Narasimhavatara, the fourth avatar of Vishnu
Narasimhavatara, the fourth avatar of Vishnu
The image shows a large-size sculpture depicting Narasimhavatara, the fourth of the ten avatars of Vishnu, installed in one of the six devakoshtas (niches) built into the inner wall of the pradakshina patha (clockwise circumambulation path) of the Durga Temple at Aihole, about 22 miles northeast of Badami in Karnataka, India.
In this avatar, Vishnu has a man’s torso with a lion’s face and claws. He adopted this form to kill an asura named Hiranyakashipu, who wanted to take revenge on Vishnu for killing his brother Hiranyaksha in his previous avatar, Varahavatara.
The story of Narasimhavara is depicted in the Ugra Narasimha relief carved in the outer wall of the Belur Chennakeshava Temple.
Here is the list of sculptures in the six devakoshtas of the Durga Temple:
South corridor
1. East: Shiva with his vehicle Nandi
2. Middle: Narasimhavatara, the fourth avatar of Vishnu – Current Devakoshta
3. West: Vishnu riding Garuda
North corridor
4. West: Varahavatara, the third avatar of Vishnu
5. Middle: Durga as Mahishasuramardini (Slayer of Mahishasura)
6. East: Harihara
Narasimhavatara Related Images
– Narasimhavatara carved in Cave – 3, the third of the four rock-cut caves of Badami
– Vishnu’s incarnation Narasimha slaying Hiranyakashipu carved in the outer wall of the Belur Chennakeshava Temple
– Lakshmi – Narasimha mounted on the outer wall of the Somanathapura Keshava Temple
– Ugra Narasimha carved in the lintel of the south garbhagriha door of the Kappe Chennigaraya Temple in Belur
– Dashavatara (Ten Incarnations of Vishnu) painted on the ceiling of Hampi Virupaksha Temple
Related Pages
– Durga Temple at Aihole
– Badami, Cave – 1, Cave – 2, Cave – 3, Cave – 4
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Bracket Figures
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Navaranga
– Belur Chennakeshava Temple – Garbhagriha Outer Wall
– Somanathapura Keshava Temple – A Masterpiece of Hoysala Temple Art
– Hampi Virupaksha Temple Murals
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