#Narasimha Avatar

[articlejunkie]

The Article Junkie brings you an exquisite collection of content exploring the diverse 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu. Immerse yourself in the divine narratives that unravel the profound significance behind each incarnation. Delve into this expertly curated collection to deepen your understanding of this spiritual pantheon, and witness the magnificence of Lord Vishnu's divine manifestations.Click Here:https://articlejunkie.in/dashavatara-lord-vishnus-10-avatars/

[fix-me-sixteen]

is it possible to fail hinduism

[maekar76]

the Diorama-Museum of Bhagavad-gita

Los Angeles, CA

[shut-up-rabert]

People be asking me “why are you so immature” excuse me main Narayan ji ki bhakt hu, harkate dekho zara unki ek baar

[vedantsart]

Exploring the Power of Lord Vishnu in Narasimha Avatar Through Modern Art

Welcome to the world of art where mythology, symbolism, and contemporary techniques blend to create a powerful visual experience. Today, I’ll walk you through the creation of a painting featuring Lord Vishnu in his fierce Narasimha avatar, a form that embodies both cosmic destruction and divine protection.

1. Conceptualization and Theme

The Narasimha avatar of Lord Vishnu holds a significant place in Hindu mythology, as it represents the balance between destruction and protection. In this modern art piece, I wanted to capture both aspects:

Fierce Form: This symbolizes the end of the world, with Narasimha in his most fearsome state.

Protective Form: Here, he embodies the power to safeguard the universe, radiating an energy of protection and stability.

Through a modern art approach, I sought to bring out these contrasts with bold colors, textures, and layers, creating a visual journey from destruction to protection.

2. Materials Used

For this piece, I used a combination of high-quality materials to ensure vibrant colors and deep textures:

Canvas: A medium-weight, acid-free canvas for durability and texture.

Palette Knives: These were essential tools for creating bold strokes and textured layers, allowing me to capture both the raw, fierce energy and the softer, protective aura.

Acrylic Paints: Acrylics offer the vibrancy and layering needed to create contrasts in color and depth. I used a selection of rich, deep colors—particularly blues, fiery reds, and whites.

Gloss Varnish: Applied at the end, it gives a finished look, adding depth to the colors and ensuring longevity.

3. The Process: Knife Painting Technique

The painting technique for this piece was primarily knife painting, which involves using palette knives instead of traditional brushes. Here’s how the process unfolded:

Step 1: Creating the Background

I started by laying down a dark, deep blue and indigo base, which served as the background. This color choice reflects the cosmic and mysterious nature of the universe, setting the stage for Vishnu’s divine presence.

Step 2: Sculpting Narasimha’s Fierce Form

Using palette knives, I applied thick layers of red and fiery orange around Narasimha’s face and form. This choice of colors conveys his fierce, destructive aspect, which in mythology, represents his unstoppable power.

The knife strokes were sharp and bold, adding a rough, intense texture to the fierce form, symbolizing the chaos and finality of cosmic destruction.

Step 3: Layering Protective Elements

For Narasimha’s second form, which is symbolic of protection, I introduced soft whites and lighter blue hues. These colors radiate peace, stability, and calm, balancing the fierceness of the destructive form.

The strokes here were smoother, yet textured, with the knife movements softer and more circular, expressing a protective embrace over the universe.

Step 4: Final Touches and Varnishing

After letting the layers dry, I carefully added finishing touches, adjusting contrasts between the fierce and protective forms. Finally, a layer of gloss varnish was applied to bring out the depth of colors and provide a protective finish.

4. Interpreting the Painting

In this painting, every stroke is symbolic. The rough textures and fiery colors represent Vishnu’s ability to destroy what threatens the world, while the softer layers of blues and whites radiate his protective aspect. By merging both, we experience a visual representation of balance in the universe—a reminder of the cyclical nature of creation and destruction.

Final Thoughts

Creating this piece was a journey through mythology, art, and modern technique. The knife painting technique enabled me to highlight the intense energies associated with Narasimha while presenting them in a way that resonates with contemporary viewers. This piece is more than a visual portrayal; it’s an exploration of how art can interpret ancient myths and convey their timeless messages.

Thank you for joining me in this artistic exploration of Lord Vishnu in his Narasimha avatar. I hope this painting inspires you to see the beauty and power in mythological art and its relevance today.

[bhagavanbhakthi]

Vishnu Dashavatar (10 Incarnations)

[kaal-naagin]

I like the fact that how Lord Vishnu is portrayed like this calm CEO who speaks in a soothing tone and has everything planned and handled but some of His Avatars:

1. VARAHA DEVA:Speared Hiranyaksha with His tusks

2. NARASIMHA DEVA: Ripped apart Hiranyakashipu ,drank his blood and garlanded Himself with his intestines

3. PARASHURAMA DEVA: Killed the entire Kshatriya clan 21 times before retirement

4. KRISHNA: Kanha is well... Kanha

In my humble and unqualified opinion , the closest any Avatara of Lord Vishnu to His Bhujangashayana form is Lord Rama. Calm and serene. I can sit at His feet for hours and look at His face.

Tagging:@nirmohi-premika @jukti-torko-golpo @krishnapriyakiduniya @krishna-sahacharini @krishna-priyatama @shyamsakhii @sanskari-kanya @shut-up-rabert @budugaapologist @witchconnectingdotes @janaknandini-singh999 @themorguepoet @harinishivaa @suvarnarekha @softbeanofexistentialcrisis

[talonabraxas]

Vishnu Dreams the Universe Talon Abraxas

Lord Vishnu, the Hindu God of Preservation

Vishnu is regarded as a major god in Hinduism and Indian mythology. He is thought as the preserver of the universe, while two other major Hindu gods, Brahma and Shiva, are considered the creator and destroyer of the universe, respectively. Vishnu is described as being the color of clouds (dark- blue), four-armed, holding a lotus, mace, conch and chakra. In the Bhagavad Gita, Vishnu is also described as having a ‘Cosmic Form’ which is beyond the ordinary limits of human sense perception. As the preserver of the cosmos, Vishnu upholds the universal laws. Unlike Shiva, who often seeks refuge in the forest to meditate, Vishnu constantly participates in worldly affairs, ensuring that all is well.

When order prevails in the universe, Vishnu sleeps on the coils of Sesha (serpent), ruler of the Nagas. As Sesha floats along the cosmic ocean supporting Vishnu, the universe unfolds from Vishnu’s dream. But when there is disorder in the universe, Vishnu either mounts his vehicle, Garuda (eagle), and battles with the forces of chaos, or he sends one of his Avatars (incarnations) to save the world. It is believed that Vishnu would have ten such Avatars, the most popular being Rama and Krishna. The full list of ten Avatars is: the fish Matsya, the turtle Kurma, the boar Varaha, the man-lion Narasimha, the dwarf Vamana, the warrior-priest Parashurama, the prince Rama, the cowherd Krishna, the sage Buddha-Mayamoha, and the one yet to come, the horseman Kalki.

Vishnu is said to use both force and guile to ensure the stability of the universe. His consort Laxmi, Goddess of Wealth and Power, offers him the wherewithal to maintain the integrity of the world. Today, Lord Vishnu is one of the most highly revered deities. His name means “Pervader” and he is the symbol of sustaining goodness. In the epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, he is glorified through the Avatars Rama and Krishna. Vishnu is invoked as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, who supports, sustains and governs the Universe. Lord Vishu symbolizes the strength to persevere and sustain the good in your life. May you have that Vishnu-inspired strength to sustain lasting goodness.

[rrcraft-and-lore]

The demon, Hiranyakashipu, and the Welsh hero, Lleu Llaw Gyffes -- what do they have in common?

Well, something I've talked a lot about before in some other threads that can be boiled down (a touch unfairly and we'll get into that) into the myth/trope of impenetrability or weakness. The idea of a character (usually a hero, sometimes a villain/monster) having "NO" weaknesses (terms and conditions apply - see: they have ONE you just might not know it).

So, Lleu Llaw Gyffes, Welsh hero, he cannot be killed during the day or night, nor indoors or outdoors, neither riding nor walking, not clothed and not naked, nor by any weapon lawfully made.

Interestingly enough Hiranyakashipu has a very similar condition - the demon, manages to get a boon from the creator god, Brahma at first he asks for immortality, which he is denied. However, he manages to sort of work his way there with a loophole (only...that loop was certainly holed back at him - as it often is in old epics and tales).

He wished that he could not meet death by any living entities created by god, that he could not fall during true day time or night, nor on the ground or sky, or by animal or man, and he continues to lay his conditions as such can't be killed by a god, or a demon, or a snake from a lower plane of existence.

Only...enter Vishnu, a god who is not Brahma who did not create the demon, or others. To get around this, Vishnu becomes the incarnation and avatar of himself, Narasimha

Not mortal man, or god, or demon, or full animal. But something between them all, he grabs the demon and places him on his lap - thus he is no longer in the sky or ground, and it is done at twilight (not day or night but between - the transition), and he rips him apart with his clawed hands - not a made weapon, but something natural. Both Lleu Llaw Gyffes and the demon Hiranyakashipu had progenitors and thus grandfathers.

Interestingly enough Lleu is the grandson of: Beli Mawr or Beli the Great. Our demon is the descendent of Mahabali or Bali Maharaj - Bali the Great, Bali the King (demon king in this case).

Now, I've talked about the similarities of myths and tropes and beats in epics and tales out of these two (and other cultures) before and it's likely owing to shared P.I.E. (proto indo european) origins backed up by shared genetic ancestry scientists have discovered linking Indians and Celts to the P.I.E group not to mention the etymological similarities. The differences here are one is a hero, and thus his weakness is not exploited in full and he doesn't die. 

Going back though, we have German story of Siegfried the dragonslayer, who bathes in the blood of Fafnir after killing him (due to a broken scale/exposed weakness in the armor - hi smaug), and thus himself gets invulnerable/impenetrable skin (terms and conditions apply) where the leaf of a linden (lime tree) sticks to his back preventing it from being coated in protective dragon's blood. Later his lover is tricked into divulging his weak spot (something similar happens to Lleu only he survives) and in this case Siegfried is killed. 

This is just one of many connections in shared myths around the world/tropes/beats and how other parts play out differently (some cultures also just love taking things to a much darker place - stares). LIGHTEN UP A LITTLE.

Anywhoooo there's a small fun little myth.

[ssj2hindudude]

When the world is getting too corrupt:

I mean, there are 10 avatars...wait a minute...

Wildmutt - Narasimha (wild animals)

Four Arms - Krishna (strong wrestlers)

Gray Matter - Vamana (smol)

XLR8 - Varaha (boars known for charging)

Upgrade - Parashurama (upgrades tech/students)

Diamondhead - Kurma (land/earth aesthetic)

Ripjaws - Matsya (fish)

Stinkfly - Rama (snipers)

Ghostfreak - Buddha (OP and beyond mortals)

Heatblast - Kalki (Everything started/ended with them)

[zeherili-ankhein]

Brobrobro

Imagine there was an avatar Vishnu took specifically to fight Dionysos? (Not not include this in the retelling it's just an AU)

OMGGGG THAT WOULD BE COOL YOO

But like what kind of avatar tho... Theatre guy or drinking buddy?? Or just some avatar to fight like Narasimha or Varaha??

[imlyfie]

Well no, but mine was how a deity came down to earth and killed an evil king who was granted a boon that he could not be killed by man or animal, neither day or night, inaide or outside, on the ground or in the air and could not be harmed by any weapon.

And the deity found loopholes for this by sprouting from a palace pillar ,in the form of part lion from the head to the torso and then a human from the waist down, and killed the evil king at the entrance of the courtyard during sunset, by placing him on his lap and using his nails/claws to tear through him .

When i was young i found it morbid but now i find it inspirational, just because rules have been followed doesnt mean they could be bent.

was anyone else’s favourite bedtime story about how a wolf breaks into the home of 7 baby goats, eats all of them except one and when the mum comes home her and the remaining baby find the wolf sleeping, cut open his belly, free all the kids, fill his stomach with rocks, sew it back up and then toss him down a well?

anyone?

[ze-preserveur]

First off, I love my wifey @devi-lakshmi :33

Second, always remember:

शिवाय विष्णुरूपाय शिवरूपाय विष्णवे ।

शिवस्य हृदयं विष्णुर्विष्णोश्च हृदयं शिवः ॥

Basically what it means is that @press-shivt-blookie and I are the same and we're in each other's hearts so kindly don't compare us, thank you :)

Third, a little color coding of a few of my avatars:

Blue - Me (Vishnu)

Green - Krishn

Orange - Ram

Red - Parshuram

Purple - Vyas

Pink - Mohini

White/Black - Kalki

Persian blue - Matsya

Dark green - Kurma

Light brown - Varah

Orange brown - Narasimha

Yellow - Buddh

Cyan - Venkateshwar

Positive criticism is very much welcome. But blatantly hating on me or any of the Gods for no reason is definitely not.

I approve shipping (as long as it's not creepy or problematic in any way) cuz why not :)

[raat-jaaga-paakhi]

you mentioned harivansha and from what i know of scholarly stuffs it's much older than bhagavata purana so why do you think it isn't prominently considered for krishna's life? and what translations of harivansha do you use for your studies? i'm sorry if this seems too eager lololol

I'm answering this ask a year late, so I suppose that offsets your zeal (in a really horrible way)? This has been in my drafts, I just forgot about it entirely, thank you for coming to my inbox to remind me again. <3

Yes, Harivamsha was written much prior to Srimad Bhagavata Purana, and is considered some sort of appendix to the Mahabharata, which again is of greater antiquity. We can only speculate as to its relative lack of popularity, and I would like to mull over my own thoughts on this a bit more. I'll make a separate post, possibly. Let me just give a small introduction on the Harivamsha instead.

A Guide to Harivamsha

REFERENCES I USE IN MY STUDIES: (in no particular order)

1. Harivamsha Critical Edition (as edited by BORI, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute), EN-translated by Bibek Debroy.

Above-average translation quality. Compared to the others, the only benefit of this reference is that it lets one know what sections BORI cleaved—regarding which one must keep in mind that, as Debroy himself noted and as I observed in the course of reading as well, the editing of Harivamsha Critical Edition was in no way as well and expertly done as that of the Mahabharata Critical Edition (BORI).

2. Harivamsha Purana, Gita Press

The only complete and accessible translation (Hindi) of HV that there is. Great translation quality. You usually don't have to second-guess each line (like I have to, with No. 1).

3. Chitrashala Press edition of Harivamsa, Online EN translation by Desiraju Hanumanta Rao, A. Purushothaman & A. Harindranath. https://www.dvaipayana.net/harivamsa/harivamsa-cs-index.html

Very helpful, as you get the Sanskrit verses alongside the translated English ones, for comparison/tallying purposes.

4. Harivamsha Purana, EN-translated by M. N. Dutt (https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/harivamsha-purana-dutt)

Most accessible translation; no big differences from No. 3 in interpretations. (I will take this opportunity to recommend Wisdomlib to practically everyone in this fandom.)

5. Krishna’s Lineage: The Harivamsha of Vyāsa’s Mahābhārata. EN translation by Simon P. Brodbeck.

Good translation, good language, immensely well-organised. Has family trees in a genealogical appendix.

GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF HARIVAMSHA'S STRUCTURE:

The text is divided into 3 parvas, as follows -

Harivamsha Parva - This contains a lot of background information through the genealogies and stories interspersed in all the lineage talk. We get some important backstory for MBh, and we get some stories which you may find in most other Puranas. (Interestingly, this contains the Syamantaka incident. It was a really big deal, is all.)

Vishnu Parva - The main section of Krishna's non-MBh life-story, starting from his birth, the Mathura-era exploits (Kamsavadh, Jarāsandha's attacks), Rukmini-harana (my beloved), the Pārijāta story, and dealing with Pradyumna (his firstborn) and Aniruddha's (Pradyumna's son) lives as well.

Bhavishya Parva - The first chapters of this section are indeed about "bhavishya" (things that happen or "will happen" post-Swargārohana, prophecies about Kali Yuga, etc). Then there's a set of chapters that go into some of Vishnu's avatars (Varāha, Narasimha, Vāmana, in particular). These two sets of chapters are translated in almost all versions. Then comes the dicey part, the set of chapters translated only in Gita Press Harivamsha, and ironically, the most important part of Bhavishya Parva in my opinion (because it has major portions of Krishna's life-story. This section contains Paundraka's (and Ekalavya's) siege on Dwāraka, the killing of Hamsa-Dimbaka (Jarāsandha's closest allies that Krishna speaks of to Yudhisthira in MBh's Sabhā parva) etc. Invaluable for better understanding of Yādava politics, and kind of ties up some loose ends from MBh.

Lovers and collectors of obscure Krishna-katha (or even just Purana-katha in general), Harivamsha is the place for you! <3

[garethschweitzer]

Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of Vishnu

[vedantsart]

The Divine Creation: Painting Lord Vishnu in His Narasimha Avatar

Art has always been a powerful medium to express the divine, and in my latest creation, I aimed to capture the awe-inspiring essence of Lord Vishnu in his Narasimha avatar. This painting not only represents the fierce protector of devotees but also conveys a deeper message about the balance of destruction and protection. Here’s a glimpse into my creative process, materials used, and the techniques that brought this artwork to life.

Conceptualization: The Idea Behind the Painting

The inspiration for this painting stems from the rich tapestry of Hindu mythology, where Lord Vishnu takes the Narasimha form to protect his devotee from the malevolent Asura named रिलैक्स. In my vision, I wanted to portray the duality of Narasimha: his fierce form, ready to unleash cosmic energy, juxtaposed with the serene, protective aura that envelops his devotee. This contrast symbolizes the protection that faith can offer against overwhelming adversity.

Materials Used

Canvas: I chose a high-quality, primed canvas as the base for the painting, which provides a durable surface for vibrant colors.

Acrylic Paints: Acrylics were my medium of choice due to their quick drying time and versatility. The vivid colors allow for dynamic contrasts and depth.

Charcoal: I used charcoal for initial sketches and outlines, enabling me to define shapes and proportions with precision before applying paint.

Palette Knives: For the texture and details in Narasimha’s fierce form, I used palette knives. This technique adds dimension and a modern touch to the painting.

Brushes: A variety of brushes (flat, round, and detail brushes) helped me create intricate details in both the divine forms and the cosmic background.

Varnish: A final layer of gloss varnish was applied to protect the painting and enhance its vibrancy.

Methods and Techniques

Sketching the Composition: I began with a charcoal sketch on the canvas, mapping out the composition. This initial outline allowed me to visualize the balance between the fierce and protective aspects of Narasimha.

Layering Colors: Starting with the background, I layered different shades of blues, purples, and blacks to create a cosmic ambiance. Using a wet-on-wet technique, I blended colors to achieve a sense of depth.

Building Up Texture: For Narasimha’s fierce form, I employed palette knives to apply thick layers of acrylic paint, creating a three-dimensional effect. This method allowed me to portray the intensity of his power and divine rage.

Detailing: Once the main forms were established, I switched to finer brushes for detailing the facial expressions, the texture of the lion’s mane, and the cosmic energies swirling around the figures. Each stroke was intentional, aimed at capturing the dynamic energy of the moment.

Final Touches: After letting the painting dry, I assessed the piece for balance and cohesion. I added highlights and shadows to enhance the overall composition and applied a protective varnish to preserve the colors and finish.

Conclusion

Creating this painting of Lord Vishnu in his Narasimha avatar was not just about the act of painting; it was a spiritual journey that allowed me to delve deeper into the mythology and the messages it carries. Each layer of paint and texture reflects the duality of existence—the protective and destructive forces that coexist in the universe.

As I finished the painting, I felt a profound sense of connection to the divine, and I hope that this artwork resonates with viewers, reminding them of the strength found in faith and the power of divine protection.