Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Yadagirigutta.

Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Yadagirigutta (on a hillock) in Nalgonda district is just 64 Km from our house in Secunderabad. It is the most frequently visited important place of pilgrimage by us. Similarly, for thousands of families in Hyderabad and all over Telangana it is an all-important Temple. Being close to Hyderabad there is a heavy rush of devotees to Yadagirigutta and especially during weekends and holidays. When my children were young and at school, we used to go there often on Saturday afternoons, stay there overnight and return on Sunday, after two Darshans of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy. Nowadays we mostly return on the same day. Now that my sons are grownup; they also visit the Temple on their own as and when they desire. Accommodation at Yadagirigutta was never a problem for us as my brother-in-law, Sri Kasoji Niranjan’s family have donated a spacious, air-conditioned quarter to the Temple administration in the ’70s and then again in 2008 and this is where we stay.

Sri Narasimha Swamy is an incarnation of Sri Vishnu, the fourth of the Dashavatharas (Ten incarnations) of Sri Vishnu. This incarnation was to eliminate Hiranyakashipu an Asura king. Hiranyakashipu had received a boon from Sri Brahma the creator of the world that he should remain a very powerful king with no rivals and that he should not die from any known means and conditions. Thereafter Hiranyakashipu was responsible for many misdeeds and he also began tormenting his son Prahalada in several ways for praying Sri Maha Vishnu. One day in irritation Hiranyakashipu asked Prahalada “where is your god Vishnu”. Prahalada said he is there everywhere. Retaliating in anger he asked “is he there in this pillar” and kicked the pillar. Sri Vishnu appeared from the pillar in the form Narasimha meaning in the form of partial man and partial lion as can be seen from the pictures below:

This form and timing were required to overcome the boon that Sri Brahma bestowed on Hiranyakashipu. In this form, Sri Narasimha was neither human nor animal. He appeared at twilight when it is neither day nor night. Sri Vishnu carried Hiranyakashipu onto the threshold of the courtyard which is neither indoors nor outdoors and put him on his thighs which are neither on earth nor space and using his sharp fingernails as weapons he killed Hiranyakashipu. Though Narasimha Swamy was in uncontrollable anger during this entire episode he blessed Prahalada richly and made him king. Since then Sri Vishnu in the form of Sri Narasimha Swamy has become a great protector of his devotees and he is worshipped by all.

Yadagirigutta Temple history tells us that long ago in Threthayugam there was a saint called Yada Rishi who did penance on this hillock in the cave where the present Temple is situated. Pleased with his penance Sri Narasimha Swamy appeared before him in five different forms as Jwaala Narasimha Swamy, Yogananda Narasimha Swamy, Gandabherunda Narasimha Swamy, Ugra Narasimha Swamy and Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and bestowed Moksha to him. And this hillock is being called Yadagirigutta after the saint Yada Rishi. These five forms of Sri Narasimha Swamy got manifested into finely sculpted forms in this cave. Since then these deities are being worshipped with great devotion by generations of sages, archakas and devotees who are blessed and their wishes fulfilled. Sri Narasimha Swamy is sometimes referred to here, as Vaidya Narasimha Swamy (Doctor) as a multitude of sick people who visit this Temple and stay on the hillock for a few days are cured of their chronic and painful ailments. Many persons narrate their experiences, they all say that Sri Narasimha Swamy appeared in their dreams and administered medicine or has operated upon them and they are cured!