A Grand Idol of Sri Shodasha Bahu Narasimha Swamy is worshipped in Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt. Being a devotee of Lord Narasimha, Pointif  Sri Vibhudendra Teertha (1435-1495) spent many years in Ahobila worshipping the Lord. One day, he was performing his morning prayers near Bhavanaashini river, he came across a impressive and very rare icon of Narasimha with 16 arms, as had been indicated to him in a dream. 

The icon is very captivating. The Lord is holding different weapons in fourteen hands and in the other two hands He is ripping open the stomach of the demon Hiranyakashipu slaying on his thigh and pulling out his intestine. The intensity of the fury on Narasimha’s face is matched by the wretched terror on Hiranyakashipu’s face as he gets ready to face Death. The majestic composition and the meticulous work portrayed in the idol is truly magnificent.

Sri Vibhudendra teertha worshipped the icon until his last days and handed it over to his disciple Sri Jitamitra tirtha. 

 After decades, Sri Bhuvanendra Tirtha, the pontiff of the matha had given this idol to worship to Sri Aiji Venkataramacharya He initiated Venkataramacharya into sannyasa with the Ashramanama of Sri Vyasa tattvagna Teertha . He did not want to become the pontiff of the matha, . Over the course of time, the icon came back to the matha and has been worshipped by all the pontiffs till today

The Pooja to this idol on Sri Narsimha Jayanthi is very eventful.