Śrī Nṛsiṃha-Jayantī (Narasimha Chaturdashi)

Śrī Nṛsiṃha-Jayantī 2021 : will be celebrated on 25 May 2021.
Shri Nṛsiṃha-Jayantī 2021 Pujā Muhurt = 16:00 PM to 18:30 PM in the evening.

Śrī Nṛsiṃha-Jayantī (Narasimha Chaturdashi) is celebrated on the fourteenth (14th) day of the bright-half (Shukl-Paksha) of the Vaishākh month.

(On this same day i.e. Vaishākh Shukl-Chaturdashi, the appearance day of Sarvēśvarī Śrīmatī Chandrakalā Jū (the head of the Sakhis of Śrī Sītā Jī) is celebrated by Rasik-Vaiṣṇava devotees of Bhagavān ŚrīŚrī SītāRāma.)

Bhagavān Śrī Nṛsiṃh (Narasimh) is the half-man half-lion manifestation of all pervading Vishṇu (or Parabrahm Śrī Rām). Śrī Padma Mahā-Purāṇa 6.229.42 says - “Bhagavān Śrī Narasiṃha, Bhagavān Śrī Rāma, and Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa are three Purṇāvatāra (complete and full manifestation), and they are the Paravastha-Avatāras (the most supreme state of Bhagavān).”

Although he looks very fierce outwardly, yet inside Bhagavān Śrī Narasiṃha is kindest and most compassionate Lord. He is so kind and compassionate that he immeditately manifested himself inorder to save his devotee Bhaktarāja Prahlād from his father demon-king Hiranyakashipu. To please Bhagavān Śrī Rāma, all Vaishnava devotees should observe Vrat and celebrate the appearance day of Bhagavān Śrī Nṛsiṃha-dev on Śrī Nṛsiṃha-Jayantī (Narasimha Chaturdashi).

(Śrī Nṛsiṃha-jayantī, the appearance day of Śrī Nrisimha-dev)

॥ श्रीनृसिंहजयन्ती-निरुपणम् ॥

॥ Śrī Nṛsiṃha-jayantī-nirupaṇam ॥

Determining Śrī Nṛsiṃha-jayantī

Bhagavad Śrī Rāmānandāchārya says in Śrī Vaiṣṇava-matābja-bhāskar — “On the fourteenth day of the bright-half of the month of Vaishākh, in the evening on the border between day and night during the sun-set in the Svāti-Nakshatra, on the Monday, Bhagavān Śrī Nṛsiṃha (Narasimha, Bhagavān in form of the half-man half-lion) appeared. Therefore on this day (the fourteenth day of the bright-half of the month of Vaishakh) one should observe Vrata (abstaining from food, etc) and celebrate Śrī Nṛsiṃha-Jayanti Utsava (festival) with a greeat devotion.”

“If the Chaturdaśī [the fourteenth (14th)] day of the bright-half of the month of Vaishākh is mixed with (presence of) the Trayōdaśī [the thirteenth (13th)] day (during the sun-rise), then It destroys the wealth, merits and the family of the person observing Vrat on that day. Therefore, one should not observe Vrat on that day (the Chaturdaśī mixed with Trayōdaśī); the saints and Vaiṣṇava also should not do Vrat on that day.”

Therefore, a Vaiṣṇava should discard the Chaturdashi (14th day) which is mixed with Trayodashi (13th day) during sun rise, and celebrate Narasimha-Chaturdashi and observe Vrat the next day.

One should do especial Puja of Bhagavān Śrī Narasimha during the evening time, and keep fast whole day and night to please him.

नारसिंहो महाकोपो राघवस्य (सुदर्शनसंहिता) — nārasiṃhō mahākōpō rāghavasya (sudarśan saṃhitā)

“Bhagavān Śrī Nṛsiṃha is the manifestation of Bhagavān Śrī Rāma's great anger.”

Śrī Sītā Jī proclaims in her debate with Rāvaṇa -
“(O' Rāvaṇa!) He who is [mahābāhuṃ] great-armed (ambidextrous, most adept to save the universe and his dependents), [mahōraskaṃ] broad-chested, [nṛsiṃhaṃ] supreme among men or (the one who took earlier) the Man-lion i.e. Nrisimha incarnation (indicating Śrī Rāma's man-lion incarnation), [siṃhasaṅkāśaṃ] with the strides of prancing lion, [ahaṃ rāmam-anuvratā] I am wife [Anuvratā] of such great Śrī Rāma (or avowed to follow such great Śrī Rāma).”

The word 'Nṛsiṃha' in Śrī Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa generally means the best (supreme) among men i.e. the Supreme-Being, however here two times Simha (lion) word is used by Śrī Sītā Jī, therefore here by first word 'Nṛsiṃha' Sita ji tries to remind Rāvaṇa, of Sri Rama's Nṛsiṃha incarnation, that don't dare to touch or woo me, otherwise Śrī Rāma, my Husband though most benevolent, abode of all virtues, whose countenance is most pleasing to heart like full moon, yet to rescue his wife (anuvratā - wife/female-devotee who is avowed to follow and adhered to her Lord always), he can show anger as like he shown in his Śrī Nrisimha incarnation, and eliminate You effortlessly.

The best among Devotees, Prahlād Mahārāj was used to chant the name ‘Rāma’ (one should not be surprised How come he used to chant the name ‘Rāma’ in Satayug?). When it became urgent to save his devotee, then the all pervading Bhagavān Śrī Rāma manifested himself in form of half-man half-lion from the pillar. Therefore, Gōsvamī Tulsīdāsa Jī says in Śrī Rāmacharitamānas —

“The Name ‘Rāma’ is, as it were, the Lord manifested as the half-man half-lion (Śrī Nṛsiṃha-dev), and the age of Kali is the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu. Crushing this enemy of gods, the Name protects the devotees repeating It, even as the half Man-lion protected Prahlāda.”

How, and for which reason, did Bhagavān Śrī Nṛsiṃha appear?

Prahlād, the son of the demon-king Hiraṇyakaśipu, was the great devotee of Śrī Hari since his childhood. While he was studying in Gurukula, He used to instruct his schoolmates about the greatness of Śrī Vishṇu and everyone should do the devotion of Śrī Hari. When his teachers Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, the sons of Śukrācārya, learnt that all the students, the sons of the demons, were developing the devotion of Śrī Vishṇu, they became afraid and approached to Prahlād's father demon-king Hiraṇyakaśipu to describe him all the matter. After knowing this, Hiraṇyakaśipu became extremely angry, and started rebuking his child Prahlād in harsh and cruel words, although he was not to be rebuked in accordance of his age and gentle behavior. Prahlād, with folded hands before his father, spoke in gentle words to his father about the supreme Lord. Hiraṇyakaśipu was already very angry, was feeling insulted that His son thinks about some supreme Lord other than him, therefore He wanted to kill his son immeditately. Demon-king Hiraṇyakaśhipu said to his son Prahlād —

“O' the most unfortunate Prahlāda, you have always described a Supreme Lord of all the worlds other than me, who is the controller of everyone, and who is all-pervading. But where is He? If He is everywhere, then why is He not being seen in this pillar?”

“Because you are speaking so much nonsense, I shall now sever your head from your body. Now let me see your God Hari whose shelter You desire come to protect you.”

Hiraṇyakaśipu took up his sword, got up from his royal throne, and with great anger struck his fist against the pillar. Then, from within the pillar a very fearful tumultuous sound came, which appeared to crack the coverings of the universe, that sound reached even the abodes of the demigods like Lord Brahmā, etc. Hearing that wonderful sound, all the demons became afraid, yet they could not find the origin of that sound.

Lord Nṛsiṁha appearing from Pillar to prove the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja 'True'.

“To prove that the statement of His servant (devotee) Prahlāda Mahārāja is 'True', or say in the other words, to prove that the Supreme Lord is present everywhere, even within the pillar of an assembly hall — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, exhibited a wonderful form which was never seen before. The form was neither that of a (complete) man nor that of a (complete) lion. Thus the Lord appeared in His wonderful (half-man and half-lion) form from the pillar in the assembly hall.”

Bhagavān Śrī Nṛsiṃha-dev is so merciful, that to save his devotee and primarily to prove the statement of his servant servant Prahlāda Mahārāja was 'True' that the Supreme Lord is all-pervading, he manifested himself in the assembly hall from the pillar.

Hiranyakashipu asked if Your god whom You desire is all-pervading, and so present everywhere, then he must be present in this pillar also? So, He strucked the pillar with a great anger, and then the all-pervading Supreme-Being appeared as the half-man and half-lion from that pillar, he caused a very fearful tumultuous sound which appeared to break the spheres of universe.

Finally Hiranyakashipu saw the Supreme Lord before him in a wonderful creature form. He guessed right this was Vishnu's plan to kill him, yet he didn't surrender to Lord and attacked Lord with all his force with his mace and sword. However It was just a play for Lord to kill Hiranyakashipu, He laughed over Hiranyakashipu's attack over him with his full strength. In the end, Bhagavān Śrī Nṛsiṃha-dev captured that demon, He could not go out of the holds of Bhagavān. Śrī Nṛsiṃha-dev placed Hiraṇyakaśipu on his thighs

“Just as a snake captures a mouse or Garuḍa captures a very venomous snake, similarly Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva captured Hiraṇyakaśipu, who could not be pierced even by the thunderbolt. As Hiraṇyakaśipu moved his limbs here, there and all around, very much afflicted at being captured, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva placed the demon on His lap, supporting him with His thighs, and in the doorway of the assembly hall the Lord very easily tore the demon to pieces with the nails of His hand.”

In order to become immortal, Hiraṇyakaśipu had done a great Tapa to please Brahmā, and thus received the boon from him that He should not die at the hands of any living-being created by Brahmā. He should not be killed by any weapon, by any living or non-living entity, by any human being or animal, by any demi-god or demon or great-snake, etc. He should not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky.

The supreme Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva is not the creation of Brahmā, He is neither a human nor an animal. Bhagavān tore the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu's body into pieces with his nails which were not weapons and were neither living nor dead, as nails can be said dead and alive both. The supreme Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva captured Hiraṇyakaśipu and placed him on his thighs which are neither ground nor sky. The all pervading Supreme-Being appeared and killed Hiraṇyakaśipu during evening, therefore it was neither day nor night. And Hiraṇyakaśipu was killed by Lord at the doorway of the assembly hall, and the doorway is neither inside nor outside of any residence. Thus, The supreme Lord kept the boon of Brahmā intact, still very comfortably killed the great demon Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Prahlāda Mahārāja gradually proceeded towards Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva to please and pacify him.

After tearing Hiraṇyakaśipu into pieces, The supreme Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva sat on the throne in the assembly and he kept manifesting a great anger and fearsome countenance, no one could dare to come forward to serve Bhagavān directly. Seeing the great-demon Hiraṇyakaśipu was dead, gods and their wives showered flowers from heaven upon Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva like rain. Thereafter, All the gods headed by Brahmā, Indra, Shiva etc, and the residents of Vaikuntha and various other worlds, and great sages, Naga-kinnar-gandhavas etc came near Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, and they all individually prayed and made salutations to the Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva by folding their hands at their heads. However, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva was still manifesting a great anger, so all the gods, who could not approach Lord out of fear, requested Śrī Lakṣmījī to go before the Lord, however as even she had never seen such a wonderful and extraordinary form of the Lord, and thus even she could not approach Him. Then, Lord Brahmā requested Prahlād Mahārāja who was standing very near him: “My dear son Prahlāda, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva is still extremely angry at your demoniac father (even after killing him). Please go forward and appease and pacify the Supreme Lord.”

Although Prahlāda Mahārāja was only a little child, He gradually proceeded towards Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, and fell down in his lotus feet. Seeing the small child Prahlāda prostating at his lotus-feet, the most merciful Supreme Lord became filled with a great affection over his devotee Prahlād, and He placed His lotus hand upon the boy’s head. By the touch of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva’s hand on Prahlāda Mahārāja’s head, Prahlād became completely freed of all worldly contaminations and desires, and he became filled with transcendental bliss, His heart filled with love, and his eyes with tears, and thus he was able to completely capture the lotus feet of the Lord within the core of his heart. With fixed mind and sight upon the supreme Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, Prahlād Mahārāja began to offer prayers with a faltering voice due to overwhelming love and devotion. And then, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva was completely pacified by his devotee Prahlād Mahārāja, and then Lord and his devotee talked lovingly with each other.

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