Singavelkundram (Ahobilam)

Hiraṇyāksha's brother Hiraṇyakashipu was a great demon emperor who dominated the earth. He performed great penance to Lord Brahmā. After centuries of penance, Brahmā finally appeared in front of Hiraṇyakashipu and told him that he had appeared to grant him a boon for the penance that Hiraṇyakashipu had performed. Hiraṇyakashipu asked for immortality. Brahmā said it was against the law of nature and that it was not in his power to grant this boon and asked him to rethink what he desired.

Hiraṇyakashipu thought for a while and asked for a boon that would be equivalent to immortality. He asked that he shouldn't be killed by man nor animal, not be killed inside the house nor outside, not be killed at day nor at night, not be killed in space nor on the surface of the earth. Further, he should not be killed by anything which was created by Brahmā. Brahmā granted this and disappeared.

Soon Hiraṇyakashipu became a tyrant and became a ruthless king. He soon had a son by the name of Prahlāda. Prahlāda was a great devotee of Lord Vishṇu. Hiraṇyakashipu considered Lord Vishṇu as his mortal enemy as he had incarnated himself to kill his brother Hiraṇyāksha. When Prahlāda was in his mother's womb, Sage Nārada had narrated tales of the Lord to his mother. As the mother heard the stories, so did the fetus.

When Prahlāda was admitted to Gurukulam, he changed the views of all his teachers and all the students to advise them to praise the Lord instead of praising his father. When Hiraṇyakashipu came to know of the events that were taking place in the Gurukulam, he took measures to try and kill his son. He tried to get him trampled by an elephant, feed him poison, imprison him without food, throw him into a ravaging flame. None of his methods produced the results that he wanted. He then brings Prahlāda to his royal court.

He asked him how he was surviving all the deadly situations. He said the Lord was protecting him. He also said that the Lord is within everyone, including his father. Hiraṇyakashipu then drew his mace and pointed out to a pillar and asked him if his Lord was present in that particular pillar. When Prahlāda said yes, Hiraṇyakashipu smashed the pillar, and from that pillar, the Lord emerged in the form of a man-lion. The incarnation had the face of a lion and the body of a man. The Lord's rage knew no bounds.

He dragged Hiraṇyakashipu to the doorstep and sat on the separating junction, which is neither inside nor outside the home. The Lord placed Hiraṇyakashipu on his lap, which was neither in space nor on Earth. Then the Lord used his nails at a time of sunset, which was neither day nor night, and dug into the stomach of Hiraṇyakashipu, ripping out his intestines and putting an end to the tyrant.

The legend has it that Garuḍa was desirous of seeing Lord Vishṇu in His Narasimha avataram; thus, he meditated upon Him at the Ugra Sthambham, and the Lord manifested Himself as nine forms of Narasimha.

1. Bhargava Narasimha Swāmy

The Bhargava Narasimha Swāmy is situated at a distance of two kilometers from the Lower Ahobilam, on a hill, near the sacred pond, known as 'Bhargava Tīrtham,' where Bhargava Rāma (Parashurāma) performed his penance. Hence the Lord of the temple is known as Bhargava Narasimha Swāmy.

2. Yogananda Narasimha Swāmy

This temple is to the southeast of Lower Ahobilam at a distance of 2 kilometers. The popular legend is that after killing Hiraṇyakashipu, Lord Narasimha taught Prahlada several yogic postures. Therefore, the Lord in this aspect is called Yogananda Narasimha.

3. Chatravata Narasimha Swāmy

About three kilometers from lower Ahobilam, the image of the deity is installed under a peepal tree, surrounded by thorny bushes. Hence, the Lord is called Chatravata Narasimha Swāmy. The Lord can be seen putting thaalam with one of His hands. It is said that the Lord is enjoying the musical service of two yakshas named Haha and Huhu.

4. Ahobila Narasimha Swāmy

The temple, situated on the Upper Ahobilam, at a distance of eight kilometers from the Lower Ahobilam, is the main temple and the earliest of all the nine temples there. The Lord here appears in his fierce aspect, called Ugra Narasimha, who is the presiding deity of the temple and is known as Ahobila Nṛisimha Swāmy. It is firmly believed that Lord Narasimha was 'Swayambhu' (self-manifest) here.

5. Krodakara (Varāha) Narasimha Swāmy

The temple of this Lord is one kilometer away from the main temple of Ahobila Nṛisimha Swāmy on the Upper Ahobilam. The image of the deity has the face of a boar (Varāha or kroda), and the Lord is seen along with his Consort, Lakshmī. Hence the Lord of the temple is known as Krodakara (Varāha) Narasimha Swāmy here.

6. Karanja Narasimha Swāmy

This shrine is situated at a distance of one kilometer from the Upper Ahobilam and one furlong from the road leading to Lower Ahobilam. The image of the deity is installed under a tree called 'Karanja Vruksham.' Hence this Lord is called Karanja Narasimha Swāmy. The Lord here is prathyaksham to Hanumān. It is said that when Hanumān performed tapas here at this kshethram, Lord Narasimha appeared with a bow and arrow, signifying that He is Rāma.

7. Malola Narasimha Swāmy

Nearly two kilometers from the main temple of Upper Ahobilam is the famous shrine of Malola Narasimha Swāmy. The deity here appears in 'Soumya' (graceful) form. As Lord Narasimha is seen with his consort, Lakshmī, He is known as Malola Narasimha Swāmy. The word 'Malola' means beloved to Lakshmī (Ma=Lakshmī, Lola= beloved). It is said that the 'utsavamoorthi' of the Lord appeared to Srimath Adivan Satakopa Jeeyar, the first Jeeyar of Ahobila Mutt.

Right from the founder, i.e., the first Jeeyar of Ahobila Mutt down to the 44th pontiff, Shrīvan Satakopa Sri Vedānta Desika Yatīndra Mahadesika, the present jeeyar, the utsavamoorthi of Malola Narasimha Swāmy is worshipped, and it is taken by them whenever they are on religious tours, visiting the villages every year. Recently, the 45th Jeeyar Shrīvan Satakopa Sri Nārāyaṇa Yatīndra Mahadesikan has taken over the worship.

8. Jwala Narasimha Swāmy

The temple of Jwala Nṛisimha Swāmy lies higher up the above temple, on a hill called 'Achalachaya Meru.' This is about four kilometers from the Upper Ahobilam temple. This place is said to be the actual spot where the fierce anger of the Lord reached its culmination when he tore Hiraṇyakashipu.

9. Pavana Narasimha Swāmy

Nearby the above temple is the shrine of Pavana Narasimha, on the banks of the river, Pavana, and it is about six kilometers from the Upper Ahobilam temple. Hence the Lord of the shrine is known as Pavana Narasimha Swāmy. It is said that Mahālakshmī reincarnated Herself as Chenchulakshmi into one of the local tribes that resided here. When Lord Narasimha was roaming the land in enraged after killing Hiraṇyakashipu, Chenchulakshmi is said to have pacified the Lord and married Him.

Ugra Sthambham

At a distance of eight kilometers from the Upper Ahobilam temple, we can see a cleft of the mountain dividing it into two visible parts. It is a long-held view that from the cleft, the Lord appeared in the form of Narasimha, and this cleft is known as 'Ugra Sthambham.'