Forms of Shri Narasimha Bhagwan :-
Shri Narasimha, the fourth avatara is special among the Dasa Avatars of Lord Vishnu. Unlike, all the other avatars of Lord Vishnu which were taken to save the mankind, sages and the devas from the evil forces of the Asura Dynasty, Narasimha avatar was taken to substantiate the words uttered by His ardent devotee, Bhaktha prahlada. Prahlada believed and proved to the world that the Lord Mighty is ‘Omnipresent (AntharyAmi)’. Most people have reservations in worshiping Lord Narasimha because of his fearsome form. But remember, the same lap that proved to be the necropolis for the wicked asura, is also the throne for his devotee, Prahlada. The grace of Shri Narasimha is boundless.
As the avatar itself signifies the fact that the Lord will not tolerate the sufferings of any true devotee (Bhaktha) and if need arises, he can incarnate into an unimaginable transcendence to safeguard his devotees who surrenders unto him. Lord Narsimha Himself is recognized in the scriptures by a variety of forms. The Vihagendra-samhita (4.17) of the Pancaratra-Agama enumerates more than seventy forms of Shri Narasimha. Most of these forms are distinguished by the arrangements of weapons in the hands, His different postures, or other subtle distinctions.
Of these seventy-four, nine are very prominent (Nava-vyuha-narasimha):
- Ugra-Narasimha (in a ferocious form) or Kruddha-narasimha (in an angry mood, blazing with anger)
- Santha-Narasimha (in a pacified serene mood)
- Vira-Narasimha (in a fighting form)
- Prahlada-Narasimha (with Prahlada)
- Sayana-Narasimha (Reclining position)
- Yoga-Narasimha (in yogic posture)
- Aghora-Narasimha (Five-faced, five-headed is the personification of His power of dissolution or re-absorption.
- Sudarshana-Narasimha (In the Sudarshana Chakra)
- Lakshmi-Narasima (with his divine consort, Lakshmi)
