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Celebrations of Lord Nrsimahdeva’s Appearance Day

Programme

Lord Nrsimahdeva’s Appearance Day

Tuesday, 4 May 2004

***Fast until dusk***

5.30pm Bhajans (chanting)
6.00pm Class on the Pastimes of Lord Nrsimahdeva
6:45pm Pushpanjali- (an offering of flowers followed by Arati (offerings)
7.30pm Vegetarian Feast

Protecting Devotees

Brisbane Temple ’s celebrations of this year’s Appearance Day of Lord Nrsimahdeva’s falls on Tuesday, 4 May.

By performing austerities and standing on tiptoes for a hundred years, the great demon, Hiranyakasipu obtained a boon from Lord Brahma.

Prahlada Maharaja

He wanted to be immortal, but Lord Brahma explained that was not possible: only the Supreme Personality of Godhead was immortal.

Hiranyakasipu then requested that he could not be killed by any weapon, by man or beast, on land or air, inside or outside, during the day or at night.

Lord Brahma acceded to this request and Hiranyakasipu, thinking himself invincible, proceeded to wreak havoc throughout the universe with his demoniac activities.

Prahlada was Hiranyakasipu’s son and the greatest devotee of Lord Vishnu.

As a small child of only five years, he became the object of envy for Hiranyakasipu, because he was a pure devotee of Lord Vishnu.

His demon father used weapons to try to kill Prahlada.

He was also thrown in a fire, in boiling oil, from the top of a hill, underneath the legs of an elephant, and even administered poison. But throughout his ordeals, Prahlada was saved and protected by the Lord.

Prahlada preached the glories of Lord Vishnu to his school friends. This infuriated his father even more and he challenged his son about where Lord Vishnu was.

“Everywhere,” said Prahlada, which outraged his father even more.

“Is He in this pillar?” the demon demanded to know.

“Yes,” replied the young devotee.

Hiranyakasipu struck the pillar with great force and out of it emerged the most ferocious-looking half-man, half-lion form of the Lord, Nrsimahdeva.

At dusk, Nrsimahdeva sat Hiranyakasipu on his lap and killed him with his claws, on the threshold of his palace.

Prahlada presents a garland to the Lord

After killing the demon, the Lord’s fury was such that not even the demigods could pacify him. Lord Brahma asked Prahlada to go forward and mollify him, which he did by reciting sweet prayers. Lord Nrsimahdeva placed his hand on the child’s head and immediately Prahlada attained spiritual enlightenment.

Every day, vaishnavas (devotees of Krishna) recite special prayers invoking the protection of Lord Nrsimahdeva.

Nirjala Ekadasi – A special fast

Ekadasi is the goddess of the eleventh lunar day of the waxing and waning moon. Anyone who fasts from grains on this day is relieved of their sins and immediately promoted to the spiritual world.

If you’ve broken an Ekadasi fast, you can fast on Nirjala Ekadasi (which falls on Monday, 31 May 2004) and gain the benefits of all the Ekadasis in the year.

The fast is very austere: a complete fast from food and drink. Arjuna’s brother Bhima was renowned for his voracious appetite and found it difficult to fast on Ekadasi. He asked his grandfather, the great sage Srila Vyasadeva, if it’s possible to return to the spiritual world without having observed all the rules and regulations of the Ekadasi fasts.

He was advised to observe this rigid Nirjala Ekadasi fast, which is in effect from sunrise on Ekadasi to sunrise the next day. According to Srila Vyasadeva, by observing the fast very strictly, we can achieve the results of observing all twenty-four Ekadasi fasts throughout the year.

The fast should be broken between 6.30am and 10am on 1 June.

Sponsorship opportunities are available on Saturdays and Festivals. For further details Please contact Mukunda Hari das on Tel 07 3379 5455 and Rajvidya das on 07 3716 0376

Brisbane Temple

95 Bank Road , Graceville (07) 3379 5455 www.iskcon.org.au

How to find us

Brisbane Refidex UBD map reference 178 J14

By train Take the Ipswich line to Graceville Station (west side). Bank Road is opposite the station by the shops. Follow the road to the end, bearing left. Continue to the end of the road to the Temple.