Narasimha is Lord Vishnu’s fierce man-lion avatar. His task was to bring an end to calamity and religious persecution and wipe out evil on Earth. By coming in the form of part man and part lion, Narasimha restored Dharma. Narasimha is shown with claws and face of a lion and lower body and torso as that of a human.
Hiranyakashipu the demon, is shown placed across the lap of Narasimha who is in the process of tearing open the demon’s chest in a rage. After Vishnu killed the evil demon Hiranyaksha, his brother Hiranyakashipu wanted to take revenge. Accordingly he gained special powers by which no animal, man or weapon could kill him outside or inside or during the night or day. Vishnu takes on the avatar as ‘Great Protector’ – Narasimha who safeguards devotees from evil. He then destroys Hiranyakashipu the tyrant demon who was the also the demonic father of Prahlada. With his fiery eyes, weapon-like nails, lion visage and roaring in rage, he kills the demon.
The name Narasimha contains 2 words, ‘Nara’ meaning man and ‘Simha’ meaning lion thus referring to Vishnu’s mixed avatar of a ‘man-lion’. Legends of Narasimha are praised in Madhwa Brahmins, Vaikhanasas, Vaishnava traditions and Sri Vaishnavism. This deity is celebrated during the Holi festival, in Hindu performance arts, Hindu texts and temples.
Narasimha is also known as Narasinghar, Narasingh, Narasimba, Nrusingha and Narasingha, in various derivative languages. Narasimha is known as Bhairavadambara (the one who roars and creates terror), Agnilochana (the one with fiery eyes), Sinhavadana (one who uses nails as weapons), and Hiranyakashipudvamsa (one with projecting teeth and wide mouth).
