The Narasimha avatar-part 2- yazhi-yali-sharabha

 

The Narasimha avatar-part 2-- yazhi / yali / sharabha

The story continues, there is more to learn for us

 

Do read the first part—the story of the Narasimha avatar, on the link below

 

https://bhoj11.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-narasimha-avatar-and-ancient.html

 

Places of worship usually have a guardian beast at the entrance to keep evil away

In south India we usually see the statue of yazhi / yali / sharabha, a mythical hybrid, combined form of the most powerful aspects of beasts (lion,elephant,horse), bird, and reptile

The story of sharbha teaches us a very important lesson in life

After Vishnu took the fierce Narasimha form to kill Hiranyakashipu, his rage did not stop, his wrath was so intense that it threatened to destroy the entire universe.

The Mahadev, Shankar, (refer note below on Shankar) transformed into Sharabha — a massive being with the strength of multiple creatures combined, This form combined the most powerful aspects of beasts, birds, and reptile, he stood in front of Narasimha   to show him that there is always a higher power to restore balance.

Narashima has the tatva (essence) of one animal lion (see note below on the essence of an animal), Sharabha had the combined essence of a lion,elephant,horse, bird, and reptile

Thus came the understanding, the awakening that even divine power has limits, no matter how powerful you are, there is always a greater force that keeps the world in balance and Narasimha’s fury dissolved not through defeat, but through this understanding  

yazhi / yali / sharabha stands at the temple entrance not just to guard the temple against evil but to tell us this important lesson abandon your pride and enter the temple there is always someone greater than you

No matter how powerful your are, one day some one more powerful than you will come and stand before you to shatter your illusion and break your pride.

No matter how knowledgeable you are one day some one more knowledgeable will come and stand before you to shatter your illusion and break your pride.

No matter how beautiful you are one day some one more beautiful will come and stand before you to shatter your illusion and break your pride

(refer note below on ignorance)

Note on Shankar: (whom people call Shiv, actually Shiv and his consort Shakti are the formless form of the absolute creator from whom the trinity of Brahama, Vishnu and Mahesh came, they are the  three guans, fundamental characteristics of nature or people sattava (goodness/harmony),Rajas (passion/activity) and Tamas (ignorance/inertia)

From one came two from two came three

 

Note on tatva (essence) of an animal: The spiritual tatva (essence) of animals and birds is deeply intertwined with nature, divinity, and the soul's journey. They are not merely physical beings but hold specific energy, vibration, and sacred roles, representing aspects of the divine, messengers of higher realms, and embodiments of pure consciousness

Every animal and bird brings a particular rhythm or vibration to the planet, necessary for maintaining universal balance.

Harnessing the spiritual essence of animals involves moving beyond treating them as mere pets or wildlife and instead viewing them as partners, teachers, and energetic guides

I would like to mention about the amur (Siberian) tiger. As long as the tiger walks the forest, the forest lives, today there are very less tigers around and hence forest have fallen into a proportional decline.

Legend has it that when an Amur tiger reaches the end of its life, it does not die in the forest like other animals, instead it travels to the top of a secret, sacred mountain to die, To those worthy enough to befriend the spirit of the amur tiger one can harness the spiritual essence and can access this twilight realm of the sacred mountain and unlock its ultimate power

Note on ignorance: "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing" is a statement of intellectual humility by Socrates, It signifies that recognizing the limits of one's knowledge is the first step toward true understanding.

Ignorance is when a person things that he knows all and there is nothing more for him to learn

The Mahadev in his form as Natraj stands over a dwarf demon named Apasmara representing ignorance, ego, and the distractions that not only hinder spiritual growth but pause it

Apasmara refers to a psychosomatic disorder in Ayurveda resembling epilepsy, characterized by memory loss (here it signifies the memory of who you are, your very own divine nature), mental confusion, and seizures, often linked to impaired consciousness.

The Mahadev subdued him by putting his right feet over him, but he does not destroy him forever he only stands above ignorance. Because if ignorance ceases to exist knowledge will also cease to exist

In a universe of dualities, Apasmara represents the one who has lost his memory of his divine nature, the opposite end is knowing the divine hence liberation if he is destroyed the cycle stops, duality ends  and no one can will understand their divine nature and be liberated, hence he is kept suppressed

Have added more content to the article—Sunderkand—link below

 

https://bhoj11.blogspot.com/2022/08/sunderkand.html

The Narasimha avatar---and the ancient Narasimha temple in joshimath.

My favourite  avatar is the Narasimha avatar.

A beautiful story integrated with moral teachings.

The child Prahlada; though the son of the evil Hiranyakasipu stayed with the sage Narada for a short time hence gained divine attributes.

The teaching here is that the company of the good is always benefiting.

He was always guided and protected.

Meanwhile Hiranyakasipu after completing many years of great austerity and penance asked the gods to grant him the boom:

“Let me not meet death from human or animal,

the one who comes to kill me does not come from ground or sky,

I not die within any residence or outside any residence,

during the day or at night,

nor on the ground or in the sky,

and further my death not be brought about by any weapon or by hand.”

The Gods said “So be it---granted”

Hiranyakasipu was happy; thinking that he had won over death.

when Prahlada proclaimed that the protector lord Vishnu is all-pervading and omnipresent.

Hiranyakasipu was very angry,  and stooped down to negative behaviour.

He demanded to know where this protector is and in a fit of rage smashed a pillar and asks Prahlada is he inside this pillar; and he himself invited his own destruction.

Moral of this is; full of ego and with bad behavior one himself invites his fall.

And from the pillar emerged the Narasimha avatar---half man—half lion.

And the voice was heard from the skies :

“Hiranyakasipu---look where are you standing ---

nor in a residence or outside, you are in a courtyard,

look at the time it is nether day or night ,it is twilight,

look who is in front of you, neither man or animal,

look from where he has emerged, nether ground or sky, but from in-between a pillar.”  

And Narasimha picked Hiranyakasipu and took him on his lap---now Hiranyakasipu was neither on the ground or sky.

Then Narasimha put an end to his life using his claws---neither weapon nor hands.

Prahlada and the Gods watch this with hands folded and then offered flowers to the avatar that had fulfilled the eternal teaching ---when evil flourishes in society; someone is created to re-establish righteous order.

link to part-2 of this story, the story of Narasimha continues teaching us more,,read the story of yazhi , yali, sarabha, who stopped narasimha by clicking the link below

https://bhoj11.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-narasimha-avatar-part-2-yazhi-yali.html

Now I will write about one of my favorite places.

It is the Narasimha temple in joshimath on the way to Badrinath,A very simple structure

 

Here a famous feature of the ancient black stone idol of Narasimha is that its left wrist is getting thinner by the day.

Legend has it that when the wrist breaks off, there the current Badri vishal temple at Badrinath will become inaccessible and new temple will be bhavishya badri.

In the early morning puja this wrist is shown to the people and then covered up throughout the day

There is the badri kedar temple committee rest house adjoining this temple, in the silence of late evening I sit alone in the temple compound and experience peace---vibrations which cannot be expressed.

There is also a seat believed to be that of the Adi Shankaracharya kept in the same premises.

seat of Adi Shankaracharya.

There are many small temples in the surrounding area most of them with ancient idols.

now the old structure is replaced by a new temple

A short distance from here is the math established by Adi Shankaracharya; and the cave where he meditated.

cave where Adi Shankaracharya meditated

Giving shelter to the cave is the 2500 year old “Amar Kalpavriksha” ---the evergreen mulberry tree which stands witness to the life of the great soul.