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Narasimha

Narasimha is the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, depicted as a part-lion, part-man figure who killed the demon Hiranyakashipu to protect his devotee Prahlada and restore dharma. He is revered in various Vaishnavism traditions and celebrated in festivals such as Holi, with numerous temples and texts dedicated to him. Narasimha's unique form and legends emphasize his role as the 'Great Protector' against evil and chaos.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
306 views28 pages

Narasimha

Narasimha is the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, depicted as a part-lion, part-man figure who killed the demon Hiranyakashipu to protect his devotee Prahlada and restore dharma. He is revered in various Vaishnavism traditions and celebrated in festivals such as Holi, with numerous temples and texts dedicated to him. Narasimha's unique form and legends emphasize his role as the 'Great Protector' against evil and chaos.

Uploaded by

Raja Ram (Veera)
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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org/wiki/Narasimha

Narasimha
Narasimha
God of Protection, Destruction, Yoga and Kala
(Time); The Destroyer of Evil and Fear
Avatara of Vishnu
Member of Dashavatara

A Sculpture of Narasimha Avatar in Dwaraka


Tirumala, Andhra

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Narasimha Devanagari नरिसंह


(Sanskrit: नरिसंह, Sanskrit Narasimha
lit. 'man-lion', transliteration
IAST:
Affiliation Vaishnavism · Avatar of
Narasiṃha, or
Vishnu · Dashavatara ·
Sanskrit: नृिसंह,
Lakshmi Narasimha · Nava
IAST: Nṛsiṃha),
Narasimha
is the fourth
Abode Vaikuntha, Kshira Sagara
avatara of the
Hindu god Mantra ugraṃ vīraṃ mahāviṣṇuṃ
Vishnu in the jvalantaṃ sarvatomukham |
Satya Yuga.[2] nṛsiṃhaṃ bhīṣaṇaṃ bhadraṃ
He incarnated as mṛtyumṛtyuṃ namāmyaham ||
a part-lion, part- Weapon Sudarshana Chakra,
man and killed Kaumodaki, Nails
Hiranyakashipu, Festivals Narasimha Jayanti, Holi
ended religious
Consort Lakshmi[1]
persecution and
calamity on
earth, and Dashavatara Sequence
restored Predecessor Varaha
dharma.[3][4] Successor Vamana
Narasimha has
three eyes, and is the God of Destruction in Vaishnavism; He
who destroys the entire universe through (Pralaya). Hence, He
is known as Kala (time), Mahakala (great-time), or Parakala
(beyond time) in His names. There exists a matha (monastery)
dedicated to Him by the name of Parakala Matha at Mysuru in
the Sri Vaishnava tradition. There is also Ahobila mutt another
srivaishnava matha that primarily worships Narasimha, and
controls Ahobilam, Thiruvallur, pulamboothangudi, and
aadanur temples. Kshetras for Narasimha include Ahobilam

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where Lakshmi Narasimha and Nava Narasimhas are


worshiped. [5] Narasimha is the God of Yoga, as Yoga-
Narasimha.[6][7]

Narasimha has a human torso and lower body, with a lion face
and claws, with the asura Hiranyakashipu being disemboweled
and killed by Him in His lap. Hiranyakashipu was the
megalomaniacal elder brother of the evil Hiranyaksha - who
had been previously killed by Vishnu's Varaha avatar - and,
consequently, harboured profound hatred for Vishnu's
devotees.[8] Hiranyakashipu gained a boon from Brahma due
to which he could not be killed during the day or night, inside
or outside the house; neither in the sky nor on land nor in
Svarga nor in Patala, by any weapon or hand, nor by humans,
deities, demons, or animals.[9] Endowed with this boon, he
began to wreak chaos and havoc, persecuting all the devotees
of Vishnu, including his own son Prahlada.[3][9][10] Vishnu,
cognisant of the asura's boon, creatively assumed a mixed form
that was neither human nor animal as a lion in the name of
Narasimha, and Narashima disemboweled and killed
Hiranyakashipu and at evening, which is neither day nor night,
at the threshold of his palace, which was neither inside nor
outside, upon his lap, which is neither sky nor land, and with
his claws, which are neither weapons nor hands.[3] Narasimha
is known primarily as the 'Great Protector' who specifically
defends and protects his devotees from evil and destroys evil.
[11] The most popular Narasimha myth is the legend of his

protection of his devotee Prahlada, and the killing of


Prahlada's evil father and demon Hiranyakashipu.[12]

Narasimha is one of the major deities in Vaishnavism, and his


legends are revered in Vaikhanasas, Sri Vaishnavism, Sadha

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Vaishnavism,[13] and various other Vaishnava traditions of


Hinduism. He is celebrated in many regional Hindu temples,
texts, performance arts, and festivals such as the Hindu festival
of colours of the spring, called Holi.[9][14]

One of the earliest representation of Narasimha, dating back to


the 4th-century CE, is from Kondamotu in Coastal Andhra.[15]
[16] Other older known artworks of Narasimha have been

found at several sites across Uttar Pradesh and Andhra


Pradesh, such as at the Mathura archaeological site. These
have been variously dated between the 2nd century CE and the
4th century CE.[17]

Etymology
In Sanskrit, the word Narasimha consists of two words "nara"
which means man, and "simha" which means lion, referring to
the man-lion avatara of Vishnu.[3][9]

His other names are Agnilochana (अि�लोचन) – the one who


has fiery eyes, Bhairavadambara (भैरवड�र) – the one who
causes terror by roaring, Karala (कराल) – the one who has a
wide mouth and projecting teeth, Hiranyakashipumardana
(िहर�किषपुमदा� न) – the one who killed Hiranyakashipu,
Nakhastra (नखा�) – the one for whom nails are his weapons,
Simhavadana (िसंहवदन) – the one who has a lion face and
Simha (िसंह) – the one who is a lion.[19]

Texts

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Vedas
The Vishnu hymn
1.154 of the Rigveda
(1700-1200 BCE)
contains a verse which
shows Vishnu as
Narasimha as a "wild
lion, powerful,
prowling, mountain-
roaming",[20] which is
Vishnu as Narasimha.
Another hymn 8.14
says the story of Indra
killing Namuci, that
with "water foam you
tore off, Indra, the
head of Namuci and Vishnu and his avataras (Vaikuntha
Chaturmurti): Depicting Vishnu as
killed him, killing all
Krishna and Rama, Narasimha (lion), and
demons".[21]
Varaha (boar). Art of Mathura, mid-5th
century CE. Boston Museum.[18]
The full story of Indra
killing Namuci is
found in Shatapatha Brahmana (7th - 6th century BCE) of the
Yajurveda in chapter 12.7.3.v Other references to Narasimha
are found in the Vedic texts Vajaseneyi Samhita 10.34,
Pancavimsa Brahmana 12.6.8 and Taittiriya Brahmana 1.7.1.6.
[21]

The story of Indra killing Namuci


Narasimha has the same story as Indra killing Namuci in the
Vedas.[21][22] Indra is the dharmic King of Heaven of the Devas

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and Devis who


commands lightning,
thunder, rain and
rivers, while Namuci is
a deceptive demon
Asura in competition
for power. Namuci
tells peace to Indra,
which Indra accepts.
He demands Indra to
promise that he will
neither try to kill him
with his "palm of the
hand nor with the fist",
neither in day nor in
night, neither with
"anything that is dry" Narasimha, 5th century, Ramtek Kevala
nor with "anything Narasimha temple.
that is wet". Indra
agrees.[21][23]

After the deal is done, Namuci carries away all that nourishes
the gods and goddesses: the Soma drink, the essence of food
and the strength of Indra. The leader of the gods and
goddesses finds himself conflicted and feels bound by his
promise. Indra then meets Sarasvati (goddess of knowledge)
and the Ashvinas.[21] They reply they will deal with Namuci,
get it all back, if Indra agrees to share his powers, the essence
of food and the Soma drink with them. Indra agrees. The gods
and the goddess then come up with a creative plan. They pour
out a foam of water with a thunderbolt, and Indra takes a
thunderbolt in his hand and Indra kills Namuci in evening.[21]

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After Namuci is killed, the gods and goddesses get all the
powers back, but discover that Namuci had drunk the Soma
already. The good was thus now mixed with his evil of his
blood, which they did not want to drink. So, they extract the
good out from the evil. Thus, good returns to the gods and
goddesses, the evil is destroyed.[21]

According to Deborah Soifer, this story is the same as the story


of Narasimha, it has the same plot, the same "neither-nor"
constraints, and the same creative powers of the good kills and
destroys the evil. Further, the Sanskrit words and phrasing
such as "neither palm nor fist" and "neither day nor night" in
the later Hindu texts is the same as in the Vedic texts. This
suggests a link and continuity between the Vedic story of Indra
killing Namuci and the story of Narasimha killing
Hiranyakashipu in the Puranas.[21] According to Walter
Ruben, both stories along with several other stories in ancient
and medieval texts reflect the Indian Subcontinental tradition
of killing and destroying despots and tyrants who abuse power.
[24]

Puranas
Vishnu as Narasimha is mentioned in a variety of Puranas, in
17 Puranas, Vishnu as Narasimha mentioned.[25] The Valmiki
Ramayana (7.24), Harivamsa (41 & 3.41-47), Vishnu Purana
(1.16-20), Bhagavata Purana (Canto 7),[26] Agni Purana
(4.2-3), Brahmanda Purana (2.5.3-29), Vayu Purana
(67.61-66), Brahma Purana (213.44-79), Vishnudharmottara
Purana (1.54), Kurma Purana (1.15.18-72), Matsya Purana
(161-163), Padma Purana (5.42), Shiva Purana (2.5.43 &
3.10-12), Linga Purana (1.95-96) and Skanda Purana

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(2.18.60-130) all mention Vishnu as Narasimha.[27][28] In all


these Puranas, Narasimha is described as the God of
Destruction, who does destruction at the time of Pralaya and
described as Kala.[6] Narasimha is also described as having
three eyes just like Shiva and does destruction with fire coming
from his third eye.[7]

Sangam literature
The Paripatal (Dated between 300 BCE to 300 CE) (Tamil:
பரிபாடல் , meaning the paripatal-metre anthology) is a
classical Tamil poetic work and traditionally the fifth of the
Eight Anthologies (Ettutokai) in Sangam literature.[29] Kamil
Zvelebil states that the hymns dedicated to Vishnu and
Murugan has branded the Paripatal as a Sanskrit plagiat
within the so-called Sangam texts.[30]

Narasimha in Paripadal

O Lord with faultless red eyes! With


burning hatred in his mind and drying up the sandal paste on
his chest, Hiranyakashipu, the evil king, fought with his son
Prahlada for singing your praises, causing on him great shock.
Prahlada was not worried about Hiranyakashipu who deserved
disrespect. You placed Prahlada’s away because of your love for
him. You attacked and caught Hiranyakashipu with your great
strength, catching his mountain-like chest as drums of deities
roared like thunder. You disemboweled and killed
Hiranyakashipu alive with your claws and wore
Hiranyakashipu's organs as a garland and threw
Hiranyakashipu's organs away, along with broken pieces of a

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pillar which you blasted and came out, as Narasimha.

Paripadal, poem 4, Verses 10 - 21[31]

Other texts
Narasimha is also found in and is the focus of Narasimha
Tapaniya Upanishad.[32][33]

History

Prahlada legend
The Bhagavata Purana
says that Vishnu, in his
previous avatara as
Varaha, killed the evil
demon Hiranyaksha.
The elder brother of
Hiranyaksha, demon
king Hiranyakashipu,
hated Vishnu and Narasimha disemboweling and killing
Hiranyakashipu, manuscript folio from
wanted revenge.[8] He
Bhagavata Purana, 1760 CE - 1770 CE.
undertook many years
of austere penance to
gain special powers. Thereafter, Brahma offered
Hiranyakashipu a boon. Hiranyakashipu asked, "Grant me that
I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during
the daytime or at nighttime, nor in the ground or in the sky.
Grant me that my death not be brought about by any weapons

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or hands, nor by any human or animal. Grant me that I not


meet death from any entity, living or nonliving created by you.
Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any deity or demon or
by any other organisms and divinities." Brahma granted him
the boon, and Hiranyakashipu gained these powers.[9]

Hiranyakashipu, once powerful and invincible with the new


boon, began to persecute those who were devotees of Vishnu.
Hiranyakashipu had a son, Prahlada, who disagreed and
rebelled against his father. Prahlada became a devotee of
Vishnu. This angered Hiranyakashipu, who tried to kill the boy
but with each attempt, Prahlada was protected by Vishnu's
mystical power. When asked, Prahlada refused to acknowledge
his father as the supreme lord of the universe and said that
Vishnu is omnipresent.

Hiranyakashipu pointed to a nearby pillar and asked if 'his


Vishnu' is in it and said to his son Prahlada, "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 answered, "He was, He
is, He will be."

Hiranyakashipu, unable to contain his anger, struck the pillar


with his mace. Following a tumultuous sound, Vishnu, in the
form of Narasimha, emerged from it and attacked
Hiranyakashipu in defense of Prahlada. The form of Narsimha
was chosen to avoid the boon granted to Hiranyakashipu by
Brahma. According to the boon, Hiranyakashipu could not be
killed by a human, deity, or animal. Narasimha, being part-

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human and part-lion,


was none of these. He
confronted
Hiranyakashipu at
twilight (neither day
nor night), on the
threshold of a
courtyard (neither
indoors nor outdoors),
and placed him on his
lap (neither earth nor
space). Using his sharp
fingernails (neither
animate nor Narasimha emerging from a pillar and
inanimate) as disemboweling and killing
weapons, he Hiranyakashipu (detail), manuscript folio
from a Bhagavata Purana, 1760 CE -
disemboweled and
1770 CE.
killed Hiranyakashipu.
[34]

Seeing that Narasimha was in rage, Brahma, Shiva and all of


the other Hindu gods and goddesses sent Prahlada to pacify
him. Prahlada prayed to Narasimha, and Ugra Narasimha
became the peaceful Soumya Narasimha.[35][36][37]

The Kurma Purana describes the preceding battle between the


Vishnu and demonic forces in which he destroys the powerful
weapons of asuras and asuris and kills the asuras and asuris.
According to Soifer, it describes how Prahlada's brothers and
sisters, headed by Anuhrada and thousands of other demons,
were all led to the valley of death by the man-lion (who was
Vishnu as Narasimha) and killed.[38] The same episode occurs

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in the Matsya Purana, several chapters after Narasimha


disemboweled and killed Hiranyakashipu.[14]

Iconography
Narasimha has a lion
face with clawed
fingers fused with a
human body. He is
coming out of a pillar
signifying that he is
everywhere, in
everything, in
everyone. Some
temples such as at
Ahobilam, Andhra Narasimha slays Hiranyakashipu.
Pradesh, the Painting by Raja Ravi Varma
iconography is more
extensive, and includes
nine other icons of Narasimha:[9]

▪ Prahladavarada Narasimha: Narasimha blessing Prahlada.


▪ Yogananda Narasimha: Narasimha as serene and
peaceful, teaching yoga.
▪ Guha Narasimha: Narasimha in a pillar of Hiranyakashipu's
palace to disembowel and kill Hiranyakashipu.
▪ Ugra Narasimha: Narasimha disemboweling and killing
Hiranyakashipu.
▪ Vira Narasimha: Narasimha killing all asuras and asuris.
▪ Lakshmi Narasimha: Vishnu as Narasimha with Lakshmi
as Kanakavalli.

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▪ Jvala Narasimha: Narasimha emitting flames of power.


▪ Sarvatomukha Narasimha: Narasimha with a powerful
face.
▪ Bhishana Narasimha: A ferocious form of Narasimha.
▪ Bhadra Narasimha: Blessing form of Narasimha.
▪ Mrityormrityu Narasimha: Narasimha destroying death of
Prahlada by disemboweling and killing Hiranyakashipu.
The earliest known iconography of Narasimha is variously
dated to between the 2nd and the 4th-century CE, and these
have been found in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and
Andhra Pradesh.[17] Most images and temples of Narasimha
are found in the peninsular region of India, but important
ancient and medieval archeological sites containing Narasimha
icons are also found as Vaikuntha Chaturmurti in Kashmir and
Khajuraho temples,[39] while single face versions are found in
Garhwa and Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) and in Ellora Caves
(Maharashtra).[9] Other major temples with notable icons of
Narasimha are found in Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and the
Vijayanagara Empire ruins in Karnataka.[9] Some of the oldest
surviving Hindu temples, such as those found in Tigava and
Eran (Madhya Pradesh), dated to early 5th-century, include
Narasimha along with other avatars of Vishnu.[17] The
Thuravoor Temple is the most important shrine to Narasimha
in Kerala; the form of Narasimha there is known as
Vatakanappan.

Significance
Narasimha is a significant iconic symbol of creative resistance,

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hope against odds,


victory over
persecution, and
destruction of evil. He
is the destructor of not
only external evil, but
also one's own inner
evil of "body, speech,
and mind" states
Pratapaditya Pal.[40]

In Indian
Subcontinental art –
sculptures, bronzes
and paintings –
Vishnu's incarnation
as Narasimha is one of
Narasimha, Chola period, 12th - 13th
the most chosen
century CE, Tamil Nadu. from Guimet
incarnations in
Museum, Paris.
Dashavatara of Vishnu
and amongst all
Dashavatara of Vishnu, Narasimha is popular.

Narasimha is worshipped across Telangana and Andhra


Pradesh States in numerous forms.[41] Although, it is common
that each of the temples contain depictions of Narasimha in
more than one form, Ahobilam contains nine temples of
Narasimha dedicated to the nine forms of Narasimha. Statues
of Narasimha disemboweling and killing Hiranyakashipu are
common, and this image of Narasimha disemboweling and
killing Hiranyakashipu is commonly worshipped in temples,
and it is drawn.

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Coins, inscriptions and terracotta


Narasimha is influential in the 5th-century CE, when various
Gupta Empire rulers minted coins with his images or
sponsored inscriptions that associated the powers of
Narasimha with their own. The rulers thus showed their rule
as someone like Narasimha who killed and destroyed evil.[42]
Some of the coins of the Kushan era show Narasimha, showing
his influence.[43]

Some of the oldest Narasimha terracotta artworks have been


dated to about the 2nd century CE, such as those discovered in
Kaushambi.[44] A nearly complete, exquisitely carved standing
Narasimha statue, wearing a pancha, with personified
attributes near him has been found at the Mathura
archeological site and is dated to the 6th century CE.[45]

Performance arts
The story of Narasimha disemboweling and killing
Hiranyakashipu is a part of various Indian classical dance
repertoire. For example, Kathakali theatre has included the
story of Narasimha disemboweling and killing Hiranyakashipu
in battle, and performances of Prahlada Charitam with
Narasimha has been one of the popular performances in
Kerala.[46] Similarly, the Bhagavata Mela dance-drama
performance arts of Tamil Nadu traditionally celebrate the
annual Narasimha Jayanti festival by performing the story
within regional Narasimha temples.[47]

Early images

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In Andhra Pradesh, a
panel dating to third-
fourth century CE
shows a full
theriomorphic
squatting lion with two
extra human arms
behind his shoulders
holding a conch and a
discus. This lion,
flanked by five heroes
(Viras), is Narasimha.
[48] Standing cult
images of Narasimha
from the early Gupta
period, survive from
temples at Tigowa and
A Statue of Narasimha disemboweling
Eran.[49] These
and killing Hiranyakashipu
sculptures are two-
armed, long maned,
frontal, wearing only a lower garment, and with no demon-
figure of Hiranyakashipu. Statues of Narasimha
disemboweling and killing Hiranyakasipu survive from slightly
later Gupta-period temples: one at Madhia and one from a
temple-doorway now set into the Kurma Matha at Nachna,
both dated to the late fifth or early sixth century CE.[50]

An image of Narasimha supposedly dating to second-third


century CE sculpted at Mathura was acquired by the
Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1987. It was described by Stella
Kramrisch, the former Philadelphia Museum of Art's Indian
curator, as "perhaps the earliest image of Narasimha as yet

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known".[50] This figure depicts a furled brow, fangs, and


lolling tongue is same as later images of Narasimha, but the
idol's robe, simplicity, and stance set it apart. On Narasimha's
chest under his upper garment appears the suggestion of an
amulet, which Stella Kramrisch associated with Vishnu's
cognizance, the Kaustubha jewel. This upper garment flows
over both shoulders; but below Hiranyakasipu, the demon-
figure placed horizontally across Narasimha's body, a twisted
waist-band suggests a separate garment covering the legs. The
Hiranyakashipu's hair streams behind him, catching his head
against Narasimha's right knee. He wears a simple single
strand of beads. His body is caught and held down. His face is
pushed down. His eyes face away below from the face of
Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu is caught and pulled down as
Narasimha disembowels and kills him. His organs are
disemboweled and fall over his right side. In Matsya Purana it
is shown Narasimha disemboweled and killed Hiranyakashipu
as a plaiter of straw mats shreds his reeds".[50] Based on the
Gandhara style of robe worn by the idol, Michael Meiste
altered the date of the image to fourth century CE.[50]

An image of Narasimha, dating to the 9th century CE, was


found on the northern slope of Mount Ijo, at Prambanan,
Indonesia.[51] Images of Trivikrama and Varāha avatāras were
also found at Prambanan, Indonesia. Vishnu and His avataras
have iconographic differences characteristic of the art of
central Java. This includes physiognomy of central Java, an
exaggerated volume of garment, and some elaboration of the
jewelry. This decorative scheme once formulated became, with
very little modification, an accepted norm for sculptures
throughout the Central Javanese period (circa 730–930 CE).
Despite the iconographic peculiarities, the stylistic antecedents

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of the Java sculptures can be traced back to Indian carvings as


the Chalukya and Pallava images of the 6th–7th centuries CE.
[52]

Temples

India

Andhra Pradesh

▪ Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Antarvedi.


▪ Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam, Lower Ahobilam.
▪ Jwala Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam.
▪ Ahobila Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam.
▪ Malola Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam.
▪ Kroda/Varaha Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam.
▪ Karanja Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam.
▪ Bhargava Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam.
▪ Yogananda Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam.
▪ Chatravada Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam.
▪ Pavana Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam.
▪ Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Penna Ahobilam, Penna
Ahobilam.
▪ Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Mangalagiri, Mangalagiri.
▪ Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Simhachalam,
Simhachalam.
▪ Vedadri Narasimha Temple, Vedadri.
▪ Kadiri Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Kadiri.

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▪ Sri Maddileti Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple,


Betamcherla, Nandyal District.
▪ Vedagiri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple,
Narsimhakonda, Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore District.

Bihar

▪ Sri Narasimha Pillar Temple, Banmankhi.

Gujarat

▪ Narasimha Temple, Rudel -1 Km from BAPS Bochasan.

Karnataka

▪ Guru Narasimha Temple, Saligrama, Saligrama.


▪ Narasimha Jharni, Bidar.
▪ Yoganarasimha Temple, Devarayanadurga,
Devarayanadurga.
▪ Yoga Narasimha Temple, Melukote.
▪ Narasimha Temple, Seebi, Seebi.
▪ Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Bhadravati, Bhadravati,
Karnataka.
▪ Lakshminarasimha Temple, Javagal, Hassan, Karnataka.
▪ Lakshminarasimha Temple, Haranhalli, Hassan,
Karnataka.
▪ Gunja Narasimha Temple, Tirumakudal Narasipura,
Mysuru.
▪ Shri Lakshmi Narasimha Swami Temple. Tadakalur

Kerala

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▪ Srinivasakoyil, Tripunithura, Ernakulam district.


▪ Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Thalassery, Thalassery,
Kannur district.
▪ Kozha Sree Narasimhaswami Temple, Kottayam district.
▪ Thuravoor Mahakshethram, Cherthala, Alappuzha district.
▪ Anayadi Pazhayidam Sree Narasimha Temple, Kollam
district.
▪ Malaparambu Mattummal Narasimha Moorthy Temple,
Malappuram district.
▪ Manakkad Sri Naramsimha Temple, Thodupuzha, Idukki
district.
▪ Puthumanassery Sri Narasimha, Pavaratty, Chavakkad,
Thrissur district.
▪ Lakshmi Narasimha Nagaraja Mandiram, Muliyar,
Kasaragod district.
▪ Sri Kunhalloor Narasimha Temple, Purameri, Kozhikode
district.
▪ Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Sultan Bathery, Wayanad
district.
▪ Kuruvattoor Sri Narasimha Temple, Thiruvazhiyad,
Palakkad district.
▪ Sri Narasimha Ketturuppadi, Idabhagam Vadakku,
Kurampala, Pandalam, Pathanamthitta district.
▪ Ahobila Matha Sri Narasimha Temple, Muttathara,
Thiruvananthapuram district.
▪ Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Rishinaradamangalam,
Kannambra, Vadakkencherry, Palakkad district

Maharashtra
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Nira Narsimhapura.

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Pokharni Narasimha Temple

Odisha

▪ Narasimha Temple, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar.


▪ Narasimha Temple, Puri, Puri.
▪ Nrusinghanath Temple, Paikmal, Bargarh District.

Rajasthan

▪ Sri Narasimha Temple, Amber.

Tamil Nadu

▪ Namakkal Narasimha Temple, Namakkal.


▪ Narasingam Yoga Narasimha Perumal Temple.
▪ Sri Yoga Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Sholinghur.
▪ Sri Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple Chintalavadi, Karur.
Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple varatanapalli
Krishnagiri

Telangana

▪ Hare Krishna Golden Temple.


▪ Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Yadadri, Yadadri.
▪ Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Dharmapuri.
▪ Yogananda Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Peddapalli.

Uttar Pradesh

▪ Prahlada Ghata, Hardoi

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West Bengal

▪ Narasimha Temple, Nadia, Nadia.

See also
▪ Narasimha Avatara
▪ Narasimha Purana
▪ Narasimha Satakam
▪ Ramateka Kevala Narasimha temple inscription
▪ Kangla Sha
▪ Nongashaba

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Bibliography
▪ Soifer, Deborah A. (1991). The Myths of Narasimha and
Vamana: Two Avatars in Cosmological Perspective (https://
books.google.com/books?id=OoFDK_sDGHwC). SUNY
Press. ISBN 9780791407998.

External links
▪ Iconography and Symbolism of Panchamukha Narasimha
(https://www.jstor.org/stable/29756820), R. Kalidos (1987)
▪ The story of Lord Narasimha (https://www.thegaudiyatreas
uresofbengal.com/2020/07/01/lord-narasimha-narasimha-w
ho-is-lord-narasimha-prahlada-and-hiranyakashipu/)

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