Shodasha-bahu-narasimha

On the aspicious occation of vaishaka-shukla-chaturdashi Sri Narasimha jayanthi on 20 May 2016 came this shodasha bAhu narasimha 

Shodasha-bahu-narasimha

As always sketch was started with prayers to the guruparampara of aacharyas and to lakshmi narasimha.
Listened to Sri Mukkur Swami;s upanyasam  on narasimha avatharam multiple times in the course of this painting.
Also Smt Vishaka Hari's - prahlada charitram - based on Tyagaraja's Geya Nataka Prahlada-Bhakthi-vijayam was an amazing add to anubhava.

Sri Narasimha Swarupa

Here are quotations from vishnu kosha of Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao wrt swarupa of narasimha,

Vishnudharmottara purana (3,78(2), 5-7) identifies Narasimha with the Sankarshana form of vishnu   "haris-sankarshanamshena narasimha-vapudharah"

हरिस्सङ्कर्षणांशेन नरसिंहवपुर्धरः

and explains that the demon Hiranyakashipu actually represents ignorance "hiranyakashipurdaityah tam ajnaanam vidur budhaah"

हिरण्यकशिपुर्दैत्यः तम् अज्ञानं विदुर्बुधाः

and that Narasimha destroys it  "sankarshanaatma bhagavaan ajnaanasya vinaashanah" 

          सङ्कर्शणात्मा भगवान् अज्ञानस्य विनाशनः

Sankarshana in the form of Naraismha destroys the sins of the world, arising from speech, mind and body  "vaangamaanasakaayasambhuutam trividham jagataam malam sadaa paatayati" 

          वाङ्मानसकायसंभूतं त्रिविधं जगतां मलं सदा पाटयति 

Naraismha's form in this text has been described as "destructive of all ignorance" "sarvaajnaana-vinaashini" सर्वाज्ञान विनाशिनी  

Shodasha bAhu narasimha rUpa -  Iconography

Dhayana of shodasha bahu narasimha as mentioned in Mantradevataaprakaashikaa (मन्त्रदेवताप्रकाषिकायाम्) (quoted from vishnunidhi) .... "When one has to perform big deeds, one should medidate on Lord Narasimha who possesses sixteen hands. He is the master of the three worlds and he is adorned with all ornaments. His two hands are splitting(the body of hiranyakashipu) and the other two hands are extracting the entrails. One pair of hands carries a शङ्ख shanka(conch) and चक्र chakra(discus) while another carries a धनुस् dhanus(bow) and a बाण baana(arrow). Another pair of hands carries a खड्ग sword and a खेट  shield; another pair has a गदा  mace and a पद्म lotus; another pair of hands has a पाश  noose and a अङ्कुश  hook; still another holds in grip the head and knee of the enemy. Lord Narasimha possesses sixteen hands in this manner."..... Various iconographic detials of Narasimha in various texts quoted in Vishnu kOsha: body is that of a human being, but head is leonine gakAnta nara rUpam mahAsimha atah para; galAd adhastAn nara-rUpa-dhAri parata simhAnana-bhrt svarUpam

pAnaka-priya-naraismha

close up of narasimha

surrounded by thick and heavy manes resembling a circle of blame  sa-sATa-skandha-samAyukta, vishnu-dharmottara 3,78(2), 3: jvAlAmAlAkula-mukho jvAlA-kesara mandalah his three eyes, which are large and round (vartule netre) emit sparks of fire (shesha samhita, 23, 19, tryakshair visphurantam) and glow like fire and sun put together (vishvaksena-samhita, 21,60, 'bibharti netrAni hutAShanArka prabhA~nchitAni') body is crystal white, resembling a big mountain (vishvaksena-samhita 21,69, "shveta-parvata-sankAsham"), shuddha-sphatika-sankAsham) and shines like snow, jasmine flower or moon (ishvara samhita, 4,64, 'hima-kundendu-sannibha') But it is inclosed by burning sparks of fire that emanate from the body itself (sAttvata-samhita, 12, 74, 'jvalad-agni=sphulingAbhis svadehotthAbhir Avrtam') his eye-brows are knitted and twisted with fury (hayaShira-samhita 23, 15 'bhruvau hyAkunchitavakre') the tounge is thrust out and is eager to lap up blood (lelihAna-jihvA) A tall tapering and splindid crown (kirIta-mukuTojjvalam) adorns te head; and the form is richly bedecked with all ornaments

References

There were mainly two important references, firstly monolithic sculpture of ashta bhuja naraismha from thirukkurungudi.
Secondly, the aaradhya murthy of sri raghavenda mutt, sri shodasha bAhu narasimha.

Thirukkurungudi - ashta bahu Narasimha Sculpture

Raghavendra Mutt Shodasha bahu naraismha

Though this shodasha bAhu naraismha of raghavendra mutt looks very similar to one painted, there are a lot of differences. This murthy carries ayudhas in 12 hands, while the one painting carries ayudhas in 10 hands. (two other hands holds in grip the head and knee of hiranyakashipu).

In Vishnu kosha Ramachandra rao mentions various shodasha bahu narasimhas, 

1. vaikhAnasAgama, pAramEshvara samhitA (kriya, 23, 45-47) - weapons in all 16 hands!
2. padma samhita (kriyA 17, 22-41) prescribes another set of weapons 
3. parAshara samhita 25,10 mentions a standing form with 16 hands having three eyes and fierce fangs 

These days often people find it hard to differntiate between varaha and hayagriva, and here we are looking at multiple variants of a shodasha bahu Narasimha!..

Such subtle details amaze me regarding the preciseness of the dhayana shlokas & dhyana murthy, How precise the contemplation would have been!.. No wonder their dhyana was often fruitful.

Let us conclude with a mangala sloka on jvala narasimha by Sriivanshatakopa Sriisriinivaasa Yatiindra Mahaadeshikan(ahobila-maTam) [www.prapatti.com/slokas/slokasbyname.html : Navanaarasimha Mangalaashaasanam ]

हिरण्यस्तम्भसंभूतिप्रख्यात परमात्मने | 

प्रह्लादार्तिमुषे ज्वाला नारसिंहाय मङ्गळम् ||

Yogānandanṛsiṁha - योगानन्दनृसिंह

Let us contemplate on Yogānandanṛsiṁha

[ svāti nakṣatra - sthiravāsara - 23rd April 2016 ]

Final painting of nrusimha

Firstly the dhyana sloka :

अथ योगानन्दनृसिंहध्यानम् |  अथर्वणसारे

 - (श्रीमुम्मडि कृष्णराज ओडेयर् विरचितः - श्रीतत्वनिधिः - द्वितीयःसंपुटः - विष्णुनिधिः)

नित्यानन्दमयं निरञ्जनमजं निर्वाणसन्दायकं

निर्व्याजं निखिलक्षमादिसुगुणं नीरेजपत्रेक्षणम् |

जान्वोर्बद्धभुजं सुदर्शनदरात्युग्रायुधोद्यद्द्वयं

योगारूढनृसिंहमीशमनिशं ध्यायेत् त्रिणेत्रं हरिम् ||

Meditation on Yogānandanṛsiṁha | from atharvaṇasāra

 - (śrīmummaḍi kṛṣṇarāja oḍeyar viracitaḥ - śrītatvanidhiḥ - dvitīyaḥsaṁpuṭaḥ - viṣṇunidhiḥ)

nityānandamayaṁ nirañjanamajaṁ nirvāṇasandāyakaṁ

nirvyājaṁ nikhilakṣamādisuguṇaṁ nīrejapatrekṣaṇam |

jānvorbaddhabhujaṁ sudarśanadarātyugrāyudhodyaddvayaṁ

yogārūḍhanṛsiṁhamīśamaniśaṁ dhyāyet triṇetraṁ harim ||

I contemplate on śrīYogānandanṛsiṁha, hari with three eyes. He is in eternal bliss and free from any attachment; He is birthless and gives liberation; without any external reason he posses all good qualities like forgiveness/tolerance; his eyes are long like the lotus petals. his hands rest on his knees. His other two hands carry two fierce weapons viz., a conch and a discus called sudarśana.

About yoga form 

Initial sketch

There are many classifications of images(vigrahas) in Indian Iconography. Generally people confuse Yoga form as merely the cross-legged-setaed posture, but there are yoga forms of vishnu in standing, sitting or reclining variants as well.

Here's a extract from the book "Elements of HINDU ICONOGRAPHY" by TA Gopinath Rao :

In the case of Vaishnava images each of these three kinds of images is further divided into yoga, bhoga, vira and abhicharika varieties. These varieties of the standing, sitting and reclining images of vishnu are worshipped respectively by those who desire to attain yoga or spiritual self-realisation, bhoga or enjoyment and vira or military prowess.

specific to the yoga form :

Among the aspects of vishnu  the yoga form, be it standing, sitting or reclining, must be enshrined in a temple built far away from the bustle of village, on the banks of rivers, or at junction two or more rivers, on hill tops and in forest reccess. The reason of the choice of such place is quite patent. The worshipper of the yoga image has to be a yogi or one aspiring to become a yogi; He would certainly  desire to have a calm place for concentrating his thoughts on the object of his worship; and naturally the temple is intended for the conduct of worship by him has to be away from human habitations.

Temples where this image is Enshrined 

We can see that the shrines of yoga form of śrīnṛsiṁha is seen is many temples like Ahobilam, Sholinghur(chozha-simha-puram/ghatikaachala) & Melukote(yadhugiri).
Most of these places are hill tops and in forest reccess as mentioend earlier.

Other subtle details of this painting 

close up of the face 

• In aagama shashtras śrīnṛsiṁha is prescribed to be enshrined in hill tops forests etc or amdist sudharshana chakra. As per this rule, most of the south indian vaishnava temples have a nṛsiṁha amdist sudarshana. I have also added a shadkonam to represent sudharshana
• The shadkona(hexagram) which is the symbolism for sudharshana(in agama) happens to be symbolism of Anahata Chakra(heart) as well.
• Srivatsam is marked in right chest of nrusimha which is the pheeta of srimahalakshmi.
• He is also adorned with kausthubha maNi. This maNi represents the yogi who is so dear to him.  Reminds of Krishna's words in Bhagavad gItA - jñānī tvātmaiva me matam
  भगवद गीता  -- "ज्ञानी त्वात्मैव मे मतम् "  

close view of his lotus feet and padmasana 

• Also we have a aasana padma in which Nrusimha is seated(8petal).
• To depict his ugra(raudra) sharp nails, sharp teeth, etc are also captured.
• All typical ornamets and garments in indian iconography are also used to decorate him.
  (ornamets - kirIta, makara kundala, graivEyaka, hAra, kEyUra, kataka, srivatsa, kausthubha, nUpura,etc
  garments - udara-bandhana, mukthA-dhAma, bAhya-dhAma, kaichiguna, yOga-paTa etc)

योगानन्दनृसिंह

This painting is A3 size - water+poster paint +ink on paper.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

Let us conclude with a mangala sloka on योगानन्दनृसिंह by Sriivanshatakopa Sriisriinivaasa Yatiindra Mahaadeshikan(ahobila-maTam)
[www.prapatti.com/slokas/slokasbyname.html : Navanaarasimha Mangalaashaasanam ]

चतुरानन-चेतोब्ज-चित्रभानुस्वरूपिणे |

वेदाद्रि-गह्वरस्थाय योगानन्दाय मङ्गलम् ||

caturānana-cetobja-citrabhānusvarūpiṇe |

vedādri-gahvarasthāya yogānandāya maṅgalam ||