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NARASIMHA LIFTING THE
ASURA TO THE THRESHOLD
AND TEARING HIS BODY WITH HIS NAILS |
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| NARASIMHA - THE FIERCE MAN-LION |
Narasimha caught him again like a snake seizing a mouse; with a loud roar he
carried Hiranyakashipu to the threshold of the hall. He sat
on the threshold with the Rakshasa in his lap. Then he dug his nails deep into
his body and tore it open. He took out the entrails and wore them round his neck.
Thus the wicked Asura was finally killed by the hands of the man-lion, Vishnu.
All this while the bodyguards and the other courtiers had stood speechless and
motionless in paralyzing fear. But at the death of their king they sprang to
action. In fierce rage, they fell on Narasimha in a body. But all were crushed
into a lump of flesh in the winking of an eye.
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| NARASIMHA BEING WORSHIPPED
BY THE GODS AND PRAHALAD |
After the enemies were all destroyed, Narahari (Vishnu) sat on the throne of
the Rakshasa King, glaring at those around him. The gods showered flowers from
heaven. The Gandharva sang divine music and the Apsaras, the dancers of heaven,
danced in joy. All earth rejoiced. But the terrible anger of Narasimha did not
diminish. Even Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Vishnu's wife, was afraid to go near him.
The little boy Prahalad touched the feet of Narasimha with his head, in deep
devotion. At the tender touch of Prahalad the Lord was pleased. He grew calm.
Anger gave way to kindness. Narasimha kissed the boy softly and raised him gently.
The gods praised Vishnu's ways. "Hiranyakashipu got boons from Lord Brahma;
and Narasimha has respected all the promises. For it is now twilight, which is
neither day nor night; the place is neither outside the house nor inside it,
it is the threshold. Again he was killed neither on land nor in the sky, but
on the lap of the god; he was killed neither by weapons nor by missiles but torn
by nails; no one created by Brahma has killed him nor was he born in the wombs
by ordinary course; it is Vishnu, in the form of Narasimha, who slew him. O wonder
of wonders!" so they sang the praise of the Lord. Prahalad was in tears
and asked Narasimha about the fate of his father in the after-life. Vishnu assured
the devotee that as He, the Lord himself had killed the father; the latter would
surely go to heaven. Vishnu also gave a blessing to Prahalad that now onwards
none of his race would die by the hands of Vishnu.
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