Lord Narasimha in Navadvipa and Vrindavan

[Paramananda das]

In our Gaudiya line the most important place of worship of Lord Narasimha is in Nandagrama and in Godruma Dvipa, in Navadvipa   (Narasimha palli)  both is identical, Why is Narasimha being worshipped in Nandagrama ? Because Garga Muni asked Nanda Maharaja, that he had the worship of Lord Narasimha established in Nandagrama. No Demons ever attacked Krsna in Nanda Grama itself. Krsna killed the asuas somewhere else. This Narasima Deity is still there in Nandagrama being worshipped after 5000 years

.Every day Mother Yasoda  would bind  Narasimha bija mantras on Krsna before He goes cowherding.This is mentioned in Govinda lilamrta by Srila Krsna das Kaviraja chapter 5:

 (30-33) With her hand, mother lovingly touched all of her son's limbs, pronouncing the mantras with the Lord's names and the Nrsimhabija for protection, binding a protecting stone on His wrist. Krishna fell at His parents' feet and said: "Mother; father! Allow Me to go now!"

They held Him to their hearts in their arms and moistened Him with tears and breastmilk, kissing Him, wiping His lotusface with their hands and smelling His head, saying with choked voices:" May Lord Nrsimha protect You, may the earth, the sky, the path, the forest and all directions be auspicious!" Shri Krishna became very happy when they thus granted Him leave for the forest, embraced Him and said: "Quickly come back home!"

  Krsna sometimes jokes that the gopis better be careful as He is “Narasimha -Krsna and  “and if He really wants He can scratch them a lot with His nails as “Narasimha Krsna”.It is mentioned  in Dana Keli Cintamani by Srila Raghunath das Goswami.

In Godruma Dvipa ,In Navadvipa, Lord Narasimah came after killing Hiranyakasipu and blessing Prahlada Maharaja.At Ahovalam he just washed His hands, Rakta kunda is still there.But in Narasimha palli Lord Narasimha took full bath and rested for a long time.Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains, the demigods build residence there in his Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya. Pradyumna Misra also known as Narasimhananda, could directly talk to Lord Narasimha, this is confirmed by Sril Prabhupada in the Caitanya Caritamrta .Where did he stay in Navadvipa? In Jaiva Dharma Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura reveals this  , his bhajan kurtir was a Narasimha palli.In Vrindavan and Navadvipa Lord Narasimha blesses one with Krsna prema, this is shown in the Navadvipa Bhava taranga when Bhaktivinoda Thakura went  to Narasimha palli and got  the mercy of Lord Narasimha:

Five prayers to Lord Narasimha by Bhaktivinoda Thakura

        Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written five in “Sri Navadvipa Bhava Taranga” for receiving the mercy of Lord Narasimha. These prayers are certainly assurance to all sincere devotees that the worship of Lord Narasimha is purely in the line of aspiring love and devotion to Sri Sri Radha and Krsna. Those prayers are as follows.

e dusta hrdaye kama adi ripu chaya kutinati pratisthasa sathya sada raya hrdaya-sodhana ara krsnera vasana nrsimha-carane mora ei to’ kamana

Within my sinful heart the six enemies headed by lust perpetually reside, as well as duplicity, the desire for fame, plus sheer cunning. At the lotus feet of Lord Narasimha, I hope that He will mercifully purify my heart and give me the desire to serve Lord Krsna.

kandiya nrsimha-pade magibo kakhana nirapade navadvipe jugala-bhajana bhaya bhaya paya yan’ra darsane se hari prasanna hoibo kabe more daya kari

Weeping, I will beg at the lotus-feet of Lord Narasimha for the benediction of worshipping Radha and Krsna in Navadvipa, perfectly safe and free from all difficulties. When will this Lord Hari, Whose terrible form strikes fear into fear itself, ever become pleased and show me His mercy?

yadyapi bhisana murti dusta-jiva-prati prahladadi krsna-bhakta-jane bhadra ati kabe va prasanna ho’ye sa krpa-vacane nirbhaya karibe ei mudha akincane

Even though Lord Narasimha is terrifying toward the sinful souls, He offers great auspiciousness unto the devotees of Lord Krsna headed by Prahlada Maharaja. When will He be pleased to speak words of compassion unto me, a worthless fool, and thereby make me fearless?

svacchande baiso he vatsa sri-gauranga-dhame jugala-bhajana hau rati hau name mama bhakta-krpa-bale vighna jabe dura suddha cite bhajo radha-krsna-rasa-pura

He will say, “Dear child! Sit sown freely and live happily here in Sri Gauranga-dhama. May you nicely worship the Divine Couple, and may you develop loving attachment for Their Holy Names. By the mercy of My devotees, all obstacles are cast far away. With a purified heart, just perform the worship of Radha and Krsna, for such worship overflows with sweet nectar.”

ei boli’ kabe mora mastaka-upara sviya sri-carana harse dharibe isvara amani jugala-preme sattvika vikare dharaya lutibo ami sri-nrsimha-dvare

Saying this, will that Lord delightedly place His own divine lotus-feet upon my head? I will experience sublime love for the Divine Couple Radha-Krsna and undergo the ecstatic transformations called sattvika. Falling on the ground, I will roll about at the door of Sri Narasimha’s temple.

(Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, - “Sri Navadvipa Bhava Taranga”, 36-40)

Thus for all Gaudiya Vaisnavas we are concerned with Lord Narasimha mainly in Vrindavan and Navadvipa'

The Vrijabasis still tell pastimes in Nandagrama how Nanda Maharaja would daily worship Lord Narasimha and give Narasimha prasadam sweets to Krsna before He would enter the 12 forest of Vrindavana for cowhereding and so many pastimes.The same time Mother Yasoda would chant Narasimha bija mantras and place them on the limps of Krsnas body .(such Narasimha bija mantras are also found in the Narasimha kavacha from the  Samhita of Brahma different chapter than the Brahma Samhita and known as Trailokya Vijaya)

7+ 8 ksraum bijam me shirah  pati

chandra-varno maha-manuhu

"ugram viram maha-visnum

jvalantam sarvatomukham

nrisimham bhishanam bhadram

mrtyu-mrtyum namamy aham"

dva-trimshad aksharo mantro

mantra-rajah sura drumaha

"One  should place Lord Nrsimha's mantra bija, ksraum, on one's head, thinking,  'May my head be protected by the moon-colored one, who is the greatest among  humans. My obeisances unto the ferocious and powerful, the great Visnu, the  fiery one, who's faces are on all sides, the fearful one, Nrsimha, who causes  the death of even death personified, or the one who can overcome death.' One  should place this mantra, composed of thirty two syllables upon his head. It is  the king of all mantras. It is like a wish fulfilling tree for the demigods and  devotees."

9. kantham patu dhruvam  ksraum hrid

bhagavato chakshusha mama

narasimhaya cha jvala

maline patu mastakam

"One  should also place ksraum firmly upon his neck for protection. Placing the  word bhagavate upon his heart, narasimhaya upon his two eyes, and jvala maline on the top of his head, one meditates upon the different  parts of this narasimha mantra protecting the different parts of his  body."

10. dipta-damshtraya cha  tatha

agni netraya cha nasikam

sarva-raksho-ghnaya sarva

bhuta-vinashanaya cha

"One  should place on his nose the syllables dipta damstraya agni netraya sarva rakso  ghnaya sarva bhuta vinasanaya. (Obeisances unto Him, whose teeth are blazing,  whose eyes are fire, and who destroys all ghosts and raksasas.)"

11. sarva-jvara-vinashaya

daha daha pacha dvayam

raksha raksha sarva-mantra

svaha patu mukham mama

"Meditating on the protection of one's face, one should  place there the syllables ‘sarva jvara vinasaya daha daha paca paca raksa  raksa. ksraum ugram viram maha visnum jvalanatam sarvatomukham nrsimham bhisanam  bhadram mrtyu mrtyum namamy aham. ksraum bhagavate narasimhya jvalamaline dipta  damstrayagni netraya sarva rakso ghnaya sarva bhuta vinasanaya svaha’. (This  means: Unto He who vanquishes all fevers, oblations. Burn and burn, cook and  cook, protect protect. My obeisances unto the ferocious and powerful, the great  Visnu, the fiery one whose faces are on all sides, the fearful one, Nrsimha, who  causes the death of even death personified, or who can overcome even death. Unto  the Personality of Godhead Narasimha, garlanded with blazing energy, whose teeth  are glowing and whose eyes are fiery, who kills all raksasas and demons and  annihilates the ghosts, to You my oblations)"

12. taradi  ramachandraya

namah payad gudam mama

klim payat pani-yugmam cha

taram namah padam tataha

narayanaya parshvam cha

am hrim kraum kshraum cha hum  phat

"Meditating on the protection of one's rectum, one should  first sip water for purification and chant om Ramacandra namah. Sipping  water again one should place the bija mantra klim on both of his hands  together. Thereafter one should place om namah on his feet and narayanaya on his side, as well as the bija mantras am hrim kraum  ksraum hum phat."

13. varaksarah katim  patu

om namah bhagavate padam

vasudevaya cha prishtham

klim krishnaya uru-dvayam

"Praying for the protection of one's waist, one should  place there the varaksara Om. One should place the syllables om namo  bhagavate upon his feet, vasudevaya on his back, and klim krsnaya upon his two thighs."

14. klim krishnaya sada  patu

januni cha manuttamaha

klim glaum klim syamalangaya

namah payat pada dvayam

"Upon his knees, one should place the mantra klim  krsnaya, thinking that the Lord may always protect me in His form as the  best of human beings. Then one should sip water for purification and place the  mantra klim glaum klim syamalangaya namah upon his feet."

15. kshraum narasimhaya  kshraum cha

sarvangam me sadavatu

"One  should meditate upon the constant protection of the body, placing the mantra kshraum narasimhaya kshraum upon all his limbs."

In   Padyavali ,Srila Rupa Goswami writes: 

shyamoccandra svapishi na shisho naiti mam adya nidra

nidra-hetoh shrinu suta katham kam apurvam kurushva

vyaktah stambhan naraharir abhud danavam darayishyann

ity uktasya smitam udayate devaki-nandanasya

 

shyama—darkness; uccandra—the rising moon; svapishi—You sleep; na—not; shisho—O child; na—not; iti—thus; mam—to Me; adya—now; nidra—sleep; nidra—of sleep; hetoh—of the cause; shrinu—please hear; suta—O son; katham—a story; kam—what?; apurvam—unprecedented; kurushva—you may do; vyaktah—appeared; abhut—was; danavam—the demon; darayiyashan—about to rip into pieces; iti—thus; uktasya—spoken; smitam—a smile; udayate—arose; devaki-nandanasya—of Lord Krishna, the son of Devaki.

 

“O my rising dark moon, my child, You are not asleep?”

“No. Sleep has not yet come to Me.”

“Listen, my son. I will tell You a bedtime story that will make You fall asleep.”

“What is this story I have never heard?  Please tell it.”

Mother Yashoda then told the story. When she came to the sentences, “Then Lord Nrsimha appeared from the pillar. Lord Nrsimha  was very eager to rip the demon to shreds.” a smile suddenly arose on child Krishna’s lips.

          —Shri Sarvananda

Thus ends chapter 10 of Sri Narasimha  : Lord Narasimha in Navadvipa and Vrindavan