Why did Mahadev wear lion skin?

Lord Shiva is the Supreme Being himself. Therefore, he prefers to remain naked in his true form. However, he accepted Lord Vishnu’s request and accepted tiger skin or lion skin as his clothing.

This story is related to the Narasimha incarnation of Lord Vishnu. To protect Prahlad, Lord Hari assumed the form of Narasimha and killed Hiranyakashipu with his claws. However, angered by the atrocities inflicted on his devotee, Narasimha became determined to destroy the entire universe. He rejected the prayers of all the gods, even Brahma and Lakshmi.

To protect the universe, Mahadev sent his Gana Veerbhadra. Veerbhadra tried to remind Vishnu, in the form of Narasimha, of his true form. But the deluded Narasimha refused to listen.

To protect the world, Mahadev assumed the form of Sharabha. He was a combined form of Virabhadra, Garuda, and Bhairava. He had eight powerful claws and powerful wings.

In the form of Sharabha, Veerbhadra was situated in one wing and Mahakali in the other wing, Bhairava was situated in the head of Lord Sharabha and Sadashiva was situated in the beak and Shiva in the form of Sharabha caught Lord Narasimha in his claws and flew into the sky. Shiva wrapped Narasimha in his tail and started hitting him on the chest with his beak.

Then he tore open his navel with his claws.

Narasimha’s delusion was destroyed. His radiance separated and manifested as Mahavishnu. He requested Mahadeva to honor Narasimha’s skin by accepting it as his clothing.

The great Pashupati Shiva then wore that skin as his clothing and seat, revealing his captivating form in the hearts of his devotees.