Thread by @SriSamavedam

Nārasimha Vapu:
[21st nāma in Śrī Viṣṇu Sahasranāma stōtra]

Literal meaning of this nāma is one who took the body of man-lion.

#Thread - on Sri Narasimha swaroopam #NarasimhaJayanthi

In the first twenty nāmās starting from ‘Viśwam’ to ‘Pradhāna Puruṣēśwara’ only formless parabrahma is expounded. All these elucidate the formless and holistic Brahman. That all pervading supreme consciousness is expressed as a ‘Form’ for the first time in this nāma.

Why only this form is mentioned among many other forms of Viṣṇu?

This implies that this form is the amalgamated form of all the twenty characteristics of formless supreme described in the first twenty nāmās, which embeds in Itself many intricacies of Yōga.

1. All beings have form. But, the form of Narasimha is not inert like other beings. It is not different from the philosophy of being formless and devoid of any attributes. It is emphasized here with the word ‘Simha’ meaning lion. Lion here denotes the exalted distinction.

Hence, this form is the distinct form of ‘Sat-Cit-Anānda’ i.e. Truth-Consciousness-Bliss. It is a form divine and auspicious in itself for eternity completely full of energy. Therefore, any form of Viṣṇu in fact is the form of ‘Narasimha’ only.

2. ‘Nāram’ means collection of multitudes of beings. The great consciousness that is always present as the indweller in the heart cave of all beings is ‘Nārasimham’.

3. ‘स्तुहि श्रुतं गर्तसदं युवानं गन्न भीम मुपहतनुमुग्रम्’ says Yajurvēda mantra.

4. Yōgavidāṁ Nēta i.e. an adept in Yōga, & the very embodiment of Yōga manifested His characteristic of Yōga in this divine form Narasimha.

This form is 1st described because God not only protected Dharma, but also promulgated His affection towards devotees by saving Prahlāda.

This manifestation made true the words of Prahlāda that entire universe is pervaded by Viṣṇu. This gave a form to the philosophy of Viṣṇu told in the first 20 names.

नारसिम्हं वपु: कृत्वा यस्त्रैलोक्य भयङ्करं ।
हिरण्यकशिपुं जघ्ने तस्मै सिम्हात्मने नम​:॥
- mahābhāratam

This form is the personification of Yōga demonstrating the ‘Oneness’ of seemingly different and mutually dissimilar objects in the creation. This form is also the quintessence of Lord’s efficacy which Because, He is the ‘Īśwara’ for both ‘Pradhāna’ and ‘Puruṣa’...

He is the only one who can demonstrate something supernatural. Both man and lion are mutually anti but are conjoined by the ‘One Consciousness’.

Moreover, this denotes the philosophy of twilight i.e. the philosophy of duals – neither day nor night, neither in home nor outside,

neither living nor dead – which are comprehended by normal human mind.

But in between these duals, there exists a consciousness which in fact is the cause & source of both & can be seen only with micro vision. This ‘Sandhya’ neither belongs nor associates with any of the two.

Once this state is understood, One can harmonize the two & see through the mystery of Yōga present here.
One can envision this truth only with ‘Samyak Dhyāna’ or ‘Sandhya’ i.e. focused meditation, of which the ultimate goal is the formless supreme philosophy enunciated in Vēdās.

Both day and night exist together in the moment of ‘Sandhya’, but they do not intermingle. The state of Parabrahman, which is in everything but not everything by itself, is seen in ‘Sandhya’ time also.

Vēdās also describe that there exists an interval of peace even betwn 2 thoughts that occur in a mind. सन्धयोरखिलवृत्तिषु.

Whoever can concentrate in such small interval is beyond the duals & is a Yōgi. That state is Yōga. If that Yōga manifests in a form, it is Nārasimha Vapu:

Hence, He is called ‘Yōga Nārasimha’. This incarnation is termed as the ‘Complete’ or ‘Full’ incarnation of Nārāyaṇa. In fact, this is the form of Viṣṇu that proved the existence of this world!

सत्यं विधातुं निजभृत्यु भाषितं ।
व्याप्तिम् च लोकेष्वखिलेषु चात्मनं ॥
अदृश्य तात्यद्भुत रूपमुद्वहन्।
स्तम्भे सभायांन मृगं न मानुषं ॥

To declare the words of His devotee as true, to demonstrate that He is the omnipresent Viṣṇu pervading across all the worlds,..

He came out of the pillar with an astonishing form that was never seen before. Here, Maharṣi Vēda Vyāsa mentions an amazing phrase - न मृगं न मानुषं i.e. the form is neither animal nor human.

Why such phrase? Maharṣi Vēda Vyāsa could have said directly that the form is both..

animal and human or half-man & half-animal. But, One should really understand the heart of Vyāsa here. He is propounding the Parabrahman in the Upaniṣadic way ‘Nēti Nēti’ i.e. Not this, not this, to express the ultimate tattva which is beyond the ken of human senses & intellect.

It is the distinct characteristic feature of Yōga which conjoins everything but does not connect to anything.

A. Hence, this incarnation is called ‘Yōga Avatāra’.

B. Sandhyāvatāra - ‘Sandhya’ is the twilight time between day and night.

Sri Narasimha is the One who pervades all the duals in this universe as the ultimate inner substrata, but He's above and beyond all the duals.

c. Sadyōjāta Avatāra – An incarnation that manifested instantly right at that moment. This indicates that He bestows grace very quickly.

D. Abhaya Avatāra – This incarnation which destroyed the demonic emotion of diversity in vision, is also the incarnation of granting fearlessness ‘Abhaya’ destroying the duality of illusion in Samsāra. In fact, this incarnation is a terror to terrors.

The protective hand of this manifestation of Advaita dispels all kinds of fears. It removes all the distresses in Samsāra. Once one gets that hand which uplifts oneself from the deep well of Samsāra, one is sure to get out and obtain relief.

सम्प्राप्य दुःखशतसर्पसमाकुलस्य ।
दीनस्य देव कृपया शरणागतस्य
लक्ष्मीनृसिंह मम देहि करावलम्बम् ॥

This is the intricacy of the adulation of Śrī Ādi Śankara Bhagavatpāda.

E. Ugrāvatāram – ‘Ut Grasati Iti Ugra:’ – That which lifts us from down bottom to give the most exalted state.

Hence, this embodiment of Yōga is called ‘Ugrāvatāra’.

F. Jwāla Narasimham – With the compassion and grace of Narasimha, entire ignorance shall be dispelled of those who worship this form of Viṣṇu, which exhibits His complete tattva.

ज्वलन्तम् सर्वतो मुखम् – This is that form of Viṣṇu which manifested for a well-rounded Yōgi ripened with the knowledge of Viṣṇu tattva and saw the entire universe as His form.

True worship of ‘Narasimha’ is to visualize Him in everything and everywhere.

When worship is performed with this realization, He will manifest Himself instantly then and there itself and protects us from all calamities.

Traditionalists mention that it is difficult to comprehend the real tattva of Bhāgavata without the grace of Narasimha.

4. The body of human represents the power of enquiry and causative action. Lion face represents chivalry and capability to execute. Combination of both is the incarnation of ‘Narasimha’.

5. ‘Nāram’ – belongs to beings. ‘Simha’ – belongs to Īśwara.

The grace of torturing the feeling of ‘Nāram’ and granting the state of Īśwara ‘Nārasimham’. On the whole, His very manifestation in itself is His grace.

उपासकानां कार्यार्थं ब्रह्मणो रूपकल्पना भक्तानुग्रहविग्रहं – The one who is formless became one with form just to grace His devotees only.

- @SriSamavedam.
(Adapted from ‘Śrī Viṣṇu Vidya’ book)

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