Narasimha Jayanti- History, Significance, Celebration, and more about this day

Narasimha Jayanti is a festival celebrated by devotees to please Lord Narasimha who is considered as Lord Vishnu’s fourth incarnation. Narasimha Jayanti is celebrated on the Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi by Hindus. God Narasimha appeared as a half man and half lion to kill the demon Hiranyakashipu. Narasimha God is hence popularly known as lion-man or half lion-half man avatar. This event or occasion is performed to celebrate the victory of Dharma over Adharma.

Every year, Narasimha Jayanti falls in the month of April –May that is Vaisakha month according to the Hindu calendar. According to the Hindu calendar, the fourteenth day of Shukla Paksha is meant to be that day when Narasimha came out of the pillar and killed Hiranyakashipu. Let's learn more about this day and celebrate:

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What is the story of Narasimha Jayanti? 

According to old sayings and perception, a man named Kashyap had a wife named ‘Diti’, and they had two children Hiranyakashipu and Harinyaksha. In order to, shield and protect mankind and Earth, Harinyaksha was killed by Lord Vishnu. His brother Hiranyakashipu was very aggravated and disturbed by the death of his brother and decided to take revenge. He then solely prayed for a long time to Lord Brahma and took his blessing. After getting the blessing he started ruling all Lokas including heavens.

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After that, Hiranyakashipu’s wife named Kayadhu gave birth to a son named Prahalad. Prahalad was a devotee of Lord Narayana, which was not liked by his father. Hiranyakashipu, the father of Prahalad, tried to divert him from praying to Lord Narayana in many ways as he wanted him to convert into a demon and take revenge. But Hiranyakashipu failed every time because ‘Prahalad’ was blessed by Lord Vishnu. ‘Holika’, the sister of Hiranyakashipu had a blessing that she will never get burned by fire, so to make Prahalad a demon, she took Prahalad on his lap and sat in the fire, but Holika got burnt and Prahalad was saved.

Hiranyakashipu was very angry after seeing all this and attacked a pillar near him and Lord Narasimha came out of it. Hiranyakashipu had a boon that he cannot be killed by Deva, human or animal, cannot be killed in day or night, and cannot be killed on earth or space and cannot be killed by weapons. So God Vishnu took incarnation as Lord Narasimha who was a half lion and a half-man and killed him with his nails by cutting the chest. It is also believed that people who fast on this day are blessed by Lord Narasimha.

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How is Lord Narasimha worshipped on this day and how is Narasimha Jayanti celebrated?

Narasimha Jayanti is a day when Lord Narasimha is worshipped with full enthusiasm by the devotees. Everyone who follows this day, wake up very early in the morning and take a bath in Brahma Muhurat, followed by wearing clean clothes and then worship Lord Narasimha. Along with Lord Narasimha, Goddess Laxmi is also prayed with devotion using flowers, fruits, ‘kumkum’, five sweets, ‘Kesar’, rice, coconut, ‘Ganga Jal’, among other items. On Narasimha Jayanti, people also chant Narasimha mantra by using a Rudraksha mala and sitting in isolation. Some of them also donate gold, sesame seeds, clothes, etc. on Narasimha Jayanti. Narasimha Jayanti is also meant to celebrate as this occasion fulfills all dreams and solve the problems of the devotees.

 

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