Why do celebrate the Holi festival in India | Story of Narasimha Avatar
Story of Narasimha Avatar | Why do celebrate the Holi festival
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| Why do celebrate the Holi festival |
Introduction:
Dashavatar
represents the ten different incarnations of Vishnu, which were taken to save
the earth and its living beings from destruction. This article will narrate to
you the story of the fourth incarnation of Vishnu. Then let's start the story
behind the Narasimha avatar.
Prahlad and Hiranyakashipu story | Bhakt prahlad ki kahani
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| Bhakta Prahalad story |
Among the
nine avatars of Lord Vishnu that have appeared so far, the Narasimha is the
fiercest one. Hailed as the preserver and sustainer of the universe, Vishnu
transformed into a ferocious form to eliminate Asura king Hiranyakashyap, who
had created havoc in the three worlds. Hiranyakashyap was the brother of
Hiranyaksha who was killed by the second Avatar of Vishnu, the Varaha Avatar.
When he saw that Hiranyaksha has been killed by Vishnu he swore vengeance. He
meditated to Lord Bramha and because of his severe penance, the Devas were
frightened and asked Bramha to pacify the king. Lord Bramha was impressed by
this austerity and granted him a wish.
Hiranyakashyap
tried to force Bramha to make him immortal. Bramha, however, could not do that
because even he had to die someday. So instead the demon extracted from him
various assurances. He asked boon to be that he would not die during the day or
the night; on land, at sea or in the sky, inside or outside, by the hands of
human or beast or by any weapon. Bramha granted him his wish, now he thought
that he was immortal. With blazing eyes, he called all his associates together
and vowed to kill Lord Vishnu and sever his head from his body.
Hiranyakashyap commanded his associates to go down to earth and attack the Brahmanas and devotees of Lord Vishnu. Wherever cows were protected the demon set fire to the houses and cut down the trees. Vedic culture places special importance on the welfare of Brahmanas, cows, and trees. Hiranyakashyap knew that they attacked these three; they would be destroying all that was most dear to Lord Vishnu.
More you
like to read:
Hiranyakashyap
then set about becoming the most powerful person in the universe, trampling all
beneath him and spreading a reign of terror but he was always in search of Lord
Vishnu to kill him. Having obtained the boon, he considered himself the supreme
God and forbade all worship of gods by anyone. In due course Hiranyakashyap had
a son, his name was Prahlad. When Prahalad was born to Hiranyakashyap's wife
Kayadhu, the demon was in the Himalayas doing intense penance to please Lord
Bramha for obtaining his boon.
Interestingly
Prahalad was destined to take birth at the humble adobe of Narada Muni, and
none other than goddess YogMaya helped Kayadhu deliver her baby. Therefore,
Prahalad has always been surrounded by sages who preached to him the greatness
of Lord Vishnu. Prahalad grew up to be a great devotee and had the blessings of
Lord Vishnu and the Gods, even when he was in his mother's womb.
Hence,
despite being the son of an Asura, the boy turned out to be quite different
from his father and exhibited divine qualities. From the beginning of his life,
Prahalad spread light and love around him. His father tried every possible way
to turn the boy into a demon-like him but nothing worked. Unable to tolerate a
member of his family worshipping his mortal enemy, he decided to kill his son.
But it was not easy, he gave him to his soldiers to execute but they couldn't
do it. He tried throwing him off a cliff, crushing him beneath an elephant, putting
him amongst venomous snakes, and poisoning his food, nothing would work.
Holi festival India | Holika dahan story
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| Holi festival India |
During a
particular attempt on Prahalad's life, king Hiranyakashyap called upon his
sister Holika for help. Holika had a special cloak garment that prevented her
from being harmed by fire. Hiranyakashyap asked her to sit on a bonfire with
Prahalad, by tricking the boy to sit on her lap. However, as the fire roared
the garment flew from Holika and covered Prahalad. Holika burnt to death, Prahalad
came out unharmed, from that day people are celebrated as Holika Dahan and next
day play with colors which called as 'Dhuleti'.
Story of Narasimha Avatar | Narasimha the fourth avatar of Vishnu
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| Story of Narasimha avatar of lord Vishnu |
Prahalad's
life was always protected by some supernatural force. Finally, in anger,
Hiranyakashyap demanded Prahalad "where do you get your strength?"
Then Prahalad replied to him that "from the same place you get your
father, from Lord Vishnu." Hiranyakashyap asks Prahalad, "where is
this Vishnu of yours! Let me see him so that I can kill him." Then
Prahalad replied to him, "my lord is everywhere!" Hiranyakashyap ask
again to his son, "Then he must be in this pillar too," and rushing
at a nearby pillar of the palace struck it a terrible blow.
At that
moment a fearful sound came from the pillar as if the universe itself was about
to split apart. All who heard it were afraid. The pillar burst asunder and a
terrifying form emerged from it with the head of a lion and the body of a man.
This was Narasimha swami, the man-lion incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who had come
to protect his devotee, Prahlad. Hiranyakashyap was afraid to see him and tried
to protect himself from Lord Narasimha swami, but after a brief struggle, Lord
Narasimha picked up the demon and killed him.
He was
killed at the point of dusk, neither day nor night, he was the lap of Lord
Narasimha, neither land nor air, nor sea; demons death took place on the
threshold of the palace, neither inside nor outside, he was killed by the
Lord's nails, not by any weapon, Hiranyakashyap died at the hands of neither
human nor animal but half-man and half-lion. Thus Vishnu's Narasimha avatar,
whilst keeping all the conditions of Lord Bramha intact, still killed the demon
Hiranyakashyap who had so cruelly tried to end the life of his devotee Prahlad.
After his death, Hiranyakashyap was freed from his hatred of Lord Vishnu. Being
purified by Lord Narsimha's touch, he gained liberation from the cycle of birth
and death.
This story
is also similar to other stories; all the stories present the victory of dharma
over unrighteousness, the victory of humanity over inhumanity.
Read more:
- Why did Swami Vivekananda Die So Young?
- Why does Lord Shiva wear a snake around his neck?
- Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna First Meeting
- The secret of work summary by Swami Vivekananda
Thank You!
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