Lord Narasimha, which is the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and has the form of a half lion, half man- it indicates the evolutionary process of physical life on earth. 

You can read How Lord Narasimha ridded the earth of Hiranyakashapu’s demonic terror!!

The story of Lord Narasimha clearly indicates that everything in the material creation ultimately has a limited time in existence. Even though one believes that one is clever and has ‘tricked’ the process of creation or the laws of nature- it is not so. Such trickery does not work!! 

The universal laws of Karma impacts everyone and the universal process proceeds and unfolds in its own rhythm.

Lord Narasimha’s fierceness and anger could only be subdued by the loving presence of Prahalad and his true devotion. It is then that Lord Narasimha blessed all the others in the court. 

This goes to show the power of true love and deep devotion- it has the power to counteract and transform even the most challenging of situations. 

If you would like to learn more about the many blessings that one can receive by worshipping to Lord Narasimha, then check out this video titled, Lord Narsimha and the amazing blessings we can receive from within the Hindu Deities: God & Goddesses playlist.

​#Narasimha #VishnuDashaAvatar #Narsimha #VishnuTenAvatars #HinduStory #VedicWisdom

Lord Narsimha is the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He appeared to kill the demon- Hiranyakashapu. 

As the story goes, Hiranyakashapu prayed to Lord Brahma, the creator, to receive boons and blessings. 

Even though he was a demon and Lord Brahma knew that being a demon, Hiranyaksha would utilize his blessings to bring about more mayhem, the fact that he had taken on the hardship of prayers and penance, meant that he also needed to receive the fruits of his action. 

So finally, after a long arduous prayers and intense penance by Hiranyakashapu, Lord Brahma needed to give him a blessing. 

When Lord Brahma asked Hiranyakashapu to ask for any blessing, the demon replied that he wanted to be immortal- that he wanted to continue living on forever!!

But, eternity in a physical body is against the laws of creation and nature. So, Brahma told him that such a blessing could not be given and that he needs to ask for something else. 

Then the demon Hiranyakashapu decided to ask for a very clever blessing- he requested that he could only be killed by someone who was neither a man nor an animal. He also added that he could not be killed during day nor night and that he could neither be killed by weapons or any energized means! He could neither be killed inside, nor outside! Lord Brahma granted him this boon. 

This made the demon Hiranyakashapu feel like an immortal- after all, if any man or animal could not kill him and if he could not be killed by any weapons or other energized means, then how could he be killed. When could his death come- since it could not be neither during the day nor at night. And where could he be killed- since he could neither be killed, inside nor outside!!
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Years passed by and his atrocities, influenced by his demonic behaviors continued to reign terror on earth and the heavens… Every win made Hiranyakashapu feel ever more arrogant and infallible. He felt that he was the highest of all beings and that no-one and no-thing could challenge, defeat or stop him!!

As the Divine Leela (blessed, divine play of events) would have it, his son- Prahalad was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. This always aired and angered the demon Hiranyakashapu. He could understand how, his own son would choose to pray to Lord Vishnu and not regard him- as the ‘all-powerful’. 

But Prahalad was wise and knew the true source of light- Lord Vishnu and so continued on with his devotion. 

Because of this, his own father abused and punished him many times to get him to stop praying to Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashapu even tried to kill Prahalad, his own son- but the grace of Lord Vishu, saved Prahalad, time and again.

Finally, out of extreme anger and frustration- Hiranyakashapu called Prahalad in his court. He asked him as to why inspite of all the pain and torture he (Hiranyakashapu) has put him thru, Prahalad continues to worship Lord Vishnu. 

Prahalad replied that Lord Vishnu was the only and ultimate truth and his presence is there within each one of us and in all of creation- in him and also his father… every being, every thing that exists, can only do so, because they have an divine essence of Lord Vishnu.

This angered the demon Hiranyakashapu to no end. He thundered and asked Prahalad that if “his” Lord Vishnu is everywhere, then is he also in the pillar in his court. And when Prahalad replied in the affirmative, a livid Hiranyakashapu raised his gada (a heavy weapon) and struck the pillar to break it. He believed that by doing so, he will prove to his son that his father, was strong and could tackle Lord Vishnu.

But, Hiranyakashapu did not know that his time of atrocities and terror was up!! His time of death had arrived…
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As the pillar broke, one could hear thunderous sounds of a lion’s roar and soon the fierce and ferocious form of Lord Narasimha emerged from the pillar. Everyone in the court got scared and stepped back. They could not fathom this being- he was neither a man nor a beast. 

At that time, Lord Narasimha picked up Hiranyakashapu, took him to the court door-way (neither inside nor outside) and said to him that he- Lord Narasimha is taking Hiranyakashapu’s life while also in complete adherence to Lord Brahma’s blessing. At that time, it was twilight (neither day nor night) and using his lion-nails (neither a weapon, nor an energized tool), Lord Narasimha ripped open the stomach of the demon Hiranyakashapu, killing him and ridding the earth of his demonic, dark presence!! 

The ferocious form of Lord Narasimha continued to roar wildly and there were flames of fire coming from his mouth. Prahalad, the ardent devotee was joyful to get to meet his beloved Lord! As he approached Lord Narasimha, the lord’s fierceness and anger subsided and he lovingly picked up his child-devotee. 

Check out the Symbolic &    Esoteric meaning of this story of Lord Narasimha…

If you would like to learn more about the many blessings that one can receive by worshipping to Lord Narasimha, then check out this video titled, Lord Narsimha and the amazing blessings we can receive from within the Hindu Deities: God & Goddesses playlist.

​#Narasimha #VishnuDashaAvatar #Narsimha #Hiranyakashapu #HinduStory #VedicWisdom   #VedicLegends

Lord Parashuram is considered as the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is the son of Rishi Jamadagni and a Kshatriya princess, Renuka. 
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Legend has it that Renuka was so devoted to her husband that she would utilize an unbaked clay pot to fill water from the river. Her devotion and sense of chastity would keep the clay bound well and it would not dissolve in the water.

But then one day, while she was fetching water from the river, a group of Gandharvas (celestial beings, who are usually very beautiful and appealing) were passing by, in the sky above.

Renuka’s heart filled with desire for just a moment. She immediately retraced her desires, but that moment of indiscretion was bad enough for her pot to dissolve in water. She was too afraid to now go back home and so just waited at the riverbank.

In the meantime, Rishi Jamadagni noticed that his wife had not returned from the river and utilizing his yogic powers he inquired into the situation. 
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He came to know what had happened and flew into rage. He ordered his eldest son to kill his mother. His son refused to perform such an action. Then he ordered his second son and so on. They all refused to kill their mother. Angered by this fact that his sons refused to follow his command, he turned them to stones!

Finally, Rishi Jamadagni ordered his youngest son Lord Parashuram, to kill his mother. Being the obedient son, Lord Parashuram knew that as per his dharma (core moral duty- universal obligation), he needs to carry out his father’s command. Accordingly, he chopped off his mother head with his axe. 

Rishi Jamadagni was pleased that his son was obedient and had carried out his wishes, so he gave him two boons. He said, “Dear son, I am pleased by your obedience. Ask any two boons.”

Lord Parashuram replied that as the first boon, he would like his mother to get her head back and be restored to life. And for his second boon, he would like for his brothers to also be restored back to flesh and blood living beings.
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Rishi Jamadagni was pleased to hear his son’s request and promptly completed the restoration in a smooth way. Renuka and her sons came back to life without any recollection of the horror that they had experienced.

In this way, Lord Parashuram was able to conduct his rightful dharma of being a son, and carry out the required action, and at the same time, was able to bring his mother and brothers back to life with his love and affection.

Esoteric meaning:

At an apparent level, when modern day folks read these Vedic legends, they get quite perturbed. How can a Rishi, a divine light being, ask his own son to kill his mother!! How can the son carry out such a gory act in the name of “dharma”!!

We need to remember that many of these Vedic legends were symbolic in nature and they indicate cosmic mysteries- interwoven with story and moral teachings. 

It is important and interesting to note that Lord Parashuram represents the graha (planet) Venus and we know that Venus represents the ability to produce life (as shukra or reproductive fluids). Venus is also the only planet that has the knowledge of Sanjeevani vidya- i.e. the know-how as to how we can bring someone back to life. 

Though, as Venus, there is another Vedic legend as to how Venus- Shukracharya obtained the Sanjeevani vidya. More on that some other time… stay tuned…

​#Parashuram #Jamadagni #HinduMythology #HinduStories #VedicWisdom

Rishi Jamadagni is one of the Sapta Rishis of the seventh (current) Manvantara. Jamadagni literally means consuming fire.

​Typically, when we think of Rishi Jamadagni, we get reminded of his immense anger- because of which, he had killed his wife and sons. Check out that story here…
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But he is to be thanked for some basic items like sandals and umbrella, which allow us to bear the weather elements.

According to legend he was once very angry with the Surya dev (Sun god) for making excessive heat. As the rishi was also a warrior (prior to becoming a rishi), he was very well versed with various weapons and shot several arrows into the sky!

This scared and terrified the Sun god and he appeared before the sage asking for blessings and forgiveness. Rishi Jamadagni indicated his reason for anger to Surya dev and in response- the Sun god offered two items which would help mankind to deal with his immense heat.
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One of the items was sandals or footwear and the other was an umbrella. As we know, both of these items help us to protect ourselves from the harshness of the weather and the extreme heat of the sun.

​As always, the rishis are kind and are always thinking of ways in which they can benefit mankind. 

​They mull over the many aspects of day to day human life that are challenging to common folks and what can be done that will in turn help and benefit mankind.

​#Jamadagni #Rishi #HinduMythology