Silver Lord Narasimha Murti; Sonia Chopra with her husband, Harinam Anand Das.

A silver replica murti of the Mayapur Ugra Narasimha Deity manifested from a couple’s shared love of Lord Narasimha, His mercy, and the prayerful dovetailing of a devotee’s artistic skills. The stunning two-inch replica of Lord Narasimha is the creation of Mantra4u founder Sonia Chopra and the fulfillment of her late husband Harinam Anand Das’s devotional desire.

Born and raised in New Delhi, Sonia Chopra married Hari Ram Chopra (Harinam Anand Das) and moved to the United States in 1985. The couple gradually became regular visitors at ISKCON of DC, where Mukunda Goswami opened the ISKCON Communications office and asked Sonia to assist with outreach and media. She has been serving in this role ever since. She currently serves as the Communications Director for ISKCON of DC.

Sonia, a dedicated wife and mother of two, shared, “My husband was born and raised in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He came to the US in 1977 for university studies and was an amazingly humble and successful person. I learned from him about seva and humility. Each Sunday, he was completely dedicated to the temple and offered so much service.”

While reading the translation of the Narasimha Kavacha Stotram together, they developed a deep attachment to the Lord. When they discovered Harinam Anand Das had cancer, they started reciting the prayer for protection just before her husband’s surgery. After his recovery from the surgery, the whole family started reciting it together daily. 

Before he passed away in 2016, Harinam Anand Das, a disciple of Radhanath Swami, asked Sonia to make a pendant of the Narasimha Kavacha that he could wear for protection. He would finance the endeavor, and they could have a 50-50 partnership. She has chosen to use 50% of net profits, his share, to support initiatives like Gita Nagari and the Food For Life program. In 2017, Lord Narasimha answered their prayers, and the pendant was manifested. Sonia offered it to Lord Narasimha in Mayapur through Pankajanghari Das, and that was the beginning of her devotional business, Mantra4u. 

Sonia has heard from many devotees about the pendant’s significance in their spiritual lives. “I feel the protection of Lord Narasimhadev and feel secure after wearing this amazing pendant, especially during my open-heart surgery,” said Mahamantra Das. “I adore my Nrsimha kavacha, especially with its detailed craftsmanship. This beautifully crafted piece resonates with profound energy and vibration, holding great significance in my spiritual journey,” noted Anuradha Dasi.

Ugra Narasimha Deity Manifests

This was the first of two special manifestations of Lord Narasimha. Last summer, Sonia hosted Jananivas Das and Braja Vilas Das from the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium (TOVP) in her home. She said, “After the prasadam, Lord Narasimha spoke from Braja Vilas Das’s heart, and he asked me to design a small silver Narasimha murti as a gift for the TOVP donors and to commemorate the grand opening of the Narasimha Wing in March 2024. “He pulled out the TOVP calendar and showed me the Ugra Narasimha Deity in Mayapur as a model,” Sonia said, “But, I do not make anything unless I feel the blessings directly from the Deity or the mantra that I am creating. After weeks of prayers, I felt Lord Narasimha’s blessings, and then reached out to him to say, ‘Yes, we will make this.'”

Months of prayers and meditation went into the process of creating the two-inch sterling silver Deity, a close replica of the Ugra Narasimha Deity. Mantra4u’s manufacturing unit, based in India, sent her photos of the completed Deity for review. Sonia noticed His waist was slightly tilted, and His Head was a bit off-center. She sent a sample to Braja Vilas Das and Jananivas Das at the TOVP, who noted happily that it closely resembled their original Narasimha Deity in Mayapur. They were delighted that such intricate details were captured in a two-inch murti, which, for her, indicated the Lord’s manifestation of Himself in that form. It felt only fitting to design an exquisite cardboard Narasimha wing and altar replica with a murti pedestal to be included in the gift to donors.

Speaking of the March grand opening of the Narasimha Wing, a donor, Ashwin Kumar, said, “The grand Sri Narsimhadev wing inauguration ceremony was indeed the most glorious welcome to our beloved Lord. Right when we were witnessing this moment, I prayed deeply within my heart how wonderful the Lord made us feel. I wished, somehow, we could capture this moment and freeze it in time. Just when we prepared to depart, we were surprised by an unexpected gift from Braj Vilas Prabhu,” he continued, “I held in my hands a miniature replica version of the very altar I had prayed to! The Deity carried the same mood, pose, eyes, and hand gestures with nails! The details were immaculate, and the packaging of the altar was such a fascinating integration, with the details of the ceiling and doors all captured. Such an eye for detail is rare. I am an artist and filmmaker myself, and the endeavor and painstaking artistry and engineering were evident.” 

Sonia concluded, “I take no credit in this particular project. I am honored that I was able to serve and please the devotees, which included Braja Vilas Prabhu, Jananivas Prabhu, and the head priest of Lord Narasimha in Mayapur. I feel honored that I have been used as an instrument by Lord Narasimha. It was a labor of love, and I was overwhelmed with mercy and reciprocation from Lord Narasimha throughout the process. I pray that everyone may feel His Love and protection.” In gratitude, 10% of all sales from this murti will be donated to the TOVP.

Though it was originally created as a special gift to TOVP donors, the silver Ugra Narasimha murti is now available to anyone through Mantra4u. The exquisite Narasimha Wing and altar replica box will make the Lord feel at home in your home. To learn more about it, visit their website.