The fourth avatar of Lord Vishnu | Narasimha avatar
Narasimha avatar is known as the fiercest avatar of Lord Vishnu among his Dashavatara. Lord Vishnu took this avatar to eliminate the demon king Hiranyakashipu, who had created havoc in all three dimensions.
Hiranyakashipu was the brother of Hiranyaksha who was killed by the Varaha avatar of Lord Vishnu. One day Hiranyakashipu was performing an intense penance to please Lord Brahma for obtaining a boon. He wishes to Lord Brahma "'O Brahma, let not death come to me either by man or beast, nor devil, nor god shall cause my death by day or by night with steel or stone or wood, indoors or outdoors, or earth or in sky. Lord Brahma Agreed, thus Hiranyakashipu became practically immortal.
Read - Bhagavad Geeta Ch. 2, verse 20
When his son Prahlad was born, Prahlad had the blessing of Lord Vishnu when he was in his mother’s womb. Hence, despite being the son of demon king Hiranyakashipu, he exhibited divine qualities. But when Hiranyakashipu got to know about his son’s devotion towards Lord Vishnu he ordered his servants to kill his son. All servants tried to kill him but failed in all their attempts.
One day the king challenged his son in his open court to embrace the heated pillar to see if Lord Vishnu is coming for Prahlad’s help or not. Prahlad accepted this and rushed towards the heated pillar, but unfortunately it did not burn him. The furious king got up from his throne and hit the pillar with his mace. Suddenly pillar cracked and Lord Vishnu appeared as a form of Narasimha (half man half lion).
Narasimha avatar conceived in such a way that it invalidated the boon of Lord Brahma. As a result, Narasimha killed Hiranyakashipu at dust at the threshold of his house, making him lie on his lap and executing him with his claws.
Thus Lord Vishnu saved Prahlad and restored peace there and became the king of that place.
|| Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata
Abhyutthanam adharmasya tadatmanam srjamy aham
Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskritam
Dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge ||
Read more - https://www.biharlokmanch.org/cultural-article-57.html