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Srimad-Bhagavatam 1/2/26 says:

Those who want salvation reject the fierce forms like Bhutapati without having any hatred against them and worship the gentle forms of Narayana.

But Sri Nrisimha is worshipped by the Vaishnavas in many forms.

Why is this 'Nrisimha' form of Sri Vishnu not treated as 'fierce'? Kindly state the scriptural reason.

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  • Narasimha was fierce only during the killing of Hiranyakasipu. After Prahlada's prayer, he calmed down. There are representations of Narasimha with a calm demeanor at many places.
    – user16581
    Mar 26, 2019 at 14:07
  • @LazyLubber But the form still looks fierce as compared to the other very gentle and sweet forms of Sri Vishnu
    – user17294
    Mar 26, 2019 at 14:09
  • In many cases he is also shown to be gentle with either Lakshmi or Prahlada on lap.
    – user16581
    Mar 26, 2019 at 14:13
  • Ok. Regional variation then. Quite common.
    – user16581
    Mar 26, 2019 at 14:15
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    @Wikash_hindu I told the Bhagavata version. You are giving a sectarian version.
    – user16581
    Mar 26, 2019 at 14:24

2 Answers 2

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As Lazy Luber pointed out, Lord's anger was temporary .

His form is described as wonderful as well in Bhagavatam:

SB 7.8.17:

adṛśyatātyadbhuta-rūpam udvahan -- wonderful form

SB 7.9.1:

dṛṣṭvā taṁ mahad adbhutam adṛṣṭāśruta-pūrvatvāt

As soon as Prahlada approached Lord, he became very peaceful..

SB 7.9.5:

When Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva saw the small boy Prahlāda Mahārāja prostrated at the soles of His lotus feet, He became most ecstatic in affection toward His devotee. Raising Prahlāda, the Lord placed His lotus hand upon the boy’s head because His hand is always ready to create fearlessness in all of His devotees.

Thus, Prahlada says that this form is to be remembered to become free from fear:

ad yaccha manyum asuraś ca hatas tvayādya modeta sādhur api vṛścika-sarpa-hatyā lokāś ca nirvṛtim itāḥ pratiyanti sarve rūpaṁ nṛsiṁha vibhayāya janāḥ smaranti

SB 7.9.14:

My Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, please, therefore, cease Your anger now that my father, the great demon Hiraṇyakaśipu, has been killed. Since even saintly persons take pleasure in the killing of a scorpion or a snake, all the worlds have achieved great satisfaction because of the death of this demon. Now they are confident of their happiness, and they will always remember Your auspicious incarnation in order to be free from fear.

SB 7.9.15:

My Lord, who are never conquered by anyone, I am certainly not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun or Your frowning eyebrows. I do not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth, Your garland of intestines, Your mane soaked with blood, or Your high, wedgelike ears. Nor do I fear Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee to distant places, or Your nails, which are meant to kill Your enemies.

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No form of Vishnu can display uncontrolled anger. Why is this so? Because one of the names of Vishnu is jitakrodah (name #462 in the Vishnu sahasranama of Mahabharata).

jitakrodah means - one who has conquered anger.

Shankara's (?) commentary on the Vishnu sahasranama is available at the link below -

https://archive.org/details/Vishnu.Sahasranama.with.the.Bhasya.of.Sankaracharya

Shankara (?) gives an interesting comment for this name. He says that Vishnu destroys the foes of the devas (gods), not out of anger, but in order to protect righteousness.

Hence, Narasimha, being a form of Vishnu, has conquered his anger, even though he appears angry and Narasimha kills Hiranyakasipu only to protect dharma and not for petty reasons. As Narasimha has conquered his anger, he is by nature not fierce.

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  • Okay, but that must be true for any form of God! One Who has not conquered anger is no God!
    – user17294
    Mar 26, 2019 at 17:57
  • @Pratimaputra Isn't your question specific to Narasimha.
    – user16581
    Mar 26, 2019 at 18:00
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    yes, but with reference to the bhagavata sloka. I am upvoting your answe and wait for few more days.Thanks so much.:)
    – user17294
    Mar 26, 2019 at 18:01
  • And ' Krodhakrit' is also a name of Vishnu btw:)
    – user17294
    Mar 26, 2019 at 18:03
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    @Pratimaputa The actual name is krodha krt kartaa - Shankara (?) comments - the creator of anger in wicked men or the slayer of angry asuras.
    – user16581
    Mar 26, 2019 at 18:07

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