To learn about the lion pose – Simhasana, we must be introduced to 4 characters from Hindu mythology. Vishnu, Narasimha, Hiranyakashipu, and his son Prahlad.
Narasimha kills Hiranyakashipu
Vishnu represents the protector and guardian of the universe. His devotee in this story is the young boy Prahlad. Prahlad’s father is Hiranyakashipu, who rules with demonic tyrannical power. Vishnu comes into the world in this story as Narasimha, the man with a lion’s head.
Hiranyakashipu received a death wish from Shiva that he not be killed by man or beast, daytime or nighttime or on the ground or in the air, so by all practical purposes, Hiranyakashipu was immortal.
Hiranyakashipu represents the substance of an uncontrolled mind: lust, anger, greed, delusion, envy and laziness. The fierce and fearless Narasimha was able to destroy Hiranyakashipu because he was not man or beast, it was at twilight, and he held Hiranyakashipu in his lap. By killing this evil king, Narasimha killed the six enemies of the mind that stand in the way of liberation. Narasimha takes away obstacles on the path to devotion.
Here is a video with pictures illustrating this story, and a mantra about Narasimha.
Picture from here
