Elements of Hindu Iconography v1.c7.99

v1.c7.99

Another instance of such a vicissitude may be noticed in the case of the images of the Varāha (boar) and Nṛisiṃha (man-lion) incarnations of Viṣṇu. Almost all the early temples have the figures of Varāha and Nṛisiṃha set up in them: the Tantras and Āgamas require the figure of Nṛisiṃha to be set up to the west of the central shrine even in Śiva temples. As a matter of fact an image of Kēvala or the Yōga form of Narasimha is found in a niche on the west of the central shrine or the vimāna in all old temples. Separate temples built and dedicated wholly to Narasimha and Varāha in the palmy days of the Chālukyas of Bādāmi and the Pallavas of Conjeevaram. But no one hears in these days of the *pratisthā* of a new image of Nṛisimha or Varāha anywhere. In a large number of the older temples Varāha and Nṛisimha are even now worshipped, but in the South of India their popularity has very considerably waned. In the case of Nṛisimha the belief in modern times has been that he, being an *ugra mūrti*, will, if not properly worshipped in due form, burn down villages or otherwise cause harm to the people.