Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 30
हिरण्यकशिपोः क्रोधः तथा देवप्रजाकदनम् — Hiraṇyakaśipu’s Wrath and the Affliction of Devas and Beings
प्रह्लाद उवाच । एष प्रविष्टो भगवाननंतो नृसिंहमात्रो नगरं त्वदंतः । निवृत्य युद्धाच्छ रणं प्रयाहि पश्यामि सिंहस्य करालमूर्त्तिम्
prahlāda uvāca | eṣa praviṣṭo bhagavānanaṃto nṛsiṃhamātro nagaraṃ tvadaṃtaḥ | nivṛtya yuddhāccha raṇaṃ prayāhi paśyāmi siṃhasya karālamūrttim
പ്രഹ്ലാദൻ പറഞ്ഞു— “കാണുക, ഭഗവാൻ അനന്തൻ നൃസിംഹരൂപത്തിൽ നിന്റെ നഗരത്തിനുള്ളിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. ഈ യുദ്ധത്തിൽ നിന്ന് പിന്മാറി रणഭൂമി വിട്ടൊഴിയുക; ആ സിംഹത്തിന്റെ കരാളവും ഭയാനകവുമായ രൂപം ഞാൻ കാണുന്നു.”
Prahlāda
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Bhairava
Type: stotra
Role: liberating
FAQs
The verse highlights how the Divine, when invoked by pure devotion, manifests as a protective Saguna form to halt adharma; Prahlāda’s counsel emphasizes surrender, humility, and retreat from unrighteous conflict as steps toward inner purification.
Though Narasiṃha is a distinct Saguna manifestation, the Shiva Purana’s devotional framework treats such awe-inspiring forms as reminders that the One Supreme Lord can assume forms to protect devotees—encouraging steadiness in worship (including Liṅga-upāsanā) and reliance on divine grace.
The takeaway is refuge (śaraṇāgati): repeat a Shiva-mantra such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with calm breath, and cultivate non-violence and restraint—symbolically “withdrawing from battle” within the mind.