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Pratyangira

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Revision as of 21:00, 25 December 2024 by 2409:40f4:c:e7:8000:: (talk) (Fixed typos and improved this)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) A form of Lakshmi as the consort of Vishnu as Narasimha
Pratyangira
Narasimhi upon her lion mount
Other namesNarasimhi, Atharvana Bhadrakali, Pratyangira, Simhamukhi
Sanskritप्रत्यङ्गिरा
AffiliationLakshmi
WeaponTrishula (Trident), Damaru (Drum), Kapala (Skull Cup), Pasha (Rope)
MountLion
TextsDevi Bhagavata Purana, Kalika Purana, Atharvaveda
ConsortVishnu as Narasimha

Pratyangira (Sanskrit: प्रत्यङ्गिरा, Pratyaṅgirā), also called Atharvana Bhadrakali, Narasimhi, Simhamukhi, and Nikumbala, is a Hindu goddess associated with Shaktism. She is described to be the female energy and consort of Narasimha. According to the Tripura Rahasya, she is the goddess of the power of Tripura Sundari. In the Vedas, Pratyangira is the Atharvana Bhadrakali, the goddess of the Atharvaveda and magical spells. Narasimhi is part of the Ashtamatrika mother goddesses.

Legends

There are many Hindu texts that state different stories of Narasimhi.

In the Devi Mahatmya, Narasimhi was one of the Ashtamatrikas, or one of the eight forms of Parvati as eight mother goddesses who assembled to defeat the forces of the two asuras Shumbha and Nishumbha, who had overrun Svarga (heaven) and these eight Matrikas then defeated and killed the asuras Sumbha and Nisumbha and their forces finally.

According to many Puranas, at the end of the Satya Yuga, a demon named Vipulasura disturbed a group of eight sages who were performing rituals of Ashta Lakshmi. This angered the goddess Lakshmi who transformed a holy lotus flower into a kavacha or a strong shield. It is also mentioned that the lotus that was transformed had 562 petals in it. The shield provided a great protection to the eight sages, allowing them to perform the holy rituals without any disturbance and completed the yajna. Following this, Lakshmi took the form of Narasimhi and then she defeated and killed the demon Vipulasura.

In Hindu mythology, in the beginning of the Dvapara Yuga, Narasimha, the fourth avatara in the Dashavatara of Vishnu disimboweled and killed the evil asura king Hiranyakashipu. In the original story, Prahlada and all the deities celebrated him and Lakshmi as Kanakavalli, after which he and she returned to Vaikuntha. In the Shaiva and Vaishnava scriptures, Vishnu and Shiva assumed the form of Gandaberunda and Sharabha, a half lion-half eagle and a two headed eagle. Gandabherunda and Sharabha fought for 18 days and Gandabherunda disimboweled and killed Sharabha on the 18th day. Upon the prayers of Shiva to Parvati to take him away from Vishnu, Parvati took the form of Pratyangira and came to Gandaberunda and Sharabha, after which Gandaberunda and Sharabha took their true forms of Vishnu and Shiva and then Vishnu and Shiva went to their abodes of Vaikuntha and Kailasha respectively and Parvati as Pratyangira took her true form as Parvati and went to Kailasha.

The term 'Pratya' means reverse and 'Angira' means attacking. Thus, the goddess Pratyangira is the one who reverses any black magic attacks. In the temples of Southern Indian Subcontinent, She is also eulogised as Atharvana Bhadrakali as the she is the goddess of the Atharvaveda.

Association

In all images, she is as yellow-complexioned, terrible in aspect, having a lion's face with reddened eyes and riding a lion or wearing black garments, she wears a garland of human skulls; her hair stands on end, and she holds a trident, a serpent in the form of a noose, a hand-drum and a skull in her four hands. She is associated with Narasimha and she has a variant form, Atharvana Bhadrakali. She is considered to be a powerful repellent of the influences generated by witchcraft and is said to have the power to destroy anyone doing Adharma. when Narasimhi shakes her mane, she kills all Asuras and Asuris.

In Hindu Epics

The Pratyangira yantra.

Prathyangira is also mentioned in the Hindu epic Ramayana. Indrajita was performing "Nikumbala yajna" (a sacred ritual to worship Lakshmi as Nikumbala, which is another name of Lakshmi Pratyangira) while Rama and his monkey and bear soldiers were waging war in Lanka. Hanuman came down to stop this ritual because he knew that if Indrajita completed it, he would become invincible and he destroyed the yajna and thus, Lakshmana defeated and killed Indrajita in the Battle of Lanka and all the Asuras and Asuris were killed by all the monkeys and bears successfully.

Worship

Tantra classifies all deities as Shanta (calm), Ugra (wrathful), Prachanda (horrifying), Ghora (terrifying), Teevra (ferocious). Pratyangira is considered as a teevra murti. Pratyangira worship is strictly prohibited for people who have namesake Bhakti. Pratyangira worship is only done by the guidance of a Guru who is proficient in Tantra.

Worships dedicated to Pratyangira is performed at many places for the welfare of the people and for eliminating the influences of evil forces. In some temples, Pratyangira Homam is performed on the days of Amavasya.

Eight kinds of Tantric acts

Like all Tantric deities, she can be invoked for the eight kinds of acts usually performed. They are appealing, growth, increasing, attracting, subduing, dissention, repealing, killing. Detailed information is found as to what kind of materials are to be used for the respective aim, and the number of recitations to be performed. It is further said that any act performed invoking this goddess, including the destroying ones like killing and subduing is impossible to retract it even when the doer wishes.

See also

References

  1. Kindler, Babaji Bob (4 July 1996). Twenty-Four Aspects of Mother Kali. ISBN 9781891893179.
  2. Nagar, Shanti Lal (1989). The Universal Mother. Atma Ram & Sons. p. 71. ISBN 978-81-7043-113-8.
  3. Punja, Shobita (1996). Daughters of the Ocean: Discovering the Goddess Within. Viking. p. 120. ISBN 978-0-670-87053-0.
  4. Dr Ramamurthy, Sri Maha Pratyangira Devi: Holy Divine Mother in Ferocious Form
  5. Bhattacharji, Sukumari; Sukumari (1998). Legends of Devi. Orient Blackswan. ISBN 978-81-250-1438-6.
  6. Nagar, Shanti Lal (2007). Śiva-mahāpurāṇa: Māhātmyam, Vidyeśvara saṁhitā, Rudra saṁhitā (Sr̥ṣṭi khaṇḍa, Satī khaṇḍa and Pārvatī khaṇḍa). Parimal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7110-298-3.
  7. Swami, Bodhasarananda (2016-03-02). Stories from the Bhagavatam. Advaita Ashrama. ISBN 978-81-7505-814-9.
  8. Session, Indian Art History Congress (2000). Proceedings of the ... Session of Indian Art History Congress. Indian Art History Congress.
  9. Max Muller The Hymns of the Atharva-Veda: The Sacred Books of the East V42
  10. Teun Goudriaan Maya: Divine And Human
  11. Max Muller The Hymns of the Atharva-Veda: The Sacred Books of the East V42
  12. Benoytosh Bhattacharyya THE INDIAN BUDDHIST ICONOGRAPHY
  13. "Sri Maha Pratyangira Devi: The Goddess to Counter Black Magic". Indiadivine.org. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  14. Ajit Mookerjee KALI Brill Archive 1988
  15. "Pratyangira Devi Homa". nanjangud.info. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  16. Max Muller The Hymns of the Atharva-Veda: The Sacred Books of the East V42
  17. Teun Goudriaan Maya: Divine And Human

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