Narasimha Jayanti 2028: Date, Puja Muhurat & Significance

Narasimha Jayanti Muhurat: 10:57 AM to 1:38 PM (New Delhi).

These times are worked out from local sunrise and sunset, so they shift by city. Choose your city for your own times.

Shukla Chaturdashi runs 7 May, 06:06 → 8 May, 03:33.

Devotees keep a fast through the day and break it only after the sunset puja and, in strict practice, the next morning. Narasimha is worshipped with the Narasimha Kavacha, the Prahlada-charita, panakam (jaggery water), kosambari and cooling foods for the season and to soothe the deity's fury. It is a day sought for protection from enemies, fear, poison and black magic.

For Vaishnavas — especially the Gaudiya, Sri Vaishnava and Madhva traditions — Narasimha is the guardian who removes obstacles to devotion; his temples at Ahobilam (the nine Narasimhas), Melukote, Simhachalam and Mangalagiri hold great abhishekas, and Simhachalam's deity is uncovered from its sandal paste on this day (Chandanotsavam nearby).

Hiranyakashipu, granted that he could be killed by neither man nor beast, indoors nor out, by day nor night, on earth nor in the air, by no weapon, grew tyrannical and forbade the worship of Vishnu; his son Prahlada would not stop. Enraged, the king struck a pillar, demanding to know if Vishnu was in it — and Narasimha burst out at dusk, neither man nor lion, took the king on the threshold across his lap, and tore him open with his claws, meeting every clause of the boon. Prahlada's prayers alone calmed him.

Source: Bhagavata Purana, Book 7 — the Narasimha avatar and Prahlada

The Narasimha avatar is in the Bhagavata, Vishnu and Narasimha Puranas; the Jayanti on Vaishakha Chaturdashi is a settled Vaishnava observance, strongest in the South, and Narasimha is among the most widely worshipped protective deities in temple and household shrines.

• Bhagavata Purana, Book 7 — the Narasimha avatar and Prahlada
• Wikipedia — Narasimha Jayanti

1. Narasimha, the man-lion avatar, appeared at dusk to kill Hiranyakashipu and protect Prahlada, so the main worship is at sunset.
2. Temples at Ahobilam, Simhachalam, Yadagirigutta and Mangalagiri hold abhishek and special processions.
3. Devotees read the Prahlada story and offer panakam, the jaggery drink, to the deity.

• South India. Great abhishekas at Ahobilam, Simhachalam, Melukote and Mangalagiri; panakam and cooling offerings.
• Gaudiya and North Indian Vaishnavas. Fasting until dusk, the Narasimha Kavacha and Prahlada-charita, and evening arati.

• The offering and the food — Panakam (jaggery water), kosambari and cooling foods; the fast is broken at dusk or the next morning.

Narasimha Jayanti is kept on the day when Chaturdashi of Vaishakha Shukla paksha prevails at Madhyahna (midday). That day is Sunday, 7 May 2028, and the Narasimha Jayanti muhurat is from 10:57 AM to 1:38 PM. Chaturdashi holds at midday only on this day.

at Madhyahna (midday)

Narasimha Jayanti is Vaishakha Shukla Chaturdashi — the fourteenth tithi of the bright fortnight, the day before the Vaishakha full moon, in April or May. The puja is timed to the sandhya (sunset) when the tithi prevails, since the avatar appeared at that hour.

A lunar date: Chaturdashi of the bright half of Vaishakha drifts about 11 days earlier each solar year, then jumps back ~19 days when a leap (Adhika) month is inserted.