Narasimha (‘man-lion’) is a fierce avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, one who incarnates in the form of part lion and part man to destroy evil and end religious persecution and calamity on Earth, thereby restoring Dharma. Narasimha is depicted with three eyes, and is described as the God of Destruction, who destroys the entire universe at the time of great-dissolution (Mahapralaya). Hence he is known as Kala (time) or Mahakala (great-time) or Parakala (beyond time) as well. There is even a matha (monastery) by the name of Parakala Matha in Sri Vaishnava tradition. Alongside, Narasimha is also described as the God of Yoga, in the form of Yoga-Narasimha.
Narasimha iconography shows him with a human torso and lower body, with a lion face and claws, typically with a demon Hiranyakashipu in his lap whom he is in the process of defeating. The demon is the powerful brother of evil Hiranyaksha who had been previously defeated by Vishnu, and thus hated the latter. Hiranyakashipu gained special powers by which he could not be killed during the day or night, inside or outside the house, any place in the world i.e. neither in sky nor on land nor in heaven nor in pataala, by any weapon, and by man, god, asura or animal. Endowed with this, he began to create chaos and havoc, persecuting all devotees of Vishnu, including his own son. Vishnu understood the demon’s power and creatively adapted into a mixed avatar that is neither man nor animal and kills the demon at the junction of day and night, inside and outside. Narasimha is known primarily as the ‘Great Protector’ who specifically defends and protects his devotees from evil. The most popular Narasimha mythology is the legend that protects his devotee Prahlada, and creatively destroys Prahlada’s demonic father and tyrant Hiranyakashipu.
Narasimha is always shown with a lion face with clawed fingers fused with a human body. Sometimes he is coming out of a pillar signifying that he is everywhere, in everything, in everyone. Some temples such as at Ahobilam, Andhra Pradesh, the iconography is more extensive, and includes nine other icons of Narasimha:
Prahladavarada: blessing Prahlada
Yogananda-narasiṃha: serene, peaceful Narasimha teaching yoga
Guha-narasiṃha: concealed Narasimha
Krodha-narasiṃha: angry Narasimha
Vira-narasimha: warrior Narasimha
Malola-narasiṃha or Lakshmi-narasimha: with Lakshmi his wife
Jvala-narasiṃha: Narasimha emitting flames of wrath
Sarvatomukha-narasimha: many faced Narasimha
Bhishana-narasimha: ferocious Narasimha
Bhadra-narasimha: another fierce aspect of Narasimha
Mrityormrityu-narasimha: defeater of death aspect of Narasimha
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. 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, while single face versions are found in Garhwa and Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) and in Ellora Caves (Maharashtra). 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. Some of the oldest surviving Hindu temples, such as those found in Tigawa and Eran (Madhya Pradesh), dated to early 5th-century, include Narasimha along with other avatars of Vishnu. The Thuravoor Temple is the most important shrine to Narasimha in Kerala; the form of Narasimha there is known as Vaṭakanappan.
Narasimha is a significant iconic symbol of creative resistance, 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.
In South Indian art – sculptures, bronzes and paintings – Vishnu’s incarnation as Narasimha is one of the most chosen themes and amongst Avataras perhaps next only to Rama and Krishna in popularity.