Protector photos on Flickr

Aunque desde 1642 se colocó el basamento de la torre oriente y en 1672 el primer cuerpo de la misma, se puede decir que las torres se construyeron entre 1787 y 1791. En su construcción participaron los arquitectos Juan Serrano, Juan Lozano y José Damián Ortiz de Castro.

Las torres de la Catedral tienen una altura entre 64 y 67 metros. Tienen un remate en forma de campana, que termina con una esfera coronada por una cruz. Las esferas contienen cruces, monedas de la época, relicarios, oraciones y testimonios autorizados por el Cabildo de la Catedral. Además de ornamentación de trofeos, coronas y collares, cada torre tiene 8 esculturas monumentales, las cuales representan a santos protectores de la ciudad: 4 Doctores de la Iglesia occidental y 4 Doctores de la Iglesia española, y fueron realizados por José Zacarías Cora (torre poniente) y Santiago Cristóbal de Sandoval (torre oriente). Las estatuas en la torre poniente representan a Gregorio VII, San Agustin, Leandro de Sevilla, Fulgencio de Cartagena, San Francisco Javier y a Santa Bárbara. Las estatuas en la torre oriente representan a Emilio, Santa Rosa de Lima, Maria (madre de Jesus), San Ambrosio de Milan, Jerónimo de Estridón, San Felipe de Jesús, San Hipólito y San Isidro Labrador.

Entre las dos torres cuentan con espacio suficiente para albergar 56 campanas, aunque al día de hoy son treinta las que han sido colocadas, siendo la torre poniente la que tiene mayor número de ellas. Cada campana recibe un nombre y su peso se mide en quintales o en arrobas. La mayor de ellas tiene el nombre de Santa María de Guadalupe, fue fundida por Salvador de la Vega en 1791 y pesa alrededor de trece toneladas. La campana más antigua se fundió en 1578, y se le conoce como Santa María de la Asunción (también conocida como Doña María), con peso aproximado de 7 toneladas. La más nueva es del año 2002 y fue colocada con motivo de la canonización de Juan Diego, bendecida por el papa Juan Pablo II.

Dentro de la parte superior de cada torre hay escaleras de madera de forma elipsoidal, de las cuales hay muy pocos ejemplos en el mundo. Estas escaleras helicoidales u ovaladas son poco utilizadas pues el deterioro ocasionado por el tiempo es evidente, por lo cual solo son usadas por los campaneros. Empero, el enorme desgaste de escaleras y zonas del campanario se ha agudizado por la extensiva visita de turistas a un sitio no hecho para ello.

Las campanas de Catedral han marcado momentos importantes en la historia del país. En 1692 su repique convocó al pueblo a formar parte del rescate del Parián. En 1821 fueron testigo y parte en la entrada del Ejército Trigarante. El 21 de julio de 1822 repicaron en la coronación de Agustín de Iturbide, realizada en esta misma Catedral y doblaron tanto en su fallecimiento como al colocarse sus restos en la capilla de San Felipe de Jesús. El 14 de septiembre de 1847 convocaron a la defensa de la Ciudad de México ante la invasión estadounidense. El 15 de septiembre de 1910 marcaron el inicio de las festividades del centenario de la Independencia nacional. Han doblado a duelo al entrar por la Puerta Jubilar de Catedral los cadáveres de los arzobispos y cardenales Miguel Darío Miranda Gómez y Ernesto Corripio Ahumada, en 1986 y en el 2008 respectivamente. Han repicado en su totalidad al entrar a la Catedral por vez primera un nuevo arzobispo de México, como en 1995 al llegar Mons. Norberto Rivera Carrera y al entrar pro primera vez como cardenal en marzo de 1998. Tocaron a vuelo el 26 de enero de 1979, en la primera visita de Juan Pablo II a México, y en su quinta y última visita a México, del 30 de julio al 1° de agosto de 2002, con motivo de la canonización de Juan Diego. Repican en su totalidad 5 veces al año: en la fiesta de Corpus, en la noche del 15 de septiembre, en la noche de Navidad, en la misa de Año Nuevo y en la misa de Pascua.

Dentro del remate en forma esférica de la torre oriente fue hallada en 2007 una caja del tiempo, colocada cuando fue finalizada dicha estructura. En la cantera del remate se inscribió la fecha "mayo 14 de 1791", y el nombre "Tibursio Cano". Dentro de la caja de plomo, había medallas religiosas, monedas de la época, un relicario, una cruz de palma y diversas imágenes de santos9 .

www.facebook.com/catedraleseiglesias

By Catedrales e Iglesias

By Cathedrals and Churches

Arquidiócesis Primada de México

www.catedraleseiglesias.com

Sitio Oficial de la Arquidiócesis de México

www.arquidiocesismexico.org.mx/

Rectoría La Asunción (Catedral Metropolitana)

Adscrito Pbro: Cuauhtémoc Islas Barquera

Rector Pbro: Francisco Javier Becerra Martínez

Adscrito Pbro:Luis Gutiérrez Hoppe

Rector Pbro: Manuel Arellano Rangel

Adscrito Pbro: Felipe Galicia Reyes

Plaza Constitución S/N

Colonia Centro

C.P. 06060

Delegación Cuauhtémoc

Tel: 01 (555) 521-7737

Fax:01 (555) 521-6873

Nepal - Pokhara - Bindhya Basini Temple - Shrine Of Saraswati, Hindu Goddess of Knowledge, Music, Arts and Science - 1 by Manfred Sommer

Saraswati (Sanskrit: सरस्वती, Sarasvatī) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning. She is a part of the trinity of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati. All the three forms help the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva to create, maintain and regenerate-recycle the Universe respectively.

The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a goddess is in Rigveda. She has remained significant as a goddess from the Vedic age through modern times of Hindu traditions. Some Hindus celebrate the festival of Vasant Panchami (the fifth day of spring) in her honour, and mark the day by helping young children learn how to write alphabets on that day. The Goddess is also revered by believers of the Jain religion of west and central India, as well as some Buddhist sects.

Saraswati as a goddess of knowledge, music and arts is also found outside India, such as in Japan, Vietnam, Bali (Indonesia) and Myanmar.

ETYMOLOGY

Saraswati, sometimes spelled Sarasvati, is a Sanskrit fusion word of Sara (सार) which means essence, and Sva (स्व) which means one self, the fused word meaning "essence of one self", and Saraswati meaning "one who leads to essence of self knowledge". It is also a Sanskrit composite word of surasa-vati (सुरस-वति) which means "one with plenty of water".

The word Saraswati appears both as a reference to a river and as a significant deity in the Rigveda. In initial passages, the word refers to Sarasvati River and mentioned with other northwestern Indian rivers such as Drishadvati. Saraswati then connotes a river deity. In Book 2, Rigveda calls Saraswati as the best of mothers, of rivers, of goddesses.

अम्बितमे नदीतमे देवितमे सरस्वति |

– Rigveda 2.41.16

Saraswati is celebrated as a feminine deity with healing, purifying powers of abundant, flowing waters in Book 10 of Rigveda, as follows:

अपो अस्मान मातरः शुन्धयन्तु घर्तेन नो घर्तप्वः पुनन्तु |

विश्वं हि रिप्रं परवहन्ति देविरुदिदाभ्यः शुचिरापूत एमि ||

– Rigveda 10.17

May the waters, the mothers, cleanse us,

may they who purify with butter, purify us with butter,

for these goddesses bear away defilement,

I come up out of them pure and cleansed.

–Translated by John Muir

In Vedic literature, Saraswati gains the same significance to early Indians, states John Muir, as Ganges river became to their descendants. In hymns of Book 10 of Rigveda, she is already declared to be the "possessor of knowledge". Her importance grows in Vedas composed after Rigveda and in Brahmanas, and the word evolves in its meaning from "waters that purify", to "that which purifies", to "vach (speech) that purifies", to "knowledge that purifies", and ultimately into a spiritual concept of a goddess that embodies knowledge, arts, music, melody, muse, language, rhetoric, eloquence, creative work and anything whose flow purifies the essence and self of a person. In Upanishads and Dharma Sastras, Saraswati is invoked to remind the reader to meditate on virtue, virtuous emoluments, the meaning and the very essence of one's activity, one's action.

Saraswati is known by many names in ancient Hindu literature. Some examples of synonyms for Saraswati include Brahmani (goddess of sciences), Brahmi (from being wife of Brahma), Bharadi (goddess of history), Vani and Vachi (both referring to the flow of music/song, melodious speech, eloquent speaking respectively), Varnesvari (goddess of letters), Kavijihvagravasini (one who dwells on the tongue of poets).

NOMENCLATURE

In the Telugu language, Sarasvati is also known as Chaduvula Thalli (చదువుల తల్లి), Sharada (శారద). In Konkani, she is referred to as Sharada, Veenapani, Pustaka dharini, Vidyadayini. In Kannada, variants of her name include Sharade, Sharadamba, Vani, Veenapani in the famous Sringeri temple. In Tamil, she is also known as Kalaimagal (கலைமகள்), Kalaivaani (கலைவாணி), Vaani (வாணி), Bharathi. She is also addressed as Sharada (the one who loves the autumn season), Veena pustaka dharani (the one holding books and a Veena), Vaakdevi, Vagdevi, Vani (all meaning "speech"), Varadhanayagi (the one bestowing boons).

Within India, she is locally spelled as Bengali: সরস্বতী, Saraswati ?, Malayalam: സരസ്വതി, Saraswathy ?, and Tamil: சரஸ்வதி, Sarasvatī ?.

Outside India, she is known in Burmese as Thurathadi (သူရဿတီ, pronounced: [θùja̰ðədì] or [θùɹa̰ðədì]) or Tipitaka Medaw (တိပိဋကမယ်တော်, pronounced: [tḭpḭtəka̰ mɛ̀dɔ̀]), in Chinese as Biàncáitiān (辯才天), in Japanese as Benzaiten (弁才天/弁財天) and in Thai as Suratsawadi (สุรัสวดี) or Saratsawadi (สรัสวดี).

HISTORY

Saraswati is found in almost every major ancient and medieval Indian literature between 1000 BC to 1500 AD. She has remained significant as a goddess from the Vedic age through modern times of Hindu traditions. In Shanti Parva of the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Saraswati is called the mother of the Vedas, and later as the celestial creative symphony who appeared when Brahma created the universe. In Book 2 of Taittiriya Brahmana, she is called the mother of eloquent speech and melodious music. Saraswati is the active energy and power of Brahma. She is also mentioned in many minor Sanskrit publications such as Sarada Tilaka of 8th century AD as follows, May the goddess of speech enable us to attain all possible eloquence,

she who wears on her locks a young moon,

who shines with exquisite lustre,

who sits reclined on a white lotus,

and from the crimson cusp of whose hands pours,

radiance on the implements of writing, and books produced by her favour.

– On Saraswati, Sarada TilakaSaraswati became a prominent deity in Buddhist iconography – the consort of Manjushri in 1st millennium AD. In some instances such as in the Sadhanamala of Buddhist pantheon, she has been symbolically represented similar to regional Hindu iconography, but unlike the more well known depictions of Saraswati.

SYMBOLISM AND ICONOGRAPHY

The goddess Saraswati is often depicted as a beautiful woman dressed in pure white, often seated on a white lotus, which symbolizes light, knowledge and truth. She not only embodies knowledge but also the experience of the highest reality. Her iconography is typically in white themes from dress to flowers to swan – the colour symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity, discrimination for true knowledge, insight and wisdom.

She is generally shown to have four arms, but sometimes just two. When shown with four hands, those hands symbolically mirror her husband Brahma's four heads, representing manas (mind, sense), buddhi (intellect, reasoning), citta (imagination, creativity) and ahamkara (self consciousness, ego). Brahma represents the abstract, she action and reality.

The four hands hold items with symbolic meaning — a pustaka (book or script), a mala (rosary, garland), a water pot and a musical instrument (lute or vina). The book she holds symbolizes the Vedas representing the universal, divine, eternal, and true knowledge as well as all forms of learning. A mālā of crystals, representing the power of meditation, inner reflection and spirituality. A pot of water represents powers to purify the right from wrong, the clean from unclean, and the essence from the misleading. In some texts, the pot of water is symbolism for soma - the drink that liberates and leads to knowledge. The musical instrument, typically a veena, represents all creative arts and sciences, and her holding it symbolizes expressing knowledge that creates harmony. Saraswati is also associated with anurāga, the love for and rhythm of music, which represents all emotions and feelings expressed in speech or music.

A hansa / hans or swan is often located next to her feet. In Hindu mythology, hans is a sacred bird, which if offered a mixture of milk and water, is said to be able to drink the milk alone. It thus symbolizes discrimination between the good from the bad, the essence from the superficial, the eternal from the evanescent. Due to her association with the swan, Saraswati is also referred to as Hansvahini, which means "she who has a hansa / hans as her vehicle". The swan is also a symbolism for spiritual perfection, transcendence and moksha.

Sometimes a citramekhala (also called mayura, peacock) is shown beside the goddess. The peacock symbolizes colorful splendor, celebration of dance, and peacock's ability to eat poison (snakes) yet transmute from it a beautiful plumage.

She is usually depicted near a flowing river or near a water body, which may be related to her early history as a river goddess

REGIONAL MANIFESTATIONS OF SARASWATI

MAHA SARASWATI

In some regions of India, such as Vindhya, Odisha, West Bengal and Assam, as well as east Nepal, Saraswati is part of the Devi Mahatmya mythology, in the trinity of Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Saraswati. This is one of many different Hindu legends that attempt to explain how Hindu trinity of gods (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) and goddesses (Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati) came into being. Various Purana texts offer alternate legends for Maha Saraswati.

Maha Saraswati is depicted as eight-armed and is often portrayed holding a Veena whilst sitting on a white lotus flower.

Her dhyāna shloka given at the beginning of the fifth chapter of Devi Mahatmya is:

Wielding in her lotus-hands the bell, trident, ploughshare, conch, pestle, discus, bow, and arrow, her lustre is like that of a moon shining in the autumn sky. She is born from the body of Gowri and is the sustaining base of the three worlds. That Mahasaraswati I worship here who destroyed Sumbha and other asuras.

Mahasaraswati is also part of another legend, the Navdurgas, or nine forms of Durga, revered as powerful and dangerous goddesses in eastern India. They have special significance on Navaratri in these regions. All of these are seen ultimately as aspects of a single great Hindu goddess, with Maha Saraswati as one of those nine.

MAHAVIDYA NILA SARASWATI

In Tibet and parts of India, Nilasaraswati is a form of Mahavidya Tara. Nila Saraswati is a different deity than traditional Saraswati, yet subsumes her knowledge and creative energy in tantric literature. Nila Sarasvati is the ugra (angry, violent, destructive) manifestation in a one school of Hinduism, while the more common Saraswati is the saumya (calm, compassionate, productive) manifestation found in most schools of Hinduism. In tantric literature of the former, Nilasaraswati has a 100 names. There are separate dhyana shlokas and mantras for her worship in Tantrasara.

WORSHIP

TEMPLES

There are many temples, dedicated to Saraswati around the world. Some notable temples include the Gnana Saraswati Temple in Basar, on the banks of the River Godavari, the Wargal Saraswati and Shri Saraswati Kshetramu temples in Medak, Telangana. In Karnataka, one of many Saraswati/Sharada pilgrimage spots is Shringeri Sharadamba Temple. In Ernakulam district of Kerala, there is a famous Saraswati temple in North Paravur, namely Dakshina Mookambika Temple North Paravur. In Tamil Nadu, Koothanur hosts a Saraswati temples about 25 kilometres from Tiruvarur.

FESTIVALS

Saraswati's is remembered on – Vasant Panchami – is a Hindu festival celebrated every year on the 5th day in the Hindu calendar month of Magha (about February). Hindus celebrate this festival in temples, homes and educational institutes alike.

In Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka, Saraswati Puja starts with Saraswati Avahan on Maha Saptami and ends on Vijayadashami with Saraswati Udasan or Visarjan.

SARASWATI PUJA CALENDAR

Saraswati Puja Avahan – Maha Saptami – Triratna vratam starts in Andhra Pradesh.

Saraswati Puja (main puja) – Durga Ashtami

Saraswati Uttara Puja – Mahanavami

Saraswati Visarjan or Udasan – Vijaya Dashami

Saraswati Kartik Purnima on (Sristhal) siddhpur of Gujaratis ancient festival since Solanki ruling of Patan state.

SARASWATI PUJA IN SOUTH INDIA

In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the last three days of the Navaratri festival, i.e., Ashtami, Navami, and Dashami, are celebrated as Sarasvati Puja. The celebrations start with the Puja Vypu (Placing for Worship). It consists of placing the books for puja on the Ashtami day. It may be in one's own house, in the local nursery school run by traditional teachers, or in the local temple. The books will be taken out for reading, after worship, only on the morning of the third day (Vijaya Dashami). It is called Puja Eduppu (Taking [from] Puja). Children are happy, since they are not expected to study on these days. On the Vijaya Dashami day, Kerala celebrates the Ezhuthiniruthu or Initiation of Writing for the little children before they are admitted to nursery schools. This is also called Vidyarambham. The child is made to write for the first time on the rice spread in a plate with the index finger, guided by an elder of the family or by a teacher.

SARASWATI OUTSIDE INDIA

SARASWATI IN MYANMAR

In Burma, the Shwezigon Mon Inscription dated to be of 1084 AD, near Bagan, recites the name Saraswati as follows,

"The wisdom of eloquence called Saraswati shall dwell in mouth of King Sri Tribhuwanadityadhammaraja at all times". – Translated by Than Tun

Statue of Thurathadi at Kyauktawgyi Buddha Temple (Yangon)

In Buddhist arts of Myanmar, she is called Thurathadi (or Thayéthadi).: 215 Students in Myanmar pray for her blessings before their exams. :327 She is also believed to be, in Mahayana pantheon of Myanmar, the protector of Buddhist scriptures.

SARASWATI IN JAPAN

The concept of Saraswati migrated from India, through China to Japan, where she appears as Benzaiten (弁財天). Worship of Benzaiten arrived in Japan during the 6th through 8th centuries. She is often depicted holding a biwa, a traditional Japanese lute musical instrument. She is enshrined on numerous locations throughout Japan such as the Kamakura's Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine or Nagoya's Kawahara Shrine; the three biggest shrines in Japan in her honour are at the Enoshima Island in Sagami Bay, the Chikubu Island in Lake Biwa, and the Itsukushima Island in Seto Inland Sea.

SARASWATI IN CAMBODIA

Saraswati was honoured with invocations among Hindus of Angkorian Cambodia, suggests a tenth-century and another eleventh-century inscription. She and Brahma are referred to in Cambodian epigraphy from the 7th century onwards, and she is praised by Khmer poets for being goddess of eloquence, writing and music. More offerings were made to her than to her husband Brahma. She is also referred to as Vagisvari and Bharati in Yasovarman era Khmer literature.

SARASWATI IN THAILAND

In ancient Thai literature, Saraswati (Thai: สุรัสวดี; rtgs: Suratsawadi) is the goddess of speech and learning, and consort of Brahma. Over time, Hindu and Buddhist concepts on deities merged in Thailand. Icons of Saraswati with other deities of India are found in old Thai wats. Amulets with Saraswati and a peacock are also found in Thailand.

SARASWATI IN INDONESIA

Saraswati is an important goddess in Balinese Hinduism. She shares the same attributes and iconography as Saraswati in Hindu literature of India - in both places, she is the goddess of knowledge, creative arts, wisdom, language, learning and purity. In Bali, she is celebrated on Saraswati day, one of the main festivals for Hindus in Indonesia. The day marks the close of 210-day year in the Pawukon calendar.

On Saraswati day, people make offerings in the form of flowers in temples and to sacred texts. The day after Saraswati day, is Banyu Pinaruh, a day of cleansing. On this day, Hindus of Bali go to the sea, sacred waterfalls or river spots, offer prayers to Saraswati, and then rinse themselves in that water in the morning. Then they prepare a feast, such as the traditional bebek betutu and nasi kuning, that they share.

The Saraswati Day festival has a long history in Bali. It has become more widespread in Hindu community of Indonesia in recent decades, and it is celebrated with theatre and dance performance.

WIKIPEDIA

Operation Protector by Greater Manchester Police

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Sunday 3 October 2021 saw the first day of Operation Protector. The operation is run by Greater Manchester Police whenever the city hosts a major political conference.

This year sees the Conservative Party Conference take place at Manchester Central.

Day one saw a major protest march and rally.

Greater Manchester Police were on hand to ensure the right to protest, maintain the security of the conference and allow the city to function normally.

You should call 101, the national non-emergency number, to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.

Always call 999 in an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, violence is being used or threatened or where there is danger to life.

You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is an independent charity who will not want your name, just your information. Your call will not be traced or recorded and you do not have to go to court or give a statement.

You can access many of our services online at www.gmp.police.uk

Protectors of Praha by Kader LAGRAA

6 14

Location : Europe - Czech republic - Praha

Date : April 2011

Nikon D700 - 16-35mm VR

Please don't use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my explicit permission.

Protectors by kheeyien Chan

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protector by jessi taylor

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i've been working on and off for a few months on a batch of evil eyes; some of these might look familiar, but there are a few new ones, too!

these pieces are talismans, versions of the evil eye.

sometimes we need a beacon to guide us to the brink, light the path, and bend the malificent gaze back upon its giver!

while the first remedy is always garlic (always!), i would also recommend an eyeball to watch out for you...

protectors by Viscountess vicky Saunders

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Protector by Tony Alter

Elvis protecting Tucker from the evil camera.

Protector by Jonne Naarala

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Operation Protector 2019 by Greater Manchester Police

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Today, Wednesday 2 October 2019, saw the conclusion of Operation Protector.

This has been the policing operation for the Conservative Party Conference.

Chief Superintendent Wasim Chaudhry, Gold Commander in charge of policing during the Conservative Party Conference said:

“Over the past four days, Manchester has played host to the Conservative Party Conference, which saw just over 12,000 delegates visit our city.

“Policing this event presents a complex security and public order operation, requiring a high degree of multiagency partnership working and the highest levels of professionalism.

“As in previous years, there have been elements of protest throughout the conference period – notably on Sunday 29 September when around 13,000 people marched through the city.

“The vast majority of people attending protests did so peacefully and worked with us to ensure they could voice their opinions in a safe manner and with minimal disruption to others.

“On the occasions where individuals crossed the line we have taken positive action. It’s testament to our balanced policing approach that only four people have been arrested during the conference period.

“I want to thank those who live, work in or were visiting Manchester during the conference for their patience while our policing operation was in place.

“Throughout Operation Protector, officers have worked tirelessly to protect delegates, manage protests and keep our city safe.

“I am proud of all our officers and staff. They have performed their duties to the highest of standards and behaved in a professional and fair manner throughout.”

Protector de Berço by Sem Pé

E aqgora que o J. já está super crescido e tem de sair da alcofa para a sua caminha de grades, aqui fica o protector de berço para finalizar a decoração do quarto!

Protector by Captured by AMK

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Bubba is the king of the neighborhood, and he is a protector of his yard and his sister.

Protector of Fire by Evanetics

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Protectors of X6M by Dmitriy Khaykin

3

Protector by Stark Reality

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20191005 01 by lars hung

Protector of Twinkies by Icy Owl

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Who doesn't like a delicious gold twinkie with a white creamy filling? This portector does. Armed with a twinkie cream blaster, cream canister and cream blade. Hes ready to portect the yummy bundles of obesity!

First entry for Junie's Contest. Yup first i plan on making a second one with the theme of hard candy. Jolly ranchers in specfic. Good luck to everyone!

Protector NEPAL by Ugoskate Lemasport Imperia

Protector of Rapture by Triple*

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The back doesn't look as good as I'd like. but it does give POR here a round shape like the Big Daddy I based it off of.

Adaptador para pantalla facial para incorporar protectores by Suministros Planas

Adaptadores para pantallas protectoras. Ver detalles aquí: www.tplanas.com/epis/pantallas-de-soldador/922-adaptadore...

India - Karnataka - Halebid - Hoysaleswara Temple - Narasimha - 147 by Manfred Sommer

Narasimha (Sanskrit: नरसिंह IAST: Narasiṁha, lit. man-lion), Narasingh, Narsingh and Narasingha in derivative languages is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu and one of Hinduism's most popular deities, as evidenced in early epics, iconography, and temple and festival worship for over a millennium.

Narasiṁha is often visualised as having a human-like torso and lower body, with a lion-like face and claws. This image is widely worshipped in deity form by a significant number of Vaiṣṇava 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.

ETYMOLOGY

The word Narasimha means 'lion-man' which usually means 'half man and half lion'. His other names are:

Agnilochana (अग्निलोचन) - the one who has fiery eyes

Bhairavadambara (भैरवडम्बर) - the one who causes terror by roaring

Karala (कराल) - the one who has a wide mouth and projecting teeth

Hiranyakashipudvamsa (हिरण्यकशिपुध्वंस) - the one who killed Hiranyakashipu

Nakhastra (नखास्त्र) - the one for whom nails are his weapons

Sinhavadana (सिंहवदन) - the whose face is of lion

Mrigendra (मृगेन्द्र) - king of animals or lion

SCRIPTURAL SOURCES

There are references to Narasiṁha in a variety of Purāṇas, with 17 different versions of the main narrative. The Bhagavata Purāṇa (Canto 7), Agni Purāṇa (4.2-3), Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa(2.5.3-29), Vayu Purāṇa (67.61-66), Harivaṁśa (41 & 3.41-47), Brahma-Purāṇa (213.44-79), Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa(1.54), Kūrma Purāṇa (1.15.18-72), Matsya Purāṇa(161-163), Padma Purāṇa(Uttara-khaṇḍa 5.42), Śiva Purāṇa (2.5.43 & 3.10-12), Liṅga Purāṇa (1.95-96), Skanda Purāṇa 7 (2.18.60-130) and Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.16-20) all contain depictions of the Narasiṁha Avatāra. There is also a short reference in the Mahābhārata (3.272.56-60) and a Gopāla Tapani Upaniṣad (Narasiṁha tapani Upaniṣad), earliest of Vaiṣṇava Upaniṣads named in reference to him.

REFERENCES FROM VEDAS

The Ṛg Veda contains an epithet that has been attributed to Narasiṁha. The half-man, half-lion avatāra is described as:

like some wild beast, dread, prowling, mountain-roaming.

Source: (RV.I 154.2a).

There is an allusion to a Namuci story in RV.VIII 14.13:

With waters' foam you tore off, Indra, the head of Namuci, subduing all contending hosts.

This short reference is believed to have culminated in the full puranic story of Narasiṁha.

LORD NARASIMHA AND PRAHLADA

Bhagavata Purāṇa describes that in his previous avatar as Varāha, Viṣṇu killed the asura Hiraṇayakṣa. The younger brother of Hirṇayakṣa, Hiraṇyakaśipu wanted revenge on Viṣṇu and his followers. He undertook many years of austere penance to take revenge on Viṣṇu: Brahma thus offers the demon a boon and Hiraṇyakaśipu asks for immortality. Brahma tells him this is not possible, but that he could bind the death of Hiraṇyakaśipu with conditions. Hiraṇyakaśipu agreed:

O my lord, O best of the givers of benediction, if you will kindly grant me the benediction I desire, please let me not meet death from any of the living entities created by you.

Grant me that I not die within any residence or outside any residence, during the daytime or at night, nor on the ground or in the sky. Grant me that my death not be brought about by any weapon, nor by any human being or animal.

Grant me that I not meet death from any entity, living or nonliving created by you. Grant me, further, that I not be killed by any demigod or demon or by any great snake from the lower planets. Since no one can kill you in the battlefield, you have no competitor. Therefore, grant me the benediction that I too may have no rival. Give me sole lordship over all the living entities and presiding deities, and give me all the glories obtained by that position. Furthermore, give me all the mystic powers attained by long austerities and the practice of yoga, for these cannot be lost at any time.

Brahma said,

Tathāstu (so be it)

and vanished. Hiraṇyakaśipu was happy thinking that he had won over death.

One day while Hiraṇyakaśipu performed austerities at Mandarācala Mountain, his home was attacked by Indra and the other devatās. At this point the Devarṣi (divine sage) Nārada intervenes to protect Kayādu, whom he describes as sinless. Following this event, Nārada takes Kayādu into his care and while under the guidance of Nārada, her unborn child (Hiraṇyakaśipu's son) Prahālada, becomes affected by the transcendental instructions of the sage even at such a young stage of development. Thus, Prahlāda later begins to show symptoms of this earlier training by Nārada, gradually becoming recognised as a devoted follower of Viṣṇu, much to his father's disappointment.

Hiraṇyakaśipu furious at the devotion of his son to Viṣṇu, as the god had killed his brother. Finally, he decides to commit filicide. but each time he attempts to kill the boy, Prahlāda is protected by Viṣṇu's mystical power. When asked, Prahlāda refuses to acknowledge his father as the supreme lord of the universe and claims that Viṣṇu is all-pervading and omnipresent.

Hiraṇyakaśipu points to a nearby pillar and asks if 'his Viṣṇu' is in it and says to his son Prahlāda:

O most unfortunate Prahlāda, you have always described a supreme being other than me, a supreme being who is above everything, who is the controller of everyone, and who is all-pervading. But where is He? If He is everywhere, then why is He not present before me in this pillar?

Prahlāda then answers,

He was, He is and He will be.

In an alternate version of the story, Prahlāda answers,

He is in pillars, and he is in the smallest twig.

Hiraṇyakaśipu, unable to control his anger, smashes the pillar with his mace, and following a tumultuous sound, Viṣṇu in the form of Narasiṁha appears from it and moves to attack Hiraṇyakaśipu. in defence of Prahlāda. In order to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu and not upset the boon given by Brahma, the form of Narasiṁha is chosen. Hiraṇyakaśipu can not be killed by human, deva or animal. Narasiṁha is neither one of these as he is a form of Viṣṇu incarnate as a part-human, part-animal. He comes upon Hiraṇyakaśipu at twilight (when it is neither day nor night) on the threshold of a courtyard (neither indoors nor out), and puts the demon on his thighs (neither earth nor space). Using his sharp fingernails (neither animate nor inanimate) as weapons, he disembowels and kills the demon.

Kūrma Purāṇa describes the preceding battle between the Puruṣa and demonic forces in which he escapes a powerful weapon called Paśupāta and it describes how Prahlāda's brothers headed by Anuhrāda and thousands of other demons were led to the valley of death (yamalayam) by the lion produced from the body of man-lion avatar. The same episode occurs in the Matsya Purāṇa 179, several chapters after its version of the Narasiṁha advent.

It is said that even after killing Hiraṇyakaśipu, none of the present demigods are able to calm Narasiṁha's wrath.So the demigods requested Prahlada to calm down the Lord,and Narasimha,who had assumed the all-powerful form of Gandaberunda returned to more benevolent form after that. In other stories,all the gods and goddesses call his consort, Lakṣmī, who assumes the form of Pratyangira and pacifies the Lord. According to a few scriptures, at the request of Brahma, Shiva took the form of Sharabha and successfully pacified him. Before parting, Narasiṁha rewards the wise Prahlāda by crowning him as the king.

NARASIMHA AND ADI SANKARA

Narasiṁha is also a protector of his devotees in times of danger. Near Śrī Śailaṁ, there is a forest called Hatakeśvanam, that no man enters. Śaṅkarācārya entered this place and did penance for many days. During this time, a Kāpālika, by name Kirakashan appeared before him.

He told Śrī Śaṅkara that he should give his body as a human-sacrifice to Kālī. Śaṅkara happily agreed. His disciples were shocked to hear this and pleaded with Śaṅkara to change his mind, but he refused to do so saying that it was an honor to give up his body as a sacrifice for Kālī and one must not lament such things. The Kāpālika arranged a fire for the sacrifice and Śaṅkara sat beside it. Just as he lifted his axe to severe the head of Śaṅkara, Viṣṇu as Narasiṁha entered the body of the disciple of Śaṅkarācārya and Narasiṁha devotee, Padmapada. He then fought the Kāpālika, slayed him and freed the forest of Kapalikas. Ādi Śaṅkara composed the powerful Lakṣmī-Narasiṁha Karāvalambaṁ Stotram at the very spot in front of Lord Narasiṁha.

MODE OF WORSHIP

Due to the nature of Narasiṁha's form (divine anger), it is essential that worship be given with a very high level of attention compared to other deities. In many temples only lifelong celibates (Brahmācārya) will be able to have the chance to serve as priests to perform the daily puja. Forms where Narasiṁha appears sitting in a yogic posture, or with the goddess Lakṣmī are the exception to this rule, as Narasiṁha is taken as being more relaxed in both of these instances compared to his form when first emerging from the pillar to protect Prahlāda.

PRAYERS

A number of prayers have been written in dedication to Narasiṁha avatāra. These include:

The Narasiṁha Mahā-Mantra

Narasiṁha Praṇāma Prayer

Daśāvatāra Stotra by Jayadeva

Kāmaśikha Aṣṭakam by Vedānta Deśika

Divya Prabandham 2954

Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotram by Sri Adi Sankara

THE NARASIMHA MAHA-MANTRA

oṁ hrīṁ kṣauṁ

ugraṁ viraṁ mahāviṣṇuṁ

jvalantaṁ sarvatomukham ।

nṛsiṁhaṁ bhīṣaṇaṁ bhadraṁ

mṛtyormṛtyuṁ namāmyaham ॥

O' Angry and brave Mahā-Viṣṇu, your heat and fire permeate everywhere. O Lord Narasiṁha, you are everywhere. You are the death of death and I surrender to You.

NARASIMHA PRANAMA PRAYER

namaste narasiṁhāya,

prahlādahlāda-dāyine,

hiraṇyakaśipor vakṣaḥ,

śilā-ṭaṅka nakhālaye

I offer my obeisances to Lord Narasiṁha, who gives joy to Prahlāda Mahārāja and whose nails are like chisels on the stone like chest of the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu.

ito nṛsiṁhaḥ parato nṛsiṁho,

yato yato yāmi tato nṛsiṁhaḥ,

bahir nṛsiṁho hṛdaye nṛsiṁho,

nṛsiṁhaṁ ādiṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye

Lord Nṛsiṁha is here and also there. Wherever I go Lord Narasiṁha is there. He is in the heart and is outside as well. I surrender to Lord Narasiṁha, the origin of all things and the supreme refuge.

DASAVATARA STOTRA BY JAYADEVA

tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śrṅgaṁ,

dalita-hiraṇyakaśipu-tanu-bhṛṅgam,

keśava dhṛta-narahari-rūpa jaya jagadiśa hare

O Keśava! O Lord of the universe. O Hari, who have assumed the form of half-man, half-lion! All glories to You! Just as one can easily crush a wasp between one's fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasp-like demon Hiraṇyakaśipu has been ripped apart by the wonderful pointed nails on your beautiful lotus hands. (from the Daśāvatāra-stotra composed by Jayadeva)

KAMASIKHA ASTAKAM BY VEDANTA DESIKA

tvayi rakṣati rakṣakaiḥ kimanyaiḥ,

tvayi cārakṣāti rakṣākaiḥ kimanyaiḥ ।

iti niścita dhīḥ śrayāmi nityaṁ,

nṛhare vegavatī taṭāśrayaṁ tvam ॥8॥

O Kāmaśikhā Narasiṁha! you are sarva śakthan. When you are resolved to protect some one, where is the need to seek the protection of anyone else? When you are resolved not to protect some one, which other person is capable of protecting us?. There is no one. Knowing this fundamental truth, I have resolved to offer my śaraṇāgatī at your lotus feet alone that rest at the banks of Vegavatī river.

DIVYA PRABANDHAM 2954

āḍi āḍi agam karaindhu isai

pāḍip pāḍik kaṇṇīr malgi engum

nāḍi nāḍi narasingā endru,

vāḍi vāḍum ivvāl nuthale!

I will dance and melt for you, within my heart, to see you, I will sing in praise of you with tears in joy, I will search for Narasiṁha and I am a householder who still searches to reach you (to attain Salvation).

SYMBOLISM

Narasiṁha indicates God's omnipresence and the lesson is that God is everywhere. For more information, see Vaishnav Theology.

Narasiṁha demonstrates God's willingness and ability to come to the aid of His devotees, no matter how difficult or impossible the circumstances may appear to be.

Prahlāda's devotion indicates that pure devotion is not one of birthright but of character. Prahlāda, although born an asura, demonstrated the greatest bhakti to God, and endured much, without losing faith.

Narasiṁha is known by the epithet Mṛga-Śarīra in Sanskrit which translates to Animal-Man. From a philosophical perspective. Narasiṁha is the very icon of Vaiṣṇavism, where jñāna (knowledge) and Bhakti are important as opposed to Advaita, which has no room for Bhakti, as the object to be worshipped and the worshipper do not exist. As according to Advaita or Māyāvāda, the jīva is Paramātma.

SIGNIFICANCE

In South Indian art – sculptures, bronzes and paintings – Viṣṇu's incarnation as Narasiṁha is one of the most chosen themes and amongst [[Avatar]|Avatāra]]s perhaps next only to Rāma and Kṛṣṇa in popularity.

Lord Narasiṁha also appears as one of Hanuman's 5 faces, who is a significant character in the Rāmāyaṇa as Lord (Rāma's) devotee.

FORMS OF NARASIMHA

There are several forms of Narasiṁha, but 9 main ones collectively known as Nava-narasiṁha:

Ugra-narasiṁha

Kroddha-narasiṁha

Vīra-narasiṁha

Vilamba-narasiṁha

Kopa-narasiṁha

Yoga-narasiṁha

Aghora-narasiṁha

Sudarśana-narasiṁha

Lakṣmī-narasiṁha

In Ahobilam, Andhra Pradesh, the nine forms are as follows:

Chātra-vata-narasiṁha (seated under a banyan tree)

Yogānanda-narasiṁha (who blessed Lord Brahma)

Karañja-narasiṁha

Uha-narasiṁha

Ugra-narasiṁha

Krodha-narasiṁha

Malola-narasiṁha (With Lakṣmī on His lap)

Jvālā-narasiṁha (an eight armed form rushing out of the pillar)

Pavana-narasiṁha (who blessed the sage Bharadvaja)

Forms from Prahlad story:

Stambha-narasiṁha (coming out of the pillar)

Svayam-narasiṁha (manifesting on His own)

Grahaṇa-narasiṁha (catching hold of the demon)

Vidāraṇa-narasiṁha (ripping open of the belly of the demon)

Saṁhāra-narasiṁha (killing the demon)

The following three refer to His ferocious aspect:

Ghora-narasiṁha

Ugra-narasiṁha

Candā-narasiṁha

OTHERS

Pañcamukha-Hanumān-narasiṁha, (appears as one of Śrī Hanuman's five faces.)

Pṛthvī-narasiṁha, Vayu-narasiṁha, Ākāśa-narasiṁha, Jvalana-narasiṁha, and

Amṛta-narasiṁha, (representing the five elements)

Jvālā-narasiṁha (with a flame-like mane)

Lakṣmī-narasiṁha (where Lakṣmī pacifies Him)

Prasāda/Prahlāda-varadā-narasiṁha (His benign aspect of protecting Prahlad)

Chatrā-narasiṁha (seated under a parasol of a five-hooded serpent)

Yoga-narasiṁha or Yogeśvara-narasiṁha (in meditation)

Āveśa-narasiṁha (a frenzied form)

Aṭṭahasa-narasiṁha (a form that roars horribly and majestically strides across to destroy evil)

Cakra-narasiṁha, (with only a discus in hand)

Viṣṇu-narasiṁha, Brahma-narasiṁha and Rudra-narasiṁha

Puṣṭi narasiṁha, (worshipped for overcoming evil influences)

EARLY IMAGES

In Andhra Pradesh, a panel dating to third-fourth century AD shows a full theriomorphic squatting lion with two extra human arms behind his shoulders holding Vaiṣṇava emblems. This lion, flanked by five heroes (vīra), often has been identified as an early depiction of Narasiṁha. Standing cult images of Narasiṁha from the early Gupta period, survive from temples at Tigowa and Eran. These sculptures are two-armed, long maned, frontal, wearing only a lower garment, and with no demon-figure of Hiraṇyakaśipu. Images representing the narrative of Narasiṁha slaying the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu survive from slightly later Gupta-period temples: one at Madhia and one from a temple-doorway now set into the Kūrma-maṭha at Nachna, both dated to the late fifth or early sixth century A.D.

An image of Narasiṁha supposedly dating to second-third century AD sculpted at Mathura was acquired by the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1987. It was described by Stella Kramrisch, the former Philadelphia Museum of Art's Indian curator, as "perhaps the earliest image of Narasiṁha as yet known". This figure depicts a furled brow, fangs, and lolling tongue similar to later images of Narasiṁha, but the idol's robe, simplicity, and stance set it apart. On Narasiṁha's chest under his upper garment appears the suggestion of an amulet, which Stella Kramrisch associated with Visnu's cognizance, the Kauṣtubha jewel. This upper garment flows over both shoulders; but below Hiranyakasipu, the demon-figure placed horizontally across Narasiṁha's body, a twisted waist-band suggests a separate garment covering the legs. The demon's hair streams behind him, cushioning his head against the man-lion's right knee. He wears a simple single strand of beads. His body seems relaxed, even pliant. His face is calm, with a slight suggestion of a smile. His eyes stare adoringly up at the face of Viṣṇu. There is little tension in this figure's legs or feet, even as Narasiṁha gently disembowels him. His innards spill along his right side. As the Matsya purana describes it, Narasiṁha ripped "apart the mighty Daitya chief as a plaiter of straw mats shreds his reeds". Based on the Gandhara-style of robe worn by the idol, Michael Meiste altered the date of the image to fourth century AD.

Deborah Soifer, a scholar who worked on texts in relation to Narasiṁha, believes that "the traits basic to Viṣṇu in the Veda remain central to Viṣṇu in his avataras" and points out, however, that:

we have virtually no precursors in the Vedic material for the figure of a man-lion, and only one phrase that simply does not rule out the possibility of a violent side to the benign Viṣṇu.

Soifer speaks of the enigma of Viṣṇu's Narasiṁha avatāra and comments that how the myth arrived at its rudimentary form [first recorded in the Mahābhārata], and where the figure of the man-lion came from remain unsolved mysteries.

An image of Narasiṁha, dating to the 9th century, was found on the northern slope of Mount Ijo, at Prambanan, Indonesia. Images of Trivikrama and Varāha avatāras were also found at Prambanan, Indonesia. Viṣṇu and His avatāra images follow iconographic peculiarities characteristic of the art of central Java. This includes physiognomy of central Java, an exaggerated volume of garment, and some elaboration of the jewelry. This decorative scheme once formulated became, with very little modification, an accepted norm for sculptures throughout the Central Javanese period (circa 730–930 A.D.). Despite the iconographic peculiarities, the stylistic antecedents of the Java sculptures can be traced back to Indian carvings as the Chalukya and Pallava images of the 6th–7th centuries AD.

CULTURAL TRADITION OF PROCESSION (SRI NRSIMHA YATRA)

In Rājopadhyāya Brahmins of Nepal, there is a tradition of celebrating the procession ceremony of the deity Narasiṁha avatar, in Lalitpur district of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The Lunar fifth day of the waning phase of the moon, in the holy Soli-lunar Śrāvaṇa month i.e. on Śrāvaṇa Kṛṣṇa Pañcamī of the Hindu Lunar Calendar is marked as auspicious day for the religious procession, Nṛsiṁha Yātrā. This tradition of the holy procession has been held for more than a hundred years. This is one of the typical traditions of the Rājopadhyāya Bramhins, the Hindu Bramhans of the locality.

In this Nṛsiṁha Yātrā, each year one male member of the Rājopadhyāya community gets the chance to be the organizer each year in that particular day. He gets his turn according to the sequence in their record, where the names of Rājopadhyāya bramhins are registered when a brahmāṇa lad is eligible to be called as a Bramhan.

WIKIPEDIA

Multraship Protector by Wim van Yperen

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DSC00507_1900_MS-Protector

Protector by Dan Raven

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Leg Protector by Gary Seloff

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Tri-colored heron on Armand Bayou, Pasadena, Texas.

Kitchen Handle Protectors by Darren