Sharabha Avatara and Narasimha Avatara

Sharabha is a part-lion and part-bird beast who is eight-legged and more powerful than a lion or an elephant, possessing the ability to cross over a valley in one jump. Lord Shiva assumed the Avatara (incarnation) of Sharabha to pacify Narasimha – the fierce man-lion avatar of Vishnu worshiped. This form is known as Sharabeshwara (“Lord Sharabha”) or Sharabeshwaramurti.

The Sharabha 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 echos. 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.

Lord Vishnu took on the form of Narasimha to slaughter Hiranyakashipu. Vishnu assumed this form on top of Himvat Mountain (Harivamsa). He is known primarily as the ‘Great Protector’. Vishnu is believed to have taken the avatar to destroy the Asura king Hiranyakashipu.

Vishunu’s slaughter of Hiranyakashipu was a subject of great debate between the gods Shiva and Vishnu.

Long ago, Rishi Kashyapa had two mighty sons from Diti, Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu. Hiranyaksha had once carried the earth to Rasatala, the Asura world. The Devas asked Lord Vishnu to save the earth from its dire circumstance. Vishnu took the form of Varaha, a boar, and rammed his horn into Hiranyaksha’s chest.

Hiranyakashipu was distressed when he heard of his brother’s death and decided to ask Lord Shiva for help at Merugiri. Shiva was so pleased that he gave Hiranyakashipu immortality. Later, Hiranyakashipu married and had a son named Prahalada, who became a devout follower of Vishnu. This angered Hiranyakashipu. Angered by his son’s devotion to Lord Vishnu, Hiranyakashipu made plans to assassinate his son using the best servants and assassins from all over the land . However, being a devout devotee of Vishnu, Prahalada was protected by Vishnu from every assassination attempt.

Finally, Hiranyakashipu decided to take care of the matter himself. Hiranyakashipu exclaimed to Prahalada, ‘You say that Vishnu is omnipresent. Is he present in this pillar?’ as he assaulted the pillar with his sword. Suddenly, Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of Narasimha swamy. The Narasimha was half man and half lion. Hiranyakashipu was not scared because he knew Lord Shiva had given him invincibility against both man and beast. However, the Divine Lord Vishnu took incarnation as the Narasimha, neither human nor beast, and thus Hiranyakashipu was not protected. Vishnu tore apart Hiranyakashipu’s belly with sharp nails. Lord Narasimha deva consumed every drop of Hiranyakasipu’s blood, then wore the his mangled body as a garland to make sure that none of the Hiranyakasipu’s physical remains made contact with the universe.

The claw / Nail is a part of the body that is both living and dead. Thus, Lord Narasimha was able to tear apart Hiranyakashipu. Prahalada was crowned Hiranyakashipu’s successor and ruled justly, everybody was happy.

After he killed Hiranyakashipu, Narasimha was still enraged. Brahma sent Prahalada to pray to Vishnu in hope that it would calm him down. Prahalada’s efforts failed. Laksmi and various demigods attempted to soothe the Lord’s anger, but without success. Mahadeva absorbed within himself the collective energy of Brahma and the rest of the celestials, assuming the form of Mahasarabha.

Frightened, all of the gods went to Lord Shiva for help in calming Vishnu. Lord Shiva first sent two of his best earthly Amsha Avataras, Bhairava and Veerbhadra, to calm Narasimha. Narasimha pounced on Veerbhadra when Veerbhadra asked Narasimha to calm down nicely. So he himself transformed to Sharabha which outclassed Narasimha both in structure and power.

To protect Veerbhadra, Shiva appeared in his most devastating form, Sharabha. It is said to be a giant, frightening, form with thousands of hands. His appearance resembled a huge cannibal bird. This great beast entered into a fierce battle with Lord Narasimha, which lasted for a thousand years.

Distraught by this combined attack, Sharabha raised his hand in prayer to Narayana, who immediately granted immense strength to Sharabha, making him more powerful than both of Lord Vishnu’s other incarnations, Varaha and Narasimha. Rejuvenated by this new strength, Sharabha made a loud noise thereby creating millions of terrifying sivaganas. Sharabha clutched Narasimha with his talons and carried him off into the distance.

Together with his ganas, Sharabha subdued Narasimha. Lord Narasimha requested Sharabha to kill him by slicing him into two halves, from which two sages named Nara and Narayana were born. From lord Varaha and Bhumi devi’s three sons who were also killed by Sharabha, three fires (ahavaniya, daksinagni, garhapatya) arose.

Lord Shiva then revealed to all the Devas that, “To annihilate the Asura, Lord Narasimha came, and to appease Lord Narasimha, I have come as Sarabeshwara. Be aware that we are both one and the same like water and water, milk and milk, ghee and ghee, both inseparable and to be worshipped as one”.

Yatha Jaley Jalam, Kshiptham, Ksheeram, Ksheeray Kruthang Kruthey Yekayeva Thatha Vishnu: Shiva Leetho Nachanyatha

Lord Shiva ensured the recovery of Lord Vishnu from his ferocious nature, He thus put an end to Narasimha’s terrifying rage. Sharabha then decapitated and de-skinned Narasimha so lord Shiva could wear the hide and lion-head as a garment / Anga Vasthra.

The Linga Purana and Sharabha Upanishad also mention lord 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 Lord Vishnu. This embodiment of Shiva is referred as Sarabheswara.

Sharabheshwara withdrew his appalling form,and all universe seemed sublime again pleasant air filled the atmosphere, Devas offered celestial flowers and sung his stotra. Mahadeva withdrew all his energy from the beast Sharabhavatara. From the eighty feet of Sharabha, astamurtis arose, representing the sky, sun, moon, fire, earth, water, air and Apah. The remaining central limb of Sharabha, holding a kapala, assumed the ferocious form of Kapala Bhairava, whose followers came to be known as the Kapalikas. With eight hands and surrounded by saktis such as Kali and Chandi, this wish-fulfilling form of the Lord appeared on chaitra suddha chaturdasi.

Keeping this very motive as central, Sharaba succeeds in pacifying the Lion avatara, by subduing the energies of Vishnu which at that point of time were manifested as Narasimha and Runda Berunda. The very purpose of Sharabha was to bring a sense of calm and well being to the three worlds which were frightened by lord Narasimha. In a sense, it takes to be even more powerful and superior to calm violent rage and anger.

Throughout Vedic literature there are many stories depicting Shiva resolving situations caused by Vishnu and similarly, instances where Lord Vishnu has taken superior forms to resolve situations of Lord Shiva. Shiva taking the Halahala soon after the great churning of the ocean and Vishnu taking the form of Mohini to end Bhasmasura, are some of them. The Vedas clearly state – Shivaya Vishnu Roopaya Shiva Roopaya Vishnave.

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About Author:
Subhasini BA, is a Screenplay writer, Director, creative director, costume designer and producer, whose work has featured in some of the most prestigious film festivals in the country and internationally. She has collaborated on several film projects juggling different roles. 

In beginning of her career, she worked as Associate director and Costume Designer with the acclaimed director Girish Kasaravalli. She’s written and directed a documentary film on the famed Krishna Temple in Udupi, and also written plays, screenplays for films and short form content for some of the leading technology companies in India, including Microsoft, Akamai Technologies, LAM Research, and SAP. 

With Knowledge in Sanskrit, Subhasini is a seeker of the Eternal Truth / Santana Dharma, writes on dharma. She is passionate about History, Mythology, Philosophy and Spirituality. She believes Dharma is the manifestation of the natural strength of every living soul.
She lives in Cincinnati.

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