Narasimha Temple, Puri - Misplaced Pages

Hindu temple in Odisha, India

Narasimha Temple
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Puri
Deity	Lord Narasimha
Location
Location	Puri
State	Odisha
Country	India

Narasimha Temple (Odia: Narasinha Deuḷa) is situated in Puri, Odisha, India, to the western side of Gundicha Temple and to the east of the Indradyumna tank.

Architecture

The temple is facing towards west and the height of the temple is about 60 ft. Local people also called this temple as Nrusingha Temple and Nrusimha Temple. The presiding deity is Lord Narasimha. There are two images of Lord Narasimha inside the temple, one behind the other. The image in front is called Shanta Narasimha. In local language 'Shanta' means 'Calm' or 'Sober'. Anyone who sees this image of Lord Narasimha will have his anger, frustration, and anxiety will vanish. The Deity in the back is called Ugra Narasimha. In local language 'Ugra' means 'Angry'.He is the internal mood of Narasimha.

Legend

As depicted in the Skanda Purana once King Indradyumna stayed near Nilakantheswar temple to make arrangements to perform Ashwamedha Yajna for one thousand years. On the advice of Sage Narada, King Indradyumna made a Nrusimha image out of black stone and placed the image under black sandal wood tree and worshipped Him. It is believed that in front of this temple the Ashwamedha Yajna took place and hence He is known as 'Yajna Narasimha'. Devotees will earn more punya if they make a darsana of Sri Nilakantheswar, Yajna Narasimha and Panchamukhi Hanuman (Lord Hanuman image with five faced) after the sacred bath in Indradyumna Tank. Festivals like Narasimha Janma, Satapuri Amavasya etc. are observed in Nrusingha temple with great devotion.

History

When Kalapahad attacked Puri and was smashing Deities of various temples, he saw Shaanta Narasimha image and his anger subsided; hence he could not break the Deity as he had planned. Santa Narasimha’s features are human-like. He has a sharp human nose, a large curly mustache, and an outstretched tongue. Non-Hindus are not permitted in the temple, but the Deities are visible from the door.

Parshwadevatas

As per Pancharatra and Vaikhanasa the central idol of Vishnu should be surrounded by four side icons, whether be it Purusha, Satya, Achyuta, Aniruddha (Vaikhanasa) or Vasudeva, Samkarshana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha (Pancharatra). Here also similar pattern is followed where the main deity Nrisimha faces west direction, and other deities are surrounded as follows.

The three sides central niches of the side of Vimana house the images of Varaha, Trivikrama(Vamana) and Vishnu as the Parsvadevatas of the main presiding deity. The image of Varaha is the Parsvadevata of the southern side. He holds Chakra in his uplifted back right upper hand while his lower left hand holds a conch above Goddess Prithvi. The Parsvadevata on the northern side niche is Trivikrama. The four handed image of Trivikrama has been installed on the double petalled lotus pedestal. He holds gada in right upper hand, lotus flower in right lower hand, chakra in left upper hand and conch in left lower hand respectively. Figures of Sridevi and Bhudevi are flanked on either side of deity. The right leg of deity is set firmly on the ground and another uplifted left foot touches the image of Brahma. Beneath his uplifted leg is a scene of Bali who is presenting the gift to Vamana while Shukracharya lifts his hands up in dismay. The image of four handed Vishnu is the Parsvadevata of the eastern or backside central niche of the main deity. The central deity is the Ugra Nrisimha inside the Garbhagriha and Shanta Nrisimha facing west is the first expansion of the Ugra Nrisimha. Finally the five images equate as per the traditional Vaishnava Agama shastra.

References

Hindu temples in Odisha

Bhubaneswar

Shiva temples	Aisanyesvara Siva Temple Akhadachandi Temple Astasambhu Siva Temples Baitala Deula Belesvara Shiva Temple Bhima Kunda Bhringesvara Siva Temple Bhrukutesvar Siva Temple Brahmeswara Temple Byamokesvara Temple Chakreshvari Siva Temple Champakesvara Siva Temple Chandrasekhara Mahadeva Temple Chintamanisvara Siva Temple Devasabha Temple Dishisvara Siva Temple Gangesvara Siva Temple Gosagaresvar Siva Temple Jaleswar Siva Temple Precinct Kalika Siva Temple Kapilesvara Siva Temple Kedareswar Temple Labesvara Siva Temple Ladu Baba Temple Lakhesvara Siva Temple Lingaraja Temple Madneswar Siva Temple Mangalesvara Siva Temple Manibhadresvara Temple – II Mukteswar Temple Nagesvara Temple, Bhubaneswar Pabaneswara Temple Papanasini Siva Temple Parsurameswara Temple Purvesvara Siva Temple Rajarani Temple Rameshwar Deula Sarvatresvara Siva Temple Siddhesvara Siva Temple Subarnesvara Siva Temple Suka Temple Sukutesvara Temple Svapnesvara Siva Temple Talesvara Siva Temple Tirthesvara Siva Temple Uttaresvara Siva Temple Yameshwar Temple
Vishnu temples	Ananta Vasudeva Temple Bharati Matha Temple Gandhi Garabadu Precinct Vishnu Temple Ram Mandir, Bhubaneswar Vishnu Temple, Bhubaneswar
Shakti temples	Chausath Yogini Temple, Hirapur Parvati Temple, Odisha
Other temples	Brahma Temple, Bindusagar Hanuman Temple, Kedara-Gouri Sivatirtha Matha

Cuttack district

Shiva temples	Chateshwar Temple Dhabaleswar Temple Simhanath Temple
Vishnu temples	Madhava Temple
Shakti temples	Bhattarika Temple Charchika Temple Cuttack Chandi Temple Durga Temple, Baideshwar Durga Temple, Motia
Other temples	Brahma Temple, Niali

Puri district

Shiva temples	Beleswar Temple Lokanatha Temple Markandeshwar Temple
Vishnu temples	Alarnatha Mandira Chakra Narasimha Temple Gundicha Temple Jagannath Temple, Puri Narasimha Temple, Puri Sakhigopal Temple
Shakti temples	Bata Mangala Temple Maa Mangala Mandir, Kakatpur Mausi Maa Temple Ramachandi Temple Varahi Deula, Chaurasi Vimala Temple
Sun temples	Konark Sun Temple
Other temples	Govardhan Math Emar Matha

Western Odisha

Shiva temples	Kosaleswara temple Leaning Temple of Huma
Vishnu temples	Nrusinghanath Temple Patali Srikhetra
Shakti temples	Lankeswari Temple Samleswari Temple Sureswari temple
Other temples	Harishankar Temple Sasisena Temple

Rayagada district

Shiva temples	Bhimashankar Chatikona Nilakantheswar Temple Pataleswar
Vishnu temples	Jagannath Temple, Gunupur Jagannath Temple, Rayagada Laxminarayan Temple, Therubali
Shakti temples	Maa Markama Temple Majhighariani Temple

Other

Shiva temples	Ajaikapada Bhairava Temple Akhandalamani Temple Annakoteshvara Temple Bhuvaneshwar Temple, Boudh Chandaneswar Temple Gupteswar Cave Godhaneswar temple Indralath Temple Kapilash Temple Murga Mahadeva Shrine Nilakantheswar Temple Panchalingeswar Temple Sekhareswar Temple
Vishnu temples	Anantasaayi Vishnu Temple* Anantashayana Vishnu Baladevjew Temple Chhatia Bata Shri Shri Hari Baladev Jew Bije, Baripada Jagannath Mandir, Dharakot Jagannath Temple, Koraput Jagannath Temple, Nayagarh Khirachora Gopinatha Temple Lakhmi Varaha Temple Narayana Gosain Temple Nilamadhav Temple Odogaon Raghunath Temple Varahanatha Temple
Shakti temples	Bhadrakali Temple, Aharapada Bhagabati Temple, Banapur Biraja Temple Ghanteswari Temple Goddess Maheshwari Kalijai Kanaka Durga, Raulapalli Kichakeshwari Temple Maa Barunei Temple Maa Tarini Temple, Ghatgaon Maa Ugra Tara Maa Markama Temple Mahishamardini Temple Majhighariani Temple Manikeshwari Temple Marichi Temple Mausimaa Temple Metakani Temple Narayani Temple Saptamatruka Temple Sarala Temple Siddha Bhairavi Tara Tarini Mandir Upper Bagh Devi Temple
Sun temples	Biranchinarayan Temple, Buguda Biranchinarayan Temple, Palia
Ganesha temples	Budha Ganesha Temple Mahavinayak Temple Siddha Vinayaka
Other temples	Bhandara Ghara Shrine Hanuman Vatika Harihara Deula Joranda Gadi

19°49′03″N 85°50′24″E / 19.817503°N 85.840000°E / 19.817503; 85.840000

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