Showing posts with label Sharabha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sharabha. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Who is Sharabha and Shiva's avatar? What is his story?

 Lord Sharabha is also called Shrabeshwara and Sarveshwara , a most powerful form of Lord shiva

There is a Truth story

Narasimha ЁЯСЖ

Sharabha is considered as the most powerful appearance taken by lord Shiva to protect the universe. His manifestation as Sharabeshwara was to dominate over the fierce embodiment of SriVishnu as Narasimha which was the combination of half human and half lion. The objective Vishnu's Incarnation to save favourite devotee prince Prahlad from Demon king Hiranyakasyapu who was his father too. After killing him, Narasimha seemed to be very furious in nature. He created an awful situation in the Universe by roaring dreadfully and continuously. By foreseeing the negative outcome of this, other Gods and sub-gods sought help from Mahadeva who then decided to take the Sharaba form to pacify the angry Narasimha and convert him to normal Vishnu.

The Sharaba form of Shiva was the structural blend of human, animal and bird with gigantic as well as blistering look. It had so many hands, claws and legs, and almost resembled a huge dragon. The entangled tresses in the body highlighted the ferocity of the structure to a greater extend. In the head there was a massive crest which looked like a dome. There were well spread wings on the back side of the body with a long tail. The extremely sharp incisors in the mouth and inflexible claws were its main weapons. Its thunder like voice created echo in the environments and was horrible to hear. It had three eyes which were glowing like fire balls. Its teeth and lips were well formed and can be seen properly. It produced awful hissing sounds throughout.

Narasimha is often visualized as having a human torso and lower body, with a lion face and claws. This image is widely worshiped in deity form by a significant number of Vaishnava groups. Vishnu assumed this form on top of Himvat Mountain (Harivamsa). He is known primarily as the ‘Great Protector’ who specifically defends and protects his devotees in times of need. Vishnu is believed to have taken the avatar to destroy the demon king Hiranyakashipu.

The Puranas describe Lord Narasimha deva’s pastime of killing the demon, saying that the Lord consumed every drop of Hiranyakasipu’s blood, then wore the demon’s mangled body as a garland to make sure that none of the demon’s physical remains made contact with the universe.

Lord Sharabeshwara ЁЯСЖ in Sharabeshwara temple Kumbakonam Tamilnadu

After the destruction, Prahlada, Lakshmi and various demigods attempted to soothe the Lord’s anger, but without success. At first lord Shiva his Veerabadra form and asked Narasimha to cool down. But Narasimha ignored this appeal. So he himself transformed to colossal Sharabha which outclassed Narasimha both in structure and power. Then Sharabha lifted Narasimha with its long tail and was about to throw him. Narasimha realized this and prayed Sharabha to forgive him with beautiful epithets, which later became the Ashtothra (108 Names) of the victorious Lord.

Lord Shiva ensured the recovery of SriVishnu from his ferocious nature and hence did not hurt him. As a mark of respect to Lord Shiva, Narasimha removed the skin of lion from his body and presented to Sharabeshwaramurti. Thus the incarnation as Sharabha by Lord Shiva pacified the Narasimha manifestation of SriVishnu. This embodiment of lord Shiva is referred as Sarabeswara. In Shiva temples idols of two Sharabheswara are found at the entrance of sanctum sanctorum. He embraced Sri Narasimha, cooled Him down and made Him accessible to all beings. This Sri Sharabhesvara is Lord Shiva's most universal Omkara form

.

Sharabeshwara temple Kumbakonam

Jai lord Sharabeshwara

Tuesday, September 22, 2026

What are the main reasons Vaishnavas reject the Shaiva claim that Sharabha defeated Narasimha?

 

Narasimha slaying Sharabha Murthy is mentioned in Vaishnava agamas such as sesha samhita in chapter 23.14. This mantra is mentioned by vijayendra tirtha from Agni Purana but currently it can only be traced in pancharatra samhita

  • рд╣рди्рддुрдордн्рдпाрдЧрддं рд░ौрдж्рд░ं рд╢рд░рднं рдирд░рдХेрд╕рд░ी ।
  • рдирдЦैрд░्рд╡िрджाрд░рдпाрдоाрд╕ рд╣िрд░рдг्рдпрдХрд╢िрдкुं рдпрдеा ॥
  • рд╢ेрд╖рд╕्рдоृрддि реирей/резрек
  • Distraught with fear, Rudra in the form of Sharabha was killed by Narakesari (Lord Nrisimha) by tearing him with his nails in the same way as Hiranyakashipu was killed.

The same mantra is quoted by adavita scholar in hari hara Advaita bhushanam and Rama subramanya Shastri

Kuresar alvar also quotes it in Athimanusthavam from the same mantra .

  • рдХ्рд░ीрдбाрд╡िрдзेः рдкрд░िрдХрд░рд╕्рддрд╡ рдпा рддु рдоाрдпा
  • рд╕ा рдоोрд╣рдиी рди рдХрддрдорд╕्рдп рддु рд╣рди्рдд рдЬрди्рддोः ।
  • рдорд░्рдд्рдпрд╕िंрд╣рд╡рдкुрд╖рд╕्рддрд╡ рддेрдЬрд╕ोंрд╜рд╢े
  • рд╢рдо्рднुрд░्рднрд╡рди् рд╣ि рд╢рд░рднः рд╢рд▓рднो рдмрднूрд╡ ॥
  • “Your m─Бy─Б, which is an accessory of Your divine play, is indeed bewildering—who among living beings is not bewildered by it? ┼Ъambhu, becoming ┼Ъarabha, indeed became a moth in the presence of a portion of the radiance of You whose form was the Man-Lion.”

People should not force their sectarian propoganda on vaishnavas and expect them to accept everything .