In 1984, a terrible attack took place in Mayapur. Thirty-five armed bandits stormed the ISKCON temple, beat the devotees, and forced their way to the altar. Their target was the Deities.
It was not the first attack. At that time, one of the leaders, Bhavananda Dasa, proposed installing a Deity of Lord Narasimhadeva—the protector of the devotees. He recalled that after the attacks at Yoga Pitha, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura had installed Lakshmi-Narasimha, and the violence had stopped.
However, serious doubts arose. Worshiping Narasimha requires strict discipline. The pujari must be a naishthika-brahmachari—someone who has observed celibacy completely from birth. This is not merely an attractive solution—it is a responsibility. Who would take it on?
Nevertheless, it was decided to proceed. A sketch of the Deity was made—in mid-leap, with curved claws, flames emanating from His head, and a fierce, protective mood. A wealthy devotee donated a large sum, and they agreed to install the Deity in three months. Everything seemed almost settled.
But then the real trials began.
When they began searching for a sthapati in South India, one after another refused to sculpt Narasimhadeva. The reason was simple—it is a fearsome form of the Lord, and not everyone is prepared to undertake such work. Months passed. Journeys, negotiations, hopes—and once again, “no.”
Finally, a renowned sthapati who had previously refused became more willing to discuss the matter. He read the description of Narasimha from the Shilpa-shastras: a fiery mane, an intense gaze, one knee bent, one foot extended forward—as if the Lord were ready to burst out of the pillar. This description remarkably matched the sketch that had already been made. The craftsman was impressed. He even prepared a canonical drawing based on the scriptures.
But he still hesitated.
The devotees returned to Mayapur with the sketch. The temple leadership wanted this particular craftsman to undertake the work. So they had to travel to him again—to persuade him, plead with him, and hope.
Thus, the installation of Lord Narasimhadeva in Mayapur began not with a celebration, but with pain, doubts, and trials. Yet it is precisely through such trials that protection manifests. Sometimes a blow comes first, to awaken determination. And then comes protection that remains for a long time.
Next, the story will be told by Atmatattva Dasa, who took part in this and was a participant in these events.
As I headed to the sthapati’s house, I was terribly anxious. I had no choice but to pray to Lord Nrisimhadeva, asking Him for the mercy to manifest Himself in our temple in Sri Dham Mayapur. After getting out a couple of sentences, I unexpectedly received a curt reply from the sthapati: he would sculpt the Deity. The story of how he came to that decision was quite interesting.
The sthapati approached his guru, Shankaracharya from the city of Kanchipuram, and told him about our request. His guru exclaimed, “Don’t do it. Your family will perish!” However, after thinking it over, he asked, “Who asked you to make this Deity?” When he heard that it was a Hare Krishna devotee from Navadvipa, he became interested. “Do they need Ugra-Nrisimha? Do they know about the peculiarities of sculpting and installing Ugra-Nrisimha?” Three thousand years ago, a very exalted sthapati made a similar Deity. There is a small place on the way to Missouri where a very fierce Ugra Nrisimha is installed. It was there that the Lord tore the demon Hiranyakashipu apart right on His knees, scattering his entrails all over the altar. At first, a very high standard of worship was maintained there, with daily festivals and elephant processions. Gradually, the worship deteriorated. Today, the place looks more like a dwelling of spirits and ghosts. The village is deserted. No one can live there peacefully. The residents want a peaceful life.
The sthapati continued, “They are very insistent and keep coming here, bringing up the Deity again each time. Apparently, they have run into trouble with bandits.” Handing his guru a sketch of the Deity, he added, “This is the Deity they want.” His guru took the sketch and gave him a meaningful look. “Yes, this belongs to the ‘ugra’ category,” he said, “but such a Deity is in a special mood and is called Sthanu-Nrisimha. There is no such Deity on our planet. Even the demigods on the heavenly planets do not worship this form. Yes, yes, this Deity belongs to the ‘ugra’ category. ‘Ugra’ means fierce, extremely wrathful. There are nine forms in this category. All of them are very fierce. The Deity they need is Sthanu-Nrisimha—the One who leaps out of the pillar. No. Do not carve this Deity. Something inauspicious may happen to you. Later I will explain why.” A few days later, the sthapati had a dream. In the dream, his guru came to him and said, “For them, you may carve Sthanu-Nrisimha.” The next morning, he received a letter delivered straight to his home from Kanchipuram. The letter was written by Shankaracharya and contained instructions concerning temple innovations. At the end, there was a postscript: “For ISKCON, you may carve Sthana-Nrisimha.”
The sthapati showed me the letter and said, “My guru has blessed me. I will sculpt the Deity.” I was overwhelmed with joy. I gave him a deposit and asked how long he would need to make the Deity. He replied that the Deity would be ready for installation in six months, and I returned to Mayapur. After four peaceful months in the Holy Dham, I decided to travel to southern India to buy good-quality brass paraphernalia for worshiping Nrisimhadeva and then collect the Deity. I prepared well for the journey, and everything went smoothly until I arrived at the sthapati’s place. I explained that all the paraphernalia necessary for worship had already been purchased and that I had come for the Deity. He looked at me as if I were crazy and exclaimed, “What Deity! I haven’t even found a suitable stone yet!” I could not believe my ears. “But you said the Deity would be ready in six months,” I exclaimed. “I will keep my promise,” he said. “Six months after I find the stone for the Deity, It will be ready for installation.” His answer was categorical. I wondered whether I could accept such a delay. I was so upset that I tried to object: “There are plenty of large stones throughout southern India! What is the problem?” He looked at me as a teacher looks at a struggling student and slowly said, “I am not making a dead statue; I am making a Deity. The scriptures tell us that only living stone can be used to sculpt a Deity of Vishnu. When you strike a stone seven times and it produces a sound seven times, as stated in the scriptures, the stone is suitable. In addition, another test is needed to determine whether there is life in the stone. There is a small insect in nature that eats granite. If it bores all the way through the stone and the tunnel can be seen, the stone has passed the second test. Such a stone possesses life and is therefore capable of expression. Only from such a piece can I carve Nrisimhadeva. Such a stone speaks in verse. All Deities made from such stone will be exceptionally expressive and beautiful. Be patient. I am looking for a six-foot stone for you.” I was filled with amazement and anxiety. After all, the devotees in Mayapur were eagerly awaiting the Deity’s imminent arrival.
Two months later, I set off for southern India again. But the stone still had not been found. So I kept traveling back and forth—Mayapur, southern India, Mayapur—every 30–40 days. Finally, the stone was found, and the sthapati seemed to have changed. All week long, it was difficult to catch him at home. Hour after hour, day after day, he sat and stared intently at the stone. He had a piece of chalk in his hand, but he drew nothing. He allowed none of his workers to do anything except clear away the chips. At last, the stone acquired a rectangular shape. During my next visit, the sthapati had already made a sketch on the stone. And that was all! I was terribly worried that the leadership of the Mayapur temple would lose patience. “Are you sure the Deity will be ready in six months?” I asked, almost in a rage. “Don’t worry. The work will be done,” the sthapati replied.
I returned to Mayapur, but was sent back to southern India to inspect certain details of the Deity. I found the sthapati carving. He worked with dedication and complete absorption. The stone no longer existed—the form had manifested. He had just begun carving the bracelets. That work alone took two weeks. The emerging features were distinct and refined. I was deeply impressed and experienced a feeling of bliss. It took the sthapati a little over twelve months to complete the Deity. Once he finished, he immediately informed me and added that he would be away for a few days to visit friends. The rainy season began. He thought that surely nothing terrible would happen if he enclosed Lord Nrisimhadeva in his thatched hut. But two days later, his neighbors came running to tell him that his hut was on fire. It was pouring with rain and everything was soaked, yet the roof, made of coconut palm leaves, was burning. The sthapati ran to the platform and discovered that Nrisimhadeva was in perfect condition, while his hut had been reduced to ashes. He called me immediately: “Come quickly and take your Deity away. He burns everything. He has made it quite clear that He wants to leave NOW!”
I happily set off for southern India. After renting a truck, I filled half of its cargo bed with sand. I was driving to the sthapati’s workshop, thinking that at least this stage would be relatively simple. In my foolishness, I had forgotten that Lord Nrisimhadeva is very heavy: He weighed a full ton! After two or three hours, we managed to lift the Deity, carefully carry Him out of the hut, and place Him on the truck. To cross the border, we needed police authorization along with signed documents from the Central Tax Office, the Director of Archaeology, and the Tamil Nadu State Department of Commerce and Art. Before signing the documents, they had to look at the Deity. As soon as they received darshan of Lord Nrisimhadeva, they became helpful and accommodating. Within 24 hours, we had all the necessary documents in hand—an incredible miracle, since the Indian government and offices are a genuine bureaucratic quagmire. The return journey to Mayapur was also remarkably fortunate and peaceful. After all, our protector was with us the entire time.
Usually, the sthapati arrives on the day of the installation ceremony, goes into the Deity room, and carves the Deity’s eyes. This ceremony is called netra-nimilanam (the opening of the eyes). Our case was special because the sthapati of Nrisimhadeva had already carved the Deity’s eyes. He had even performed prana-pratistha (that is, invoked the life force), a small puja, and arati. I am certain that this was precisely why all the necessary documents were prepared for us so obligingly, and why we transported the Supreme Lord so easily. He was already present. And who would dare say “no” to Lord Nrisimhadeva?
Incidentally, there is an opinion that Hiranyakashipu is actually Koschei from Slavic fairy tales. Both were immortal and insanely cruel.
The story continues in the words of Pankajanghri Dasa...
When the decision was made to bring Lord Nrisimhadeva’s Deity to Mayapur to protect the devotees and the temple, the authorities called the three chief pujaris to discuss the importance of installing the Deity. However, when it came to performing the daily puja, no one dared to agree. “We waited so long, the Deity is ready, and no one wants to worship Him?!” Their concern was obvious. Then they called me over… “Why don’t you want to worship Him?” they asked me. “I am very afraid,” I replied. Then they cautiously asked me, “Perhaps you are not following the four regulative principles…” “Of course I am, but…”
Fortunately, all our fears were dispelled by Atma-tattva Prabhu, who had brought the Deity from southern India. He told us that even the sthapati had refused to make such a Deity, saying that no one had worshiped this murti-sthana of Nrisimhadeva (the terrifying form of the Lord when He leaps out of the pillar to kill Hiranyakashipu). Usually, we come to the Lord to ask for some blessing, but is it sensible to ask Him for anything when He is in a state of wild fury? Of course, it is better to turn to a more peaceful incarnation, or to the form of Nrisimha after the Lord has already killed Hiranyakashipu. But when this sthapati learned that the Deity was intended for the Holy Dhama of Mayapur, he agreed, since any Deity brought to the dhama adopts the mood of the principal Deity or of the dhama. In this case, that mood is audarya, or benevolence. This is the mood of Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Gaura Hari!
Once, I too felt that I had surrendered my soul to You, at least for a few minutes. It happened during a severe flood in 1987. While I was offering puja, standing waist-deep in water, a huge, terrifying snake entered the temple and swam directly behind You. Then, discovering that the passage was blocked, it stopped about five feet in front of me. For long moments it studied me, and then disappeared from sight, submerging itself in the murky waters of the Ganges. I felt that danger was imminent; the hair on my arms stood on end. There was nothing with which to defend myself, and escape was impossible. The situation was extremely dangerous. In such a helpless state, I turned to You, my Lord. I knew that my life was completely in Your hands. “You are the Supersoul in the heart of every living being. If You want the snake to bite me, it will bite me; if You do not, it will leave. Just let me continue serving You. The outcome depends entirely on You.” And I calmed down, feeling Your protection.
I completed the morning puja, but the thought of what had happened would not leave me. I remembered how Lord Kapila described the fetus in its mother’s womb. In such a helpless and painful state, souls receive darshan of Paramatma, the Lord in the heart. If they are virtuous, they pray to Him to free them from this torment. Asking to be released from the mother’s womb, they desire only to worship You. But when they are born in a healthy body, they quickly forget everything. And yet, with great hope, I dream that one day I will be able to serve You well, solely for Your pleasure.
While the temple room remained flooded, the snake came there every day and, circling the Deity once, swam away. Who knows what that snake really was?
On a warm December morning last year, at around 11 a.m., when I once again found myself in the presence of the mighty Lord and prayed to His beloved devotee Prahlada, to my great astonishment I became a participant in one of His temple lilas.
After offering obeisances to charming Prahlada, who stands beside his beloved Lord with his hands folded in prayer, small, adorned with fresh flowers and dressed in beautiful garments, I prayed: “My dear Prahlada, you know better than anyone how to receive every possible blessing from Lord Nrisimhadeva. After all, you received the blessing of forgiveness for your demon father, Hiranyakashipu. Please ask your Lord to bless this poor soul by destroying everything that stands in the way of her devotional service. Show me the path to true happiness.” I rose and began meditating on the beauty and mercy of the Lord. Suddenly I heard a very sweet, deep voice: “I want My eyes back!” At first I paid no attention and continued to maintain my prayerful mood. The voice said again: “I want My eyes back!” I tried once more to disregard this clear request, but then I felt heat and even a sensation of pain in my heart. I was stunned. “What should I do?” The voice continued: “Go to the pujari.” “All right,” I thought, “I have nothing to lose. Even if the pujari thinks I’ve gone mad, my false ego will be reduced a little.”
Asking the Lord for the strength to carry out His instruction, I bowed and, barely breathing, made my way to the pujari’s room. There I found Jananivasa Prabhu reading the Srimad-Bhagavatam. The room was filled with an astonishingly pure and otherworldly atmosphere. I stood there for several minutes, waiting for him to notice me, and then told him what had happened. He suggested that I go to his twin brother, Pankajanghri Prabhu, Lord Nrisimhadeva’s chief pujari.
I felt that I had done everything required of me for the time being. The next day I again turned to the all-powerful Lord Nrisimhadeva. I was plagued by doubts. “Perhaps this is the voice of my mind demanding that my normal vision be restored. My eyes have been hurting for the past six weeks.” Thinking this, I prayed for an answer. Once again I heard the same voice, but this time it was more serious and insistent: “You will get your eyes back when I get Mine!” I could see only His silhouette, emanating a soft glow. My heart became peaceful and warm. I was filled with an unusual feeling. It felt as though I had soared to the heavens. The following morning I awoke at 2:20 a.m., feeling completely rested, although I usually get up around six. A gentle voice asked me to rise, bathe, and go to Mangala-arati. And that is what I did. When the service ended, the same voice asked me to follow Pankajanghri Prabhu from Lord Nrisimhadeva’s altar to the pujari’s room. I was very embarrassed, and tears welled up in my eyes. I felt that I was not ready to open up to him. While he was preparing the paraphernalia for the Lord’s abhisheka, I began to speak. Pankajanghri Prabhu listened attentively to my story. Then, without saying a word, he smiled and gave me maha-sweets from Lord Nrisimhadeva’s plate.
The next morning, when my daughter returned from the temple, she exclaimed: “Mom, Mom, Lord Nrisimhadeva now has completely different—magnificent red eyes.” And, just as the sweet, deep voice had promised, my vision was miraculously restored in only three days.
Glory, glory to merciful Lord Nrisimhadeva in Sri Mayapur!
Once, during a puja to Lord Narasimhadeva, the pujari suddenly noticed that a flower had fallen from the Deity’s garland. The pujari then asked the visitors whether anyone present had prayed for something special. Those standing in the front rows said nothing. Then a woman stepped forward, tears in her eyes. She said: “My daughter got married 4–5 years ago and has been unable to become pregnant. Her husband’s relatives consider this extremely inauspicious. So I am praying to Lord Narasimhadeva to help her in this desperate situation.” The pujari announced: “Your prayers have been heard. The proof is this flower that fell from Lord Narasimhadeva’s garland. Take it and keep it. You can wash the flower and give your daughter the water to drink.” The woman left. The pujari soon forgot about the incident.
A year later, the woman came to the temple with her daughter, son-in-law, and their newborn son. She smiled happily at Lord Narasimhadeva. The woman reminded the pujari how Lord Narasimhadeva had answered her prayers. Her daughter had given birth to a healthy boy, who was named Prahlada. They prayed once again and offered puja to Lord Narasimhadeva (flowers and fruits).
Matadji Yashoda’s 85-year-old adoptive father left his body two months ago. While he was in the hospital, Matadji Yashoda prepared a recording of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. The prayer played continuously in the hospital room. Although he was almost in a coma, he miraculously heard the Maha-mantra. Gradually, he began to regain consciousness. Even with his eyes closed, he seemed to enjoy the music and sound vibration. He tapped his hand on the edge of the bed in time with the music. The ring on his finger chimed to the rhythm: “ding, ding ding,” “ding, ding ding……” He seemed to have completely immersed himself in meditation on the Maha-mantra. Suddenly he spoke: “Look! There is some person here. He has claws on his hands, and his head looks like a lion’s. He is entering my room. Can’t you see Him? He is coming in…” Still with his eyes closed, the adoptive father continued: “Oh yes, I forgot—you cannot see Him. But He is really here. I don’t know Who He is.”
Completely astonished, Matadji Yashoda and her daughters looked at one another and replied: “Dad, that is Lord Narasimhadeva!” “What lord? I don’t know Him. But He is nodding at me and letting me know that He is the One.”
Hearing this, Matadji Yashoda felt deep ecstasy. At home she kept a small model of Lord Narasimha from Mayapur. She sincerely prayed to Him that her adoptive father would leave his body, casting aside all attachment to the material world, and that in his next birth his soul would become devoted to Krishna.
The father continued: “Look, He is smiling at me and saying something again… Oh, He says that I should learn to repeat what you are repeating… Repeat more clearly what you are saying.”
“It is a mantra, an address to the Lord,” Matadji Yashoda replied.
“I don’t know what kind of mantra it is, but please teach me,” he said.
“All right, Dad, listen and carefully repeat after me: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.” Matadji Yashoda patiently taught her adoptive father the Maha-mantra, word by word. Not much time passed. He learned quickly and tried to repeat it… And he did very well! The next day, in complete peace, he left his body.
On the occasion of his departure, devotees gathered for kirtan at Matadji Yashoda’s adoptive father’s home throughout the week. Yashoda prepared a garland offered to the Lord, Ganges water, and tulasi, and applied tilaka to her father’s forehead. Everything was done properly, in accordance with the instructions of her spiritual teacher, His Holiness Giridhari Swami, which he gave her by telephone. Her father’s face was peaceful, his cheeks retained a rosy color, and his body was soft. As required, we paid and sent the body to the crematorium. Then, after some time, the funeral-service employees approached the mataji and said in astonishment: “We have never seen anyone’s ashes be so white and beautiful! What happened to your father?”
Веретенников Сергей, quoted message
,,Such a stone possesses life and is therefore capable of expression. Only from a piece like this can I carve Narasimha-deva. Such a stone speaks in poetry. All Deities made from such a stone will be extraordinarily expressive and beautiful. Be patient ........"
Веретенников Сергей, thank you for the realistic stories connected with Narasimha-deva. His help is special, through our mantras and sculptures. Such protection is necessary,
This happened at the Taj Hotel, which had been seized by terrorists. They attacked it for three days. In fact, it was a real massacre. The terrorists kept ending up one floor above, so they could fire from close range. They threw grenades down to fill the lower floor with smoke, so no one could see what was happening upstairs.
Imagine that you are one of these soldiers or police officers and find yourself in a thick cloud of smoke, while a hail of bullets from terrorists aiming at you rains down from above. One of those soldiers was our devotee. At some point, the terrorists began hunting the soldiers throughout the hotel and drove them into a trap. They threw grenades down, and the soldiers found themselves in impenetrable smoke. They could not see even a foot in front of them. Nothing was visible to the left, nothing to the right; wherever they looked, there was smoke everywhere, with a hail of bullets flying at them from above. A wall of falling bullets.
The police-officer devotee, with two other police officers on either side of him, felt completely helpless. He could not see what was happening to the right or left; he could not see his colleagues. Then he remembered that his mobile phone ringtone contained prayers to Narasimha-deva. He played the recording and began praying fervently to the Lord: “I am completely helpless. I am going to die now. Save me. I am in a hopeless situation.”
When the shooting ended and the smoke cleared, he discovered that both of his colleagues had been killed—they had been riddled with bullets—while he remained safe and unharmed. Directly in front of him stood a gigantic column, which he had been unable to see at the time. That was why the terrorists could not kill him.
“O devotee, one who builds a beautiful temple for Lord Narasimhadeva will be freed from all the consequences of sins and reach the planets of Vaikuntha.”
I love listening to Narasimha mantras. They are very special. Every god in the Hindu pantheon has a unique aura and energies that do not develop all qualities at once, but rather specific qualities of the soul. Lord Narasimha is attractive and majestic in His own way. Interestingly, His energies are, on the one hand, very fierce, but on the other hand, gentle and friendly. They are very good at tuning the mind toward balance and productivity and developing a mathematical mindset. With prolonged listening, one may develop an inclination to study the exact sciences. I will be glad to take part in raising funds for the temple!
I would like to say this on the eve of Maha Shivaratri.
Both Shiva and Narasimha are deities of destruction.
That is, their main function in the Universe is to destroy.
When Narasimha appeared, He appeared to destroy this entire planet of demons.
ALL OF THEM.
But Prahlada said, “No.”
And Narasimha did not touch anyone.
I sometimes hold consultations for married people at the Mahapurna School. And sometimes I can tell someone something like: “If people do not love you when you are angry, then they do not love you at all.”
If someone tells you that you are loved when you bring them coffee in bed, that is a lie.
Just see how they will love you when you are angry.
Everyone will run away from you except those who truly love you.
You are very unattractive when you are angry. But the person who loves you does not see THAT.
They see YOU.
And if you love someone, you will not hurt them in anger.
It is impossible.
You simply become angry at anything except HIM/HER.
And if you are capable of seeing this, life will reward you with genuine LOVE.
What amazingly beautiful lessons, O Teacher... I bow deeply.....everything inside has grown still... the heart longs for the sounds of words about Lord Narasimha....
More stories, but about the different deities of Narasimha.
It is important to understand that Narasimha is not here or there—not in Mayapur or somewhere else. This is one Being.
Interesting and instructive stories that remind us that the Lord is always with us; He is near. People sincerely prayed to Narasimha and immediately received help and protection, which once again confirms God’s presence beside us—that He is everywhere! Outside and in my heart!
Thank you, Om Shanti.
Thank you, Om Shanti, for these stories. Stories told by people through the prism of their perception, conveying the experience of living through these events, pass on a small piece of the magic of encountering the Higher. This is precious.
