Fasting day: Appearance of Narsimhadeva - May 4 2023 until dusk

It is recommended to fast on May 4 2023 until dusk.

Who is Lord Narasimha:

Lord Narasimha Deva appears to protect His devotees. Hiranyakashipu, a demon controlling the three worlds, was extremely proud and he hated Lord Vishnu.

But little Prahlada, his five year old son, was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Therefore, Hiranyakashipu tried to kill Prahlada in several ways; but failed in all his attempts because of the protection given by the Lord to His dear devotee.

Finally, when Hiranyakashipu asked his little son where the Lord resides, Prahlada replied that the Lord resides everywhere. Mocking this response, Hiranyakashipu broke a pillar in his palace, and the Lord appeared from that pillar in His half man-half lion incarnation – Narasimha. He then killed the demon and thus protected His devotee.

Removal of obstacles:

Lord Narasimha Deva removes the obstacles in the path of devotional service. Devotees who pray to Him are always protected from all kinds of calamities. We can request the Lord to bring great auspiciousness in our life and to mercifully purify our heart and give us the desire to serve Lord Krishna.

Here is a music free rendition of the Narasimha Kavaca.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is5lZ7VE9X0

Generally devotees increase their service to Krishna by cooking him a feast and other special services (you can make a flower garland for a picture of Nrisimha and clean your altar--or make one if you don't have one yet), and fast till dusk---he appeared at dusk, because one of Hiranyakasipu's benedictions from Brahma was that he couldn't be killed during day or night---so he was killed at dusk, which is in-between, and there was so many other benedictions which were honored by the Lord (he couldn't be killed either inside or outside---so he was killed in a doorway between the two; he couldn't be killed by man or beast, so he was killed by the Lord in a half man, half lion inconceivable form, etc).

The point is that no one can overcome death---even the most intelligent person. God is always more intelligent. For devotees of Krishna, we see him as Krishna, assuming this wonderful form to protect his devotees. He is dear to us for that reason, and often devotees pray to him when in danger.

In the writing of Bhaktivinode Thakur he recommends that we can pray to Lord Nrisimha to become free of offenses in chanting and contamination in our heart. Although this form is very frightening and ghastly for the materialists or those who don't see with the proper knowledge, for the devotees this form is very endearing, as he represents auspiciousness, mercy and kindness by the Lord for his pure devotees.

This Supreme Lord in this form can remove our anarthas (undesirable ways of thinking and acting) and offensive mentalities from our heart. He is the remover of obstacles from the path of devotion and awards attraction for chanting Hare Krishna.

Here is the vision that Bhaktivinode Thakur gives us in his "Navadvipa-bhava-taranga":

"In Navadvipa [the place of Lord Chaitanya's early pastimes], at the abode of Lord Nrisimha known as Nrisimha Puri or Devapalli, I will roll on the ground in ecstatic love, begging for unalloyed love of Krishna.

"In my heart reside duplicity, insincerity, the desire for fame, and the six enemies: lust,anger, greed, envy, illusion and madness (kama, krodha, lobha, matsarya, moha, mada). I will pray at the feet of Lord Nrisimha, therefore, to purify my heart and give me the desire to serve Krishna. Weeping, I will beg at the lotus feet of Nrisimha that I may worship Radha-Govinda [Radha and Krishna] in Navadvipa, free from all obstacles. When will that Lord Hari [Hari is a favorite name of Krishna which can mean among other things, "He who has stolen our heart"], who strikes fear in fear personified, be pleased and bestow his mercy on me? Although this form of the Lord is terrible for the evil, he is exceedingly auspicious for the devotees headed by Prahlada. When will Nrisimhadeva become pleased to mercifully speak to me, a worthless fool, and remove my fears?[2]

References:

1. https://iskcondesiretree.com/page/sri-narasimha-kavacha-mantra
2. https://www.krishna.com/blog/2008/05/7/lord-nrisimhadeva-removes-obstacles-path-pure-devotion