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Narasimha Temples
Narasimha (, , or , ), is the fourth avatara of the Hindu god Vishnu in the Satya Yuga. He incarnated as a part-lion, part-man and killed Hiranyakashipu, ended religious persecution and calamity on earth, and restored dharma. Narasimha has three eyes, and is the God of Destruction in Vaishnavism; He who destroys the entire universe through (Pralaya). Hence, He is known as Kala (time), Mahakala (great-time), or Parakala (beyond time) in His names. There exists a matha (monastery) dedicated to Him by the name of Parakala Matha at Mysuru in the Sri Vaishnava tradition. There is also Ahobila mutt another srivaishnava matha that primarily worships Narasimha. The most famous kshetra for Narasimha is Ahobilam with the Lakshmi Narasimha and Nava Narasimha. Ahobilam is considered foremost Narasimha temple, easily being number 1 Narasimha shrine in the world. Narasimha is the God of Yoga, as Yoga-Narasimha. Narasimha has a human torso and lower body, with a lion face and claws, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dashavatara
The Dashavatara (, ) are the ten primary avatars of Vishnu, a principal Hindus, Hindu god. Vishnu is said to descend in the form of an avatar to restore cosmic order. The word ''Dashavatara'' derives from , meaning "ten", and , roughly equivalent to "incarnation". The list of included avatars varies across sects and regions, particularly with respect to the inclusion of Balarama (brother of Krishna) or the Buddha. In traditions that omit Krishna, he often replaces Vishnu as the source of all avatars. Some traditions include a regional deity such as Vithoba or Jagannath in penultimate position, replacing Krishna or Buddha. All avatars have appeared except one: Kalki, who will appear at the end of the ''Kali Yuga''. The order of the ancient concept of Dashavataras has also been interpreted to be reflective of modern Darwinian evolution, as a description of the evolution of consciousness. Etymology "Dashavatara" or "" (दशावतार) means "ten avatars" or "ten inc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kshira Sagara
In Hindu cosmology, the ''Kshira Sagara'' (, ; ; ; Telugu: Pala Samudram) or Ocean of Milk is the fifth from the centre of the seven oceans. It surrounds the continent known as Krauncha. According to Hindu scriptures, the Deva (Hinduism), devas and asuras worked together for a millennium to churn this ocean in order to acquire amrita, the nectar of immortality. The episode is mentioned in the Samudra manthan, ''Samudra Manthana'' chapter of the Puranas, a body of ancient Hindu legends. The Kshira Sagara is described as the place where the deity Vishnu reclines over his serpent-mount Shesha, accompanied by his consort, Lakshmi. Etymology The "Ocean of Milk" is the English translation of the Sanskrit terms ', ' or ', from ''Kshira, kṣīra'' "milk" and ', ' "water, ocean" or ' "ocean." The term varies across Indic languages, referred to as ''Khir Shaagor'' in Bengali language, Bengali, ''Tiruppāṟkaṭal'' in Tamil language, Tamil, and ''Pāla Samudram'' in Telugu language, Telu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sri Vaishnavism
Sri Vaishnavism () is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism, predominantly practiced in South India. The name refers to goddess Lakshmi (also known as Sri), as well as a prefix that means "sacred, revered", and the god Vishnu, who are together revered in this tradition. The tradition traces its roots to the ancient Vedas and Pancharatra texts, popularised by the Alvars and their canon, the Naalayira Divya Prabandham. The founding of Sri Vaishnavism is traditionally attributed to Nathamuni of the 10th century CE; its central philosopher has been Ramanuja of the 11th century, who developed the ''Vishishtadvaita'' ("qualified non-dualism") Vedanta sub-school of Hindu philosophy. The tradition split into two denominations around the 16th century. The Vadakalai sect vested the Vedas with the greatest authority and follow the doctrine of Vedanta Desika, whereas the Tenkalai sect vested the Naalayira Divya Prabandham with the greatest authority and follow the pri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mysore
Mysore ( ), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of Mysore district and Mysore division. As the traditional seat of the Wadiyar dynasty, the city functioned as the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore for almost six centuries (). Known for its heritage structures, palaces (such as the famous Mysore Palace), and its culture, Mysore has been called the "City of Palaces", the "Heritage City", and the " Cultural capital of Karnataka". It is the second-most populous city in the state and one of the cleanest cities in India according to the Swachh Survekshan. Mysore is situated at the foothills of the Chamundi Hills. At an altitude of above mean sea level, the city of Mysore is geographically located at 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is about southwest of the state's capital, Bangalore, and spreads across an area of (city and neighbouring census towns). The population of th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parakala Matha
Bramhatantra Swatantra Parakala Matha, commonly known as Parakala Matha, is a Hinduism, Hindu Sri Vaishnavism, Sri Vaishnava Matha, monastery founded during the Hoysala Empire in 1268 at Mysore, Karnataka, primarily worshipping Vishnu and Lakshmi as Hayagriva and Lakshmi, Vageesha. It is the first Medieval India, mediaeval era monastery of the Vadakalai denomination within Vaishnavism in the Hinduism, Hindu society and is the ''gurupeeta'', the seat of the royal ''guru'', of the Maharaja of Mysore, maharajas of Mysore. Originally founded in Mysore where its headquarters has been based, the matha has branches across South India, southern India and as well as one abroad. Etymology ''Parakala'' is a Sanskrit adjective meaning "beyond time". It is an epithet of Vishnu's incarnation as Narasimha, and by derivation means "he who is beyond time". Alvars, Alvar Tirumangai Alvar, Tirumangai, an influential figure in the monastery's history, earned ''parakala'' as an honorary style for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matha
A ''matha'' (; , ), also written as ''math'', ''muth'', ''mutth'', ''mutt'', or ''mut'', is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism.Matha Encyclopædia Britannica Online 2009 An alternative term for such a monastery is ''adheenam''. The earliest epigraphical evidence for ''mathas'' related to Hindu-temples comes from the 7th to 10th century CE. The most famous Advaita Vedanta ''mathas'' or ''peethams'', which came to be affiliated with the Advaita tradition in the 14th century, are Govardhanmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ at |
Mahakala
Mahākāla (, ) is a deity common to Hinduism and Buddhism. In Buddhism, Mahākāla is regarded as a ''Dharmapala, Dharmapāla'' ("Protector of the Dharma") and a Wrathful deities, wrathful manifestation of a The Buddha, Buddha, while in Hinduism, Mahākāla is a fierce manifestation of the Hindu deities, Hindu god Shiva and the consort of the Deva (Hinduism), goddess Mahakali, Mahākālī; he most prominently appears in the Shaktism#Kalikula: family of Kali, ''Kalikula'' sect of Shaktism. Mahākāla appears as a protector deity in the various traditions of Vajrayana Buddhism, like Chinese Esoteric Buddhism, Shingon Buddhism, Shingon, and Tibetan Buddhism. He is known as ''Dàhēitiān'' and '' Daaih'hāktīn'' (wiktionary:大黑天, 大黑天) in Mandarin and Cantonese, ''Daeheukcheon'' (대흑천) in Korean, ''Đại Hắc Thiên'' in Vietnamese, and ''Daikokuten'' (wiktionary:大黒天, 大黒天) in Japanese. Etymology is a Sanskrit bahuvrihi of ' "great" and ' "time/dea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pralaya
Pralaya () is a concept in Hindu eschatology. Generally referring to four different phenomena, it is most commonly used to indicate the event of the dissolution of the entire universe that follows a '' kalpa'' (a period of 4.32 billion years) called the ''Brahmapralaya''. Pralaya also refers to ''Nityapralaya'', the continuous destruction of all animate and inanimate beings that occurs on a daily basis, ''Prakritapralaya'', the great flood produced by Prakriti (Nature) that ends all of creation after the completion of 1,000 Chaturyuga (four-age) cycles, and ''Atyantikapralaya'', the dissolution of one's Atman (Self) due to its union with Brahman (Ultimate Reality). A concept that has been referenced in literature since the Upanishads, the concept of pralaya has been widely discussed in Hindu cosmology as well as philosophy. Description Hindu cosmology posits an endless cycle of the periodic creation and destruction of the universe. Nityapralaya Nityapralaya refers to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dharma
Dharma (; , ) is a key concept in various Indian religions. The term ''dharma'' does not have a single, clear Untranslatability, translation and conveys a multifaceted idea. Etymologically, it comes from the Sanskrit ''dhr-'', meaning ''to hold'' or ''to support'', thus referring to law that sustains things—from one's life to society, and to the Universe at large. In its most commonly used sense, dharma refers to an individual's moral responsibilities or duties; the dharma of a farmer differs from the dharma of a soldier, thus making the concept of dharma a varying dynamic. As with the other components of the Puruṣārtha, the concept of ''dharma'' is pan-Indian. The antonym of dharma is ''adharma''. In Hinduism, ''dharma'' denotes behaviour that is considered to be in accord with ''Ṛta''—the "order and custom" that makes life and universe possible. This includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues and "right way of living" according to the stage of life or social posi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all of Earth's water is contained in its global ocean, covering Water distribution on Earth, 70.8% of Earth's crust. The remaining 29.2% of Earth's crust is land, most of which is located in the form of continental landmasses within Earth's land hemisphere. Most of Earth's land is at least somewhat humid and covered by vegetation, while large Ice sheet, sheets of ice at Polar regions of Earth, Earth's polar polar desert, deserts retain more water than Earth's groundwater, lakes, rivers, and Water vapor#In Earth's atmosphere, atmospheric water combined. Earth's crust consists of slowly moving tectonic plates, which interact to produce mountain ranges, volcanoes, and earthquakes. Earth's outer core, Earth has a liquid outer core that generates a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hiranyakashipu
Hiranyakashipu (, ), also known as Hiranyakashyap, was a daitya king of the asuras in the Puranas. In Hinduism, Hiranyakashipu's younger brother, Hiranyaksha, was slain by the Varaha (boar) avatar of Vishnu. Angered by this, Hiranyakashipu decided to gain a boon of invulnerability by performing tapas to propitiate Brahma. After his subjugation of the three worlds, he was slain by the Narasimha (man-lion) avatar of Vishnu. Etymology Hiranyakashipu literally translates to "person desiring wealth and material comforts" (''hiranya'' "gold" ''kashipu'' "soft bed"), and is often interpreted as depicting one who is fond of wealth and sensual comforts. In the Puranas, however, it is also stated the name was derived from a golden throne called 'Hiranyakashipu' the asura sat in or nearby during the atiratra (soma) sacrifice. Legend Birth According to the Bhagavata Purana, Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha are Vishnu's gatekeepers Jaya and Vijaya, born on earth as the result of a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Satya Yuga
''Satya Yuga'' ( ''Krita Yuga'', IAST: ''Kṛta-yuga''), in Hinduism, is the first and best of the four '' yugas'' (world ages) in a '' Yuga Cycle'', preceded by '' Kali Yuga'' of the previous cycle and followed by '' Treta Yuga''. ''Satya Yuga'' lasts for 1,728,000 years (4,800 divine years). ''Satya Yuga'' is known as the age of truth, when humanity is governed by gods, and every manifestation or work is close to the purest ideal and humanity will allow intrinsic goodness to rule supreme. It is sometimes referred to as the " Golden Age". ''Dharma'' (depicted in the form of a bull) symbolizes morality and stood on all four legs during this period; the legs of ''Dharma'' reduce by one in each ''yuga'' that follows. As per Bhagavata Purana, the four legs of Dharma are , (or ), and . Etymology '' Yuga'' (), in this context, means "an age of the world", where its archaic spelling is ''yug'', with other forms of ''yugam'', , and ''yuge'', derived from ''yuj'' (), believed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
