2018 Narasimha Jayanti Date and Timings

Narasimha is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, one who incarnates in the form of a part lion and part man to destroy an evil, end religious persecution and calamity on Earth, thereby restoring Dharma.

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 killing. The demon is the powerful brother of evil Hiranyaksha who had been previously killed by Vishnu, who hated Vishnu for killing his brother.

Hiranyakashipu gains special powers by which he could not be killed during the day or night, inside or outside, by god, demon, man or animal.Coronated with his new powers, Hiranyakashipu creates chaos, persecutes all devotees of Vishnu including his own son.

Vishnu understands the demon’s power, then creatively adapts 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.

Prasad – Holy Offerings

Special food preparations for this day are Panaka (a Cool sweet drink made out of sugar tulsi leaves mint and Khas), wet Moong and chana along with seasonal fruits are specialties of the day.