mentioned that maa Durga killed hirnakashyap. Now which one is right?