SrI :
Dear BhakthAs :
This question raised by Sri
Bharat Iyengar on the back to back presence of
Sri Narasimha BhagavAn
and His Sudarsana Moorthy has come up quite often .
Back in 1996 , I had posted
an article on the subject . It is attached .
There is also an excellent
article by Sri Muralidhar Rangaswamy
on the subject that I would
like to invite your attention to .That appeared in
the SaranAgathi Journal
. That
article is being sent to you seperately .
V.Sadagopan
Message from Internet
- Sri Rangaswamy was able to extract form his
archives a note I sent out
on Narasimha-Sudarsana connection last July , a month after I joined the
Bhakthi group .
V.Sadagopan
P.S : I will supplement this note with a posting on Sudarsna
Kavacham that has additional information on the relationship between
Bhagavans Narasimhan and Sudarsanaazhwaan.
---------- Forwarded Message
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From: INTERNET:RANGASWAMY@xxxxxxxxxx,
INTERNET:RANGASWAMY@xxxxxxxxxx TO: V. Sadagopan,
75041,3037 DATE: 10/7/96 10:18 AM
Date: 12 Jul 95 21:31:04
EDT From: "V. Sadagopan" <75041.3037@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To:
"INTERNET:rjm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <rjm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject:
Chakrataazhwar
- Sriram: Here are some points on the Back to back iconography of Narasimha
and
Sudarsana . Up to the seventh century AD, the narasimha Icons had two
hands only.Afterthat Period of Pallavas, the Iconography of Narasimha
became complex with his Form having 16 and even 32 hands. The two-in-one
icon came into vogue by daring sculptors. Narasimha-Sudarsana and
Subrahmanya-Lakshmi Narasimha are two such creations. The latter is a very
rare one seen in atemple 30 miles ot the Norht of Bangalore and
is known as Ghati Subrahmanya. According to the iconographic traditions,
Subrahmanya faces east and Natrasimha faces West.
Now ,
Coming back to Sudarsana -Narasimha vigraha followa the Vighanasa
and Pancharatra Agama stipulations on Narasimha Iconography.
According to Vaikanasa Agama, Narasimhan has to be worshipped in 4 Places ,
namely, below the earth, in pillars, on hills and in Sudarsana.
Presence of Narasimha inside the Sudarsana wheel is pointed out by Padma
Samhita(31 and 257) .Narasimha is considered as residing in the heart
of Sudarsana.THe Sudarsana disc(wheel ) itself is recognized as a
form of Vishnu (ie) he being present as Chakra rupi. Thus in
worshipping Sudarsana chakra, we not only worship Narasimha , but
also Vishnu in all other forms.
The Puranas(Agni, Narada, Vishnu
Dharmottara ) also provide some clues in this matter.Narada purana in
particular elaborates on the worship of Narasimha in the Ugra form with 16
arms. Narasimha is presented a shaving the lustre of the deadly fire
(Kaalanala). Sudarsana has been recognized as the wheel
of time(Kaala) in Mahabharatha . Sudarsana is also the Maha Jyothi of
a Mighty Jwaala , similar to the one seen around the head of Jwaala
Narasimhan, with his shrine on the upper reaches of the Ahobila Hills.
Jwaala Narasimhan is one of the Nava Narasimhas and the tradition has it
that it is this form of Narasimhan, who destroyed Hiranyakasipu. We have to
piece the fact of Jwaala and the time aspects of that Jwaala , which is
represented by Sudharsana, the mighty weapon of the Lord.
Some
people have also speculated on the Time aspect of the Sudharsana thru
its revolving motion (dynamics) and the Space aspects of the Form
denoted by Sankam(Panchajanyam) . Here again the revolving mighty flame
associated with Sudharsana reminds one of the Kaalagni alluded to earlier.
Swami Desikan"s reference in his Shodasaayudha Stotram makes reference to
Kaala chakram and Jagat chakram (Time and space) being incorporated
in the Lord (CHAKRINA:) , who is of the form of the divine
disc(CHAKRA RUPASYA)> Verse 2<.
Hope this provides some input for
additional reflections,
Sadagopan
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