Sri Varada Yoga Bhoga Narasimha Swamy

Sri Varada Yoga Bhoga Narasimha Swamy-Shantigrama

Sri Varada Yoga Bhoga Narasimha Swamy is at Shantigrama village in Hassan district- Karnataka.Here lord Narasimha the 4th avaatar of Vishnu is in seated in his yogic form – lion headed man with chakra, mace, nails & jaws.

The word ‘Nara’ means human and ‘Simha’ or ‘Singh (a)’ means ‘Lion’. He bears the lion head on human body so he is identified as ‘Narasimha’. He assumed this shape to kill demon king Hiranyakashipu to save his ardent disciple Prahlada.

This is a simple temple in terms of the plan and carving, it was built by Acala Prakasa Muni in the 12th century. The idol dates back to the Chola period and depicts Narasimha in a meditative posture, hence the name Yoga Narasimha. The ring of nine forms of Narasimha (Nava Narasimha Vritta) incorporated in the ceiling of the portico of the temple is a rare sculptural work. The nine forms of Narasimha are Ugra, Krodha, Veera, Vilamba, Kopa, Yoga, Aghora, Sudharshana and Lakshmi Narasimha. The tower of the shrine is pyramidal in shape. The ekakuta temple consists of a shrine connected to a closed hall through a vestibule.

Here Lord Narasimha is with Lakshmi with shanka (conch) is in his right hand otherwise it’s usually in the left, chakra is in the left.

Adishankara was a great devotee of Lord Narasimha.His legendary story is interesting. Once Shankara entered a forest, which was prohibited area because of Kapalika, who used to sacrifice human beings to Goddess Kali. Shankara sat under a tree and did penance for many days. Alas! Instead of god Kapalika appeared before him and told Shankara that he should give his body as human sacrifice to Kali. Shankara was happy and agreed. But his followers were shocked to hear this and pleaded with Shankara to change his mind. Shankara refused to do so saying that it was an honour for him to give up his body to please Mother Kali. Kapalika arranged fire for sacrifice and Shankara was made to sit there. Shankara was uttering Sri Narasimha stotram within self at that moment. Kapalika lifted his axe to severe the head of Shankara, immediately Lord Narasimha entered the body of Padmapada, a follower of Shankara and slayed Kapalika. Thus Shankara freed the forest from Kapalika, by the grace of Lord Narasimha.

Shankara composed the powerful Lakshminarasimha Karavalambam, which is very popularly adopted in performing pooja of Lord Narasimha, even today.

It’s believed that encircling Lord Narasimha 48 times before noon hungry in pure cleanliness after a bath at the adjacent lake and asking for a boon – gets fulfilled.