Hiranyakashyapu was an atheistic king in Satya Yuga while his five-year-old son Prahalad was a great Vaishnava. In order to enjoy his kingdom eternally, Hiranyakashyapu took a benediction from Lord Brahma that he would not be killed by any weapon, neither by a man nor a demigod, neither inside the palace nor outside, neither on the land nor in the sky, and neither during the day nor at night. One day, when he tried to kill Prahalad apathetically, Lord Vishnu intelligently appeared at twilight from a stone pillar in the form of half-lion and half-man in order to save His beloved devotee Prahalad.
This Tanjore style painting displays the perfect moment when Lord Narasimha, who is a form of Vishnu, killed the demon Hiranyakashyapu by His claws on the lap. His ferocious face and eyes filled with anger show how much He is eager to help His devotees who always remember Him and chant His holy names. Prahlad humbly folds his hands before the greatest savior, Lord Narasimha, and pays his obeisance unto Him. The way the artist has used red and black shades of colors in this painting in order to justify the rage within the Lord is admirable. Also, nearly everything has been embellished with the coating of 24 Karat Gold and beaded red and green stones, which is the main feature of Tanjore paintings.
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