Lord Caitanya visited Simhacalam on His tour of South India :chapter 6

[Paramananda das]

Lord Caitanya visited Simhacalam on His tour of South India:

Srila Prabhupada writes:

Śrī Caitanya CaritāmṛtaMadhya 8.3

pūrva-rīte prabhu āge gamana karilā

'jiyaḍa-nṛsiḿha'-kṣetre kata-dine gelā

SYNONYMS

pūrva-rīte — according to His previous program; prabhu — Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; āge — ahead; gamana — going; karilā — did; jiyaḍa-nṛsiḿha — of the name Jiyaḍa-nṛsiḿha; kṣetre — at the place of pilgrimage; kata-dine — after some days; gelā — arrived.

TRANSLATION

According to His previous program, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went forward on His tour and after some days arrived at the place of pilgrimage known as Jiyaḍa-nṛsiḿha.

PURPORT

The Jiyaḍa-nṛsiḿha temple is situated on the top of a hill about five miles away from Visakhapatnam. There is a railway station on the South Indian Railway known as Siḿhācala. The temple known as Siḿhācala is the best temple in the vicinity of Visakhapatnam. This temple is very affluent and is a typical example of the architecture of the area. On one stone tablet it is mentioned that formerly a queen covered the Deity with gold plate. This is mentioned in the Visakhapatnam Gazetteer. About the temple, there are residential quarters for the priests and devotees. Indeed, at the present moment there are many residential quarters to accommodate visiting devotees. The original Deity is situated within the depths of the temple, but there is another Deity, a duplicate, known as the vijaya-mūrti. This smaller Deity can be moved from the temple and taken on public processions. Priests who generally belong to the Rāmānuja-sampradāya are in charge of the Deity worship.

Śrī Caitanya CaritāmṛtaMadhya 8.4

nṛsiḿha dekhiyā kaila daṇḍavat-praṇati

premāveśe kaila bahu nṛtya-gīta-stuti

SYNONYMS

nṛsiḿha dekhiyā — by seeing Lord Nṛsiḿha in the temple; kaila — did; daṇḍavat-praṇati — offering of obeisances, falling flat before the Deity; premāveśe — in ecstatic love; kaila — did; bahu — all kinds of; nṛtya — dancing; gīta — chanting; stuti — and offering of .

TRANSLATION

Upon seeing the Deity of Lord Nṛsiḿha in the temple, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu offered His respectful obeisances by falling flat. Then, in ecstatic love, He performed various dances, chanted, and offered prayers.

Śrī Caitanya CaritāmṛtaMadhya 8.5

"śrī-nṛsiḿha, jaya nṛsiḿha, jaya jaya nṛsiḿha

prahlādeśa jaya padmā-mukha-padma-bhṛńga"

SYNONYMS

śrī-nṛsiḿha — Lord Nṛsiḿha with Lakṣmī; jaya nṛsiḿha — all glories to Lord Nṛsiḿha; jaya jaya — again and again glories; nṛsiḿha — to Nṛsiḿhadeva; prahlāda-īśa — to the Lord of Prahlāda Mahārāja; jaya — all glories; padmā — of the goddess of fortune; mukha-padma — of the lotuslike face; bhṛńga — the bee.

TRANSLATION

"'All glories to Nṛsiḿhadeva! All glories to Nṛsiḿhadeva, who is the Lord of Prahlāda Mahārāja and, like a honeybee, is always engaged in beholding the lotuslike face of the goddess of fortune.'

PURPORT

The goddess of fortune is always embraced by Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva. This is mentioned in the commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam written by the great commentator Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī. The following verse was composed by Śrīdhara Svāmī in his commentary on the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.87.1):

vāg-īśā yasya vadane lakṣmīr yasya ca vakṣasi

yasyāste hṛdaye samvit taḿ nṛsiḿham ahaḿ bhaje

"Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva is always assisted by Sarasvatī, the goddess of learning, and He is always embracing the goddess of fortune to His chest. The Lord is always complete in knowledge within Himself. Let us obeisances unto Nṛsiḿhadeva."

Similarly, in his commentary on the First Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.1.1), Śrīdhara Svāmī describes Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva in this way:

prahlāda-hṛdayāhlādaḿ bhaktāvidyā-vidāraṇam

śarad-indu-ruciḿ vande pārīndra-vadanaḿ harim

"Let me offer my obeisances unto Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva, who is always enlightening Prahlāda Mahārāja within his heart and who always kills the nescience that attacks the devotees. His mercy is distributed like moonshine, and His face is like that of a lion. Let me offer my obeisances unto Him again and again."

Śrī Caitanya CaritāmṛtaMadhya 8.6

ugro 'py anugra evāyaḿ

sva-bhaktānāḿ nṛ-keśarī

keśarīva sva-potānām

anyeṣāḿ ugra-vikramaḥ

SYNONYMS

ugraḥ — ferocious; api — although; anugraḥ — not ferocious; eva — certainly; ayam — this; sva-bhaktānām — to His pure devotees; nṛ-keśarī — having the body of a human being and a lion; keśarī iva — like a lioness; sva-potānām — to her young cubs; anyeṣām — to others; ugra — ferocious; vikramaḥ — whose strength.

TRANSLATION

"'Although very ferocious, the lioness is very kind to her cubs. Similarly, although very ferocious to nondevotees like Hiraṇyakaśipu, Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva is very, very soft and kind to devotees like Prahlāda Mahārāja.'"

PURPORT

This verse was composed by Śrīdhara Svāmī in his commentary on the Seventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.9.1).

Śrī Caitanya CaritāmṛtaMadhya 8.7

ei-mata nānā śloka paḍi' stuti kaila

nṛsiḿha-sevaka mālā-prasāda āni' dila

SYNONYMS

ei-mata — in this way; nānā — various; śloka — verses; paḍi' — reciting; stuti — ; kaila — offered; nṛsiḿha-sevaka — the priest of Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva in the temple; mālā — ; prasāda — and remnants of the food of Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva; āni' — bringing; dila — offered.

TRANSLATION

In this way Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recited different verses from the śāstra. The priest of Lord Nṛsiḿhadeva then brought garlands and the remnants of the Lord's food and offered them to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Śrī Caitanya CaritāmṛtaMadhya 8.8

pūrvavat kona vipre kaila nimantraṇa

sei rātri tāhāń rahi' karilā gamana

SYNONYMS

pūrva-vat — as previously; kona — some; vipre — brāhmaṇa; kaila — made; nimantraṇa — ; sei rātri — that night; tāhāń — there; rahi' — staying; karilā — did; gamana — touring.

TRANSLATION

As usual, a brāhmaṇa offered Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu an invitation. passed the night in the temple and then commenced His tour again.

This place is known as Simhacalam , The hill of the lion.In Satya Yuga when Lord Narasimha appeared at Ahovalam and killed Hiranyakasipu ,Lord Narasimha had previously appeared to Prahlada Maharaja at Simhacalam.

This form is half Varaha and half Narasimha, the face is that of Lord Varaha and the body is of Lord Narasimha:

In Simhacalam ,Lord Varaha Narasimha is getting a new covering of Chandan during during Chandan yatra in May, as instructed by Lord Varaha Narasimha Himself to Urvasi and King Pururava (they are mentioned in the 9th Canto and in the Aila Gita of the 11 Canto of Srimad Bhagavatam)

According to the Sthala Purana there they once looked for this temple of Varaha Narasimha as they where flying around enjoying themselves in a heavenly airplane in the beginning of Treta yuga ,Urvasi had witnessed the installation of Varaha Narasimha the self manifested deity , to Prahlada Maharaja(then installed by Prahlada and Lord Brahma himself and all the devas, including the apsaras like Urvasi etc) .This is the place where Prahlada Maharaja was thrown of the cliff into the Ocean, this pastimes is also explained in great detail in Narasimha purana.

There is a painting of Jadurani where Prahlada Maharaja is saved by Krsna from the fall and Srila Prabhupada commented that Prahlada Maharaja had a transcendental body and could not be harmed, this also is seen in the Narasimha Purana where it is explained Prahlada Maharaja was not harmed by being thrown in the ocean, and according to the Sthala Purana (the hill of the lion), Lord Narasimha appeared as Half Varaha half Narasimha, the face is that of Lord Varaha and the body of Lord Narasimha, this was to reassure Prahlada Maharaja that just as Hiranyakasa had been killed by Lord Varaha his demoniac father would also be killed by Lord Narasimha. In the of Sanideva Narasimha we find this sloka: yo naija bhaktam analämbudhi bhüdharogra | sringa-prapäta visa dhamti sarisupebhyah | sarvätmakaù parama-käruniko raraksa | sa tvam nrsimha mayi dehi krpä-valokam ||6|| You protected your own devotee Prahläda from a raging fire, the deep ocean, from falling from a tall mountain peak, poison, a mad elephant and the fangs of poisonous serpents. You are omnipresent and supremely generous. O Lord Nrsimha, please bestow upon me Your merciful side-long glance.

 The fire described is in regards to the  sister of Hiranyakasipu, Holika that tried to burn Prahlada Maharaja, having obtained the boon of Lord Siva that the blanket he gave her would protect her from fire, but while sitting in the fire with Prahlada Maharaja only she got burned to ashes and thus this festival of Holi is there to commemorate this mercy of Lord Narasimha on Prahlada.When The asuras threw Prahlada over the cliff (this spot is still there at Simhacalam) and then threw a mountain on top after Prahlada was thrown of the cliff and Varaha Narasimha protected Prahlada for all this as described in the SthalaPurana there at Simhacalam,also many details are given ,and in the Visnu Purana gives lengthy details of the sufferings that Hiranyakasipu tried to inflict on Prahlada and it is also mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam SB 7.5.39-40: The demons [Raksasas], the servants of Hiranyakasipu, thus began striking the tender parts of Prahlada Maharaja's body with their tridents. The demons all had fearful faces, sharp teeth and reddish, coppery beards and hair, and they appeared extremely threatening. Making a tumultuous sound, shouting, "Chop him up! Pierce him!" they began striking Prahlada Maharaja, who sat silently, meditating upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. SB 7.5.41: Even though a person who has no assets in pious activities performs some good deed, it will have no result. Thus the weapons of the demons had no tangible effects upon Prahlada Maharaja because he was a devotee undisturbed by material conditions and fully engaged in meditating upon and serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is unchangeable, who cannot be realized by the material senses, and who is the soul of the entire universe. SB 7.5.42: My dear King Yudhihira, when all the attempts of the demons to kill Prahlada Maharaja were futile, the King of the demons, Hiranyakasipu, being most fearful, began contriving other means to kill him. SB 7.5.43-44: Hiranyakasipu could not kill his son by throwing him beneath the feet of big elephants, throwing him among huge, fearful snakes, employing destructive spells, hurling him from the top of a hill, conjuring up illusory tricks, administering poison, starving him, exposing him to severe cold, winds, fire and water, or throwing heavy stones to crush him. When Hiranyakasipu found that he could not in any way harm Prahlada, who was completely sinless, he was in great anxiety about what to do next.

Later Sri Narasimha installed Prahlada Maharaja at the king of Earth at Simhacalam and all the demigods and sages from the whole universe assembled there . After Lord Narasimha disapperared the Lord manifested this selfmanifested form of Sri Varaha Narasimha .

There is a beautiful prayer to Lord Varaha Narasimha called Varaha  Narasimha Mangala:

Simhasaila nivaasaaya simha sookara roopine 
Sreevaraaha Nrisimhaaya simhaadreesaaya mangalam 

To the One who abides on the Simha mountain; Who has the form of Lion and Boar; to Sri Varaaha Nrsimha, the presiding Deity of Simhaadri (Simhachala); let there be welfare! 


Yajnesaaya mahesaaya suresaaya mahaatmane 
Sreevaraaha Nrisimhaaya Simhaadreesaaya mangalam 

To the One who is the Lord of all sacrifices the supreme ruler; the master of the gods and the supreme self; to Sri Varaaha Nrsimha, the presiding Deity of Simhaadri (Simhachala); let there be welfare! 


Akshayaayaaprameyaaya nidhaye caaksharaaya cha 
Sreevaraaha Nrisimhaaya Simhaadreesaaya mangalam 

To the Indestructible One; to One who is incomprehensible; to the inexhaustible Treasure; to Sri Varaaha Nrsimha, the presiding Deity of Simhaadri (Simhachala); let there be welfare! 


Chandanaankita gaatraaya potrine paramaatmane 
Sreevaraaha Nrisimhaaya Simhaadreesaaya mangalam 

To the One to whose body is applied sandal paste (all the time); to the Boar; to the Supreme Self; To the Indestructible One; to One who is incomprehensible; to the inexhaustible Treasure; to Sri Varaaha Nrsimha, the presiding Deity of Simhaadri (Simhachala); let there be welfare! 


Sri Akshaya trirtiyaayaam nijaroopa-dhaaraaya cha 
Sreevaraaha Nrisimhaaya Simhaadreesaaya mangalam 

To the One who assumes his original form on the Akshaya Tritiya Day; to the One to whose body is applied sandal paste (all the time); to the Boar; to the Supreme Self; to the Indestructible One; to One who is incomprehensible; to the inexhaustible Treasure; to Sri Varaaha Nrsimha, the presiding Deity of Simhaadri (Simhachala); let there be welfare! 


Yateesvarenaarchitaaya gataye sarvasaakshine 
Sreevaraaha Nrisimhaaya Simhaadreesaaya mangalam 

To the One who was worshipped by the King of Ascetics (Ramanuja); to the Path (and Goal); to the One who witnesses everything; to the One to whose body is applied sandal paste (all the time); to the Boar; to the Supreme Self; to the Indestructible One; to One who is incomprehensible; to the inexhaustible Treasure; to Sri Varaaha Nrsimha, the presiding Deity of Simhaadri (Simhachala); let there be welfare! 



Saptottara satayajnesa svasvaroopa-dharaayacha 
Sreevaraaha Nrisimhaaya simhaadreesaaya mangalam 

To the Lord of the one hundred and eight sacrifices; to the One who abides in His own form; to the One who was worshipped by the King of Ascetics (Ramanuja); to the Path (and Goal); to the One who witnesses everything; to the One to whose body is applied sandal paste (all the time); to the Boar; to the Supreme Self; to the Indestructible One; to One who is incomprehensible; to the inexhaustible Treasure; to Sri Varaaha Nrsimha, the presiding Deity of Simhaadri (Simhachala); let there be welfare 



Vishaakhaaya susaakhaaya saagaraayaachalaayacha 
Sreevaraaha Nrisimhaaya Simhaadreesaaya mangalam 

To the Lord Visaakha (One who manifested on the asterism of Visaakha); to the One who has beautiful Saakhas (Branches, i.e., hands); to the One who is an ocean and to the One who is the mountain (unshakable); to Sri Varaaha Nrsimha, the presiding Deity of Simhaadri (Simhachala); let there be welfare! 


Shree-bhoo-neelaa-sametaaya bhaktaanaam kaamadhenave 
Sreevaraaha Nrisimhaaya Simhaadreesaaya mangalam 

To the One who is in the company of Sri, Bhu and Neela; to the One who is the desire yielding cow (Kamadhenu) to His devotees; To the Shining One who has a lotus in His navel; to One who has lotus as his seat (the lotus of the devotees as his seat); to One who holds a lotus (for sport); to Sri Varaaha Nrsimha, the presiding Deity of Simhaadri (Simhachala); let there be welfare! 


Yajnaaya yajnaroopaaya yajnine yajnasaakshine 
Sreevaraaha Nrisimhaaya Simhaadreesaaya mangalam 

He is the Yajna, He is the One who is the Form of Yajna. He is the One performing the Yajna, He is the One witnessing the Yajna; to Sri Varaaha Nrsimha, the presiding Deity of Simhaadri (Simhachala), let there be welfare! 


Padmanaabhaaya devaaya padmagarbhaaya padmine 
Sreevaraaha Nrisimhaaya Simhaadreesaaya mangalam 

To the Shining One who has a lotus in His navel; to One who has lotus as his seat (the lotus of the devotees as his seat); to One who holds a lotus (for sport); to Sri Varaaha Nrsimha, the presiding Deity of Simhaadri (Simhachala); let there be welfare! 

Mukkoor Nrisimha daasena simhaadreesasya mangalam 
Sriranga yogi kripayaa proktam sarvaarthadaayakam 

This Mangalam composed to the Lord of Simhaadri by the servant Mukkur Narasimha-acharya     , grants all desired things.

Sri Ramnujacarya later came to this temple  and on direct instruction of Lord Varaha Narasimha took over the worship and since that time the Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya worship Lord Varaha Narasimha 

The Ganges manifested herself here so Ganges water can be used daily in the worship of Lord Varaha Narasimha 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada installed the lotusfoot print of Lord Caitanya under a banyan tree close to the entrance of this temple.SrilaPrabhupada visited this place with devotees, and they performed kirtana in front of Lord Varaha Narasimha.(this is described in Prabhupada lilamrta).

SrilaPrabhupada was given a campaka flower (this famous picture was on the older version of the Krsna book)on leaving the temple, and he noted it had the color of Lord

Caitanya.After that Srila Prabhupada visited his godbrother in Visakhapatnam, His Holiness Bhaktivaibhava Puri Maharaja .