THE EXCELLENT EXPLANATION CONCERNING AHOBILA STHALA-PURANAS FROM #"AHOBILAM SRI NARASIMHA SWAMY TEMPLE" BY PROF. R. VASANTHA#:
"Like many other famous temples, Ahobilam also has a SthalaPurana which gives a detailed account of the mythological origin of the temple.
Its Sthalapurana forms a part of the Brahmanda Purana, with 10 chapters consisting of 1046 stanzas.
The SthalaPurana of Simhachalam temple discusses the four important shrines dedicated to Narasimha. These four are Ahobilam, Kritasancham, Harapapam and Simhachalam.
This recounts how Narasimha, the God at Ahobilam, manifested Himself from a pillar to kill the demon, Hiranyakasipu.
"SHREE KURMA-PURANA"
The Kurma Purana gives an account of Vishnu tearing Hiranyakasipu to pieces.
“The circumstances in which Vishnu had to assume the furious form of the man-lion” are not mentioned in this Purana.
"SHREE PADMA-PURANA"
An account given in the Padmapurana is in agreement with
what is found in the Vishnu Purana and some other puranas also.
It tells us that “Hiranyakasipu had in his earlier life adored Brahma and obtained from him boons to the effect that he should be so invulnerable as not to be killed by man or beast, that he should not die either in the day or at night, and that no weapon of any kind should injure him.
After he obtained these boons, he naturally became haughty and irrepressible in his worrying behaviour towards the Gods, and it became imperative that he should be killed. But at the same time the boon conferred by Brahma on him had to be respected.
Consequently, Vishnu assumed the form of a Man-Lion, and tore Hiranyakasipu with the claws at the time of lingering twilight forming the junction between day and night, himself being seated upon the doorsill of the mansion of Hiranyakasipu.
It is obvious that, in so causing the death of the demon, not one of the boons bestowed on him by Brahma was counteracted and shown to be futile.
STHALA-PURANA AND KRITA-YUGA
The mythological account of the place Ahobilam and its importance as narrated in the Sthalapurana runs as follows. This sacred place was the kingdom of Hiranyakasipu in the Krita-Yuga and Lord Narasimha came out of a pillar from the palace of the demon.
This place is variously known as Vedachalam, Garudachalam and Virakshetram. It is also known as Singvelkunram.
Tirumangai Alvar, a famous Vaishnavite saint, praised this Lord as "except the Lord nobody can enter this Narasimha-Kshetra".
THE NAME "AHOBILAM" AND 2 POPULAR LEGENDS
This place, which is Ahobilam has two popular legends, for the derivation of the word “Ahobilam".
Legend 1.
It is stated that the devas (gods), while witnessing the terrible aspect (Ugra Kala) Shree Vishnu took on in order to tear to pieces Hiranyakaspu, sang in His praise as “Ahobala” (Lo! the stupendous strength).
Hence this place has come to be known as Ahobalam. The gods praised Lord Narasimha exclaiming at his strength.
Legend 2.
The other version is that because of the great cave, it is named Ahobila. There Garuda worshipped the Lord of Ahobila. Besides, Lord Sri Rama, Brahma and Lord Srinivasa, the most popular Deity of Tirumala-Tirupathi, also worshipped Lord Narasimha.
The Lord of Ahobila Narasimha is referred to as “Peria Perumar" ("God of gods") in SriVaishnava tradition.
It is stated that when Sri Rama was in the forest, we know from Seshadharma that he prayed to the Lord of Sri Ahobila with PanchAmrita-Stotram.
In Archa-Avatara, Lord Srinivasa had married Padmavathi, only after offering worship to Sri Narasimha of this mountain. It is held that the Shrine of Lord Srinivasa, to the south of Narasimha’s temple within the enclosure, lends credence to the view.
10 CHAPTERS FROM "SHREE BRAHMANDA-PURANAM"
The Sthalapurana of Ahobilam also gives an account of the 9 forms of Narasimha worshipped here.
In short, the Sthalapurana of the temple, which is said to be Bramhanda Puranatargata (part of Brahmanda Purana) with 10 chapters, described the greatness of the Kshetra in the 1st chapter.
The 2nd chapter of the Purana narrates the performance of the penance of Garuda for the darshana of the Lord.
The 3rd chapter gives an account of the sacred ponds of the place.
The 4th chapter furnishes an account of the Nine temples of Narasimha in His 9 Forms and performance of the penances by Brahma. Bharadvaja, Gobhila and Bhargava Rama.
The 5th chapter relates the traditional story of Jaya and Vijaya and their birth as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakasipu respectively and the assurance given by the Lord to the gods for their protection.
The 6th chapter describes, at length, the childhood of Prahlada and the atrocities perpetrated against him by his father.
The 7th chapter narrates the devotion of Prahlada to the Lord, birth of God Narasimha and the destruction of the demon, Hiranyakasipu.
The 8th chapter mentions the Sarabhavatara of Siva and his destruction by Lord Narasimha.
The 9th chapter states explicitly the untiring efforts of Bairava for the river Bhavanasini and his becoming Kshetrapala of the place.
The 10th chapter clearly states that worship to the Murti (Archa-Avatara, Idol) of Bhagavan Shree Vishnu is the only means for attaining salvation to the common people".
Cited from
"AHOBILAM SRI NARASIMHA SWAMY TEMPLE"
by Prof. R. Vasantha# [Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams]
