Happy Narasimha Chardurthi

Narasimha also spelt as Narasingh and Narasinga, is an avatara of Vishnu described in the Puranas, Upanishads and other ancient religious texts of Hinduism, and one of Hinduism's most popular deities, as evidenced in early epics, iconography, and temple and festival worship for over a millennium. He is often visualized as half-man/half-lion, having a human-like torso and lower body, with a lion-like face and claws. This image is widely worshiped in deity form by a significant number of Vaishnava groups, particularly in Southern India. He is known primarily as the 'Great Protector' who specifically defends and protects his devotees in times of need.

The Story of Narasimha

The story of Narasimha as described in the Bhagavata Purana is as follows: In his previous avatara of Varaha, Vishnu killed a rakshasa known as Hiranyaksha. Hiranyaksha's brother Hiranyakashipu, greatly angered by this, started to abhor Vishnu and his followers. To which end he decides to attempt to kill Vishnu by gaining mystical powers, which he believes Brahma, the chief among the devas will award him if he undergoes many years of great austerity and penance. This initially seems to work as planned with Brahma becoming pleased by Hiranyakashipu's austerities. Brahma thus appears before Hiranyakashipu and offers him a boon that he will personally make true anything he wishes for. In reply to which Hiranyakashipu requests the following:

O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any of the living entities created by you. Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought about by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal.

Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliving. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time.

One day while Hiranyakashipu was performing austerities at Mandaracala Mountain, his home was attacked by Indra and the other devas. At this point the divine sage, Narada intervened to protect Kayadu, whom he describes as 'sinless'. Following this event Narada takes Kayadu into his care and while under the guidance of Narada, her unborn child (Hiranyakashipu's son) Prahlada, became affected by the transcendental instructions of the sage even at such a young stage of development. Thus, Prahlada when later growing as a child began to show symptoms of this earlier training by Narada, gradually becoming recognised as a devoted follower of Vishnu, much to his father's disappointment.

Hiranyakashipu eventually becomes so angry and upset at his son's devotion to Vishnu (whom he sees as his mortal enemy) that he decides he must kill him, but each time he attempts to kill the boy, Prahlada is protected by Vishnu's mystical power. When asked, Prahlada refuses to acknowledge his father as the supreme lord of the universe and claims that Vishnu is all-pervading and omnipresent. To which Hiranyakashipu points to a nearby pillar and asks if 'his Vishnu' is in it:

"O most unfortunate Prahlada, you have always described a supreme being other than me, a supreme being who is above everything, who is the controller of everyone, and who is all-pervading. But where is He? If He is everywhere, then why is He not present before me in this pillar?" Prahlada then answers, He was, He is and He will be. In an alternate version of the story, Prahlada answers He is in pillars, and he is in the smallest twig. Hiranyakashipu, unable to control his anger, smashes the pillar with his mace, and then following a tumultuous sound, Vishnu in the form of Narasimha appears from it and in defence of Prahlada moves to attack his father. In order to kill Hiranyakashipu and not upset the boon given by Brahma, the form of Narasimha was chosen. Hiranyakashipu could not be killed by human, deva or animal, Narasimha is neither one of these, as he is a form of Vishnu incarnate as a part-human, part-animal.

He comes upon Hiranyakashipu at twilight (when it is neither day nor night) on the threshold of a courtyard (neither indoors nor out), and puts the demon on his thighs (neither earth nor space). Using his sharp fingernails (neither animate nor inanimate) as weapons, he disembowels and kills the demon. Kurma Purana describes the preceding battle between the Purusha and demoniac forces in which he escapes powerful weapon called, pashupata and it describes how Prahladas brothers headed by Anuhrada and thousands of other demons "were led to the valley of death (yamalayam) by the lion produced from the body of man-lion" avatara.p.85: K.P.1.15.70 The same episode occurs in the Matshya Purana 179, several chapters after its version of the Narasimha advent.

The Bhagavata Purana further narrates: even after killing Hiranyakashipu none of the present demigods were able to calm Narasimha's fury, not even Shiva. So all the gods and goddesses called his consort, Lakshmi, but she was also unable to do so. Then, at the request of Brahma, Prahlada was presented to Narasimha, and finally,

he was calmed by the prayers of his devotee. Before parting, Narasimha rewards the wise Prahlada by crowning him as the king.p.84

In the Shiva Purana, there is a distinctly Shaiva version of a traditional avatar myth:

Shiva brings forth Virabhadra, one of his terrifying forms, in order to calm Narasimha. When that fails, Shiva manifests as the human-lion-bird Sharabha. The story concludes with Narasimha becoming a devotee of Shiva after being bound by Sharabha. The Sharabha story is also retold in the Linga Purana. However, Vaishnava followers including Dvaita scholars, such as Vijayindra Tirtha (1539-95) dispute this view of Narasimha based on their reading of Sattvika Puranas and Śruti texts.

Based on this story, it is believed by followers that Narasimha protects his sincere devotees when they are in extreme danger. He saved Adi Sankara from being sacrificed to the goddess Kali by a Kapalika. Thus Adi Sankara composed the powerful Laksmi-Narasimha stotra.

Mode of worship

Due to the nature of Narasimha's form (divine anger), it is essential that worship be given with a very high level of attention compared to other deities. In many temples 

only life-long celibates (brahmacarya) will be able to have the chance to serve as priests to perform the daily puja. Forms where Narasimha appears sitting in a yogic posture, or with the goddess Lakshmi are the exception to this rule, as Narasimha is taken as being more relaxed in both of these instances compared to his form when first emerging from the pillar to protect Prahlada.

SRI NARASIMHA ASHTOTHRAM

Om Narasimhaya Namah 

Om Mahasimhaya Namah 

Om Divyasamhaya Namah 

Om Mahabalaaya Namah 

Om Ugrasimhaya Namah 

Om Mahadevaaya Namah 

Om Sthambha-jaaya Namah 

Om Ugralochanaaya Namah 

Om Raodraya Namah 

Om Sarwa-adbhutaaya Namah 

Om Srimad yogaanandaaya Namah 

Om Trivikramaaya Namah 

Om Haraye Namah 

Om Kolaahalaaya Namah 

Om Chakrine Namah 

Om Vijayaaya Namah 

Om Jayavardhanaaya Namah 

Om Pamchanaaya Namah 

Om Parabramhane Namah 

Om Aghoraaya Namah 

Om Gora-vikramaya Namah 

Om Jwalanmukhaya Namah 

Om Jvalaa maaline Namah 

Om Mahajvalaaya Namah 

Om Maha prabhave Namah 

Om Nitalaakshaya Namah 

Om Saha-srakashaya Namah 

Om Durni-rikshaya Namah 

Om Prataapanaaya Namah 

Om Mahadamstrayudhaya Namah 

Om Pragnyaya Namah 

Om Chanda kopine Namah 

Om Sadaasivaaya Namah 

Om Hiranyakasipu dwamsine Namah 

Om Daityadaanava bhamjanaaya Namah 

Om Guna bhadraya Namah 

Om Maha bhadtraya Namah 

Om Bala bhadhraya Namah 

Om Subhadragaaya Namah 

Om Karaalaaya Namah 

Om Vikaraalaya Namah 

Om Vikarte Namah 

Om Sarwakartrukaya Namah 

Om Shimshumaaraaya Namah 

Om Trilokaatmane Namah 

Om Eshaaya Namah 

Om Sarveshvaraaya Namah 

Om Vibhave Namah 

Om Bhairavaadambaraaya Namah

Om Divyaya Namah 

Om Achyutaaya Namah 

Om Kavaye Namah 

Om Maadavaaya Namah 

Om Adokshaya Namah 

Om Aksharaaya Namah 

Om Sharvaya Namah 

Om Vanamaaline Namah 

Om Parapradaaya Namah 

Om Vishwam-bharaaya Namah 

Om Adbhutaaya Namah 

Om Bhavyaya Namah 

Om Sri vishnave Namah 

Om Purushottamaaya Namah 

Om Anaghastraya Namah 

Om Nakhastraya Namah 

Om Suryajothishe Namah 

Om Sureshwaraaya Namah 

Om Saha sabrahave Namah 

Om Sarvagnyaya Namah 

Om Sarvasiddi pradaayakaaya Namah 

Om Vajradamstraya Namah 

Om Vajrakhaya Namah 

Om Mahanamdaaya Namah 

Om Paramtapaaya Namah 

Om Sarvamaothreka rupaaya Namah 

Om Sarvayantra-vidaranaya Namah 

Om Sarvatam-tratmakaaya Namah 

Om Avyaktaya Namah 

Om Suvyaktaya Namah 

Om Bhakthavatsalaaya Namah 

Om Vaishaakha shukla bhutottaya Namah 

Om Sharanagata vatsalaaya Namah 

Om Udaarakirthiye Namah 

Om Punyatmane Namah 

Om Mahatmane Namah 

Om Chanda vikramaaya Namah 

Om Vedattraya prapujyaya Namah 

Om Bhagavate Namah 

Om Parameswaraaya Namah 

Om Sri vatssmkaaya Namah 

Om Srinivaasaya Namah 

Om Jagadvyapine Namah 

Om Jaganmayaaya Namah 

Om Jagatpalaaya Namah 

Om Jagannadaya Namah 

Om Mahakaayaya Namah 

Om Dviroopa-brute Namah 

Om Paramatmane Namah 

Om Paramjyotishye Namah 

Om Nirgunaaya Namah 

Om Nru kesarine Namah 

Om Parathatvaya Namah

Om Paramdhamane Namah 

Om Sachitananda vigrahaya Namah 

Om Lakshminarasimhaya Namah 

Om Sarvatmane Namah 

Om Dheeraya Namah 

Om Prahaladha palakaya Namah

Let's Celebrate Mahasivarathri

Why do we celebrate Mahashivratri :

"Gyanm ichyaet sadashiv, moksham ichyaet janardan"

Meaning is one should worship Shiva for spiritual knowledge and Janardan (Vishnu) for the Final Liberation (Moksha).

 
Ru means to cry and dra means to run: Rudra is one who makes us cry or who runs while crying, now we need to contemplate on this word. Why Rudra is realy means one vanquishes (run) the sorrow and metirial world (World of sorrow and the cause of crying). 

Rut means truth or one who knows truth and the one who bestows truth on worshipers is Rudra.

There are three stories which are associated with this special day:

   1. Once Adi Shakti Parvatiji asked Lord Shiva which Vrata and
       day was the best in terms of giving maximum punyas & his blessings.
       So Lord Shiva himself revealed about this auspicious day.

   2. On this day manifested the great & also the first ever
       Jyotirmaya form (Anala-skanda) of Lord Shiva in front of Lord Vishnu
       & Brahmaji. Lord Shiv is the Saguna Roopa of that Jyotirmaya Form.

   3. On this day there was also supposed to have been the
        marriage of Lord Shiva with Adi Shakti.

The story of the hunter on Mhashivratri day is the spiritual journey
of you and me.

The hymn glorifies Lord Shiva, as the universal supreme force in the
earth. In the Yajurveda "RUDRA" prasna (rahasya) is the most important
component whereas in the Panchakshara manthra OM NAMA SHIVAYA is more
important. OM NAMA SHIVAYA appears in Yajur Veda in the middle. Chanting of the Rudram in rhythm, purifies the entire atmosphere and wipes out distress in our lives.

Chant the mantra `Om Namah Shivaya' entire day and practise Dhyana
for longer periods than the usual routine. Remain more introvert on
this day contemplating about the truths of life. And have darshan of
Lord Shiva where He is properly and regularly worshipped.

Mahashivaratri will fall on 11th Feburary on Thursdsay in 2010
4.00 A.M
Sri Ganapati Avahan poojan

5.00 A.M
Kalasa Sthapana, Devi Avahan and Poojan Archana, Arati

6.30 P.M

Mahanyasa Parayana, Prathama Kala Abhisheka
Trisati Archana, 300 names of Lord Shiv Arati
Bilva Archna, Lingaashtakam, Mantrapushpam, 

10.30 P.M
Dwiteeya Kala Abhishekam
Manyu Sookta, Bilva Ashtottara Sata Nama Archana
Shri Uma Maheshwar Strotam, Arati, Mantrapushpam, 

February 19th

1.0 A.M
Triteeya Kala Abhisheka
Shiv Sahasra 1008 names of Lord Shiva, Sri Rudra Krama Archana
Daridyadahan Shiv Strotam, Arati, Mantrapushpam, 

3.00 A.M
Chaturtha Kala Abhisheka Sri Siva Ashtottara Satanama Archana
Arati, Mantrapushpam, 

5.00 A.M
Sri Lalita Sahasranama Pooja, Sri Siva Kavacha Parayana
Arati, Mantrapushpam, 

6.00 A.M
Sri Nandikeswara Abhisheka, mangal aarti

The one who recites his name will not fear death.

shiveshaanaaM mahaadevaM vaamadevaM sadaashivam.h |
namaami shirasaa devaM kiM no mR^ityuH karishhyati

Jai Shiv onkara, Prabhu jai Shiv onkara,
Brahma Vishnu Sadashiv ardhangi dhara

sham karoti iti Shankar 

sham means welfare and karoti is the doer. Thus the one who is responsible for one's welfare is Shankar.

Everywhere I go; people ask me why we perform rituals. First try to know the science behind these rituals, the truth behind the ritual will appear on its own. Every one needs the discipline first to pass the exam. Rituals make abstract philosophy palatable to earnest aspirants. They are the ridge poles, as it were, of the spiritual roof. If they are pulled down due to ignorance ,religion will lose its vitality .Rituals have poetic, aesthetic and sublime elements which make religious functions convivial that men, women and children, pure in body, mind and attire, joyously partake in them.

Lord Mrityunjay Mahadev is the winner of death. Meditate and worship
on Mrityunjay Mahadev you can escape from miseries and troubles of
this materialistic world as well as the problems related to inner
soul. He devours/displels our troubles, tensions, stress as well as
our ego.

Mahamrityunjaya THE BEING who allows us to conquered death, death of
emotions, fears, wrong doing, karma dhosha, evil effects or words and
evil eye. Through his worship, Sadhana and meditation one can banish
the fear of death forever from one's life. This is why Maarkandey
Rishi sang - Chandrashekharaashraye Mam Kim Karishyati Vei Yamah i.e.
"When I am in the protection of Lord Chandrashekhar then how can Yama,
the Lord of death harm me."

Meditate on the Name, worship the Name, and through the Name, you
shall be absorbed in intuitive peace and poise.

Let us reflect upon spiritual rest, spiritual renewal, spiritual
healing and celebration created to enlighten, encourage, educate and
empower ourselves and then the mankind.

Thanks to Rajyalaxmi (Om_Nama_Shivaya Group)

Spirtual Messages group wishes every one for Lord Shiva's Blessings on Maha sivarathiri prayers...

[Photo] - Swami Vivekananda Memorial Rock Kanyakumari

Swami Vivekananda Memorial Rock was my great inspiring place which was located at Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu State,INDIA.

This place was exactly located at


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