South-Indian Images of Gods and Goddesses c9.s14.2

c9.s14.2

Sarabha which is supposed to have been assumed by Siva in order to suppress the pride of Narasimha, the Man-lion incarnation of Vishnu. The *Kāraṇāgama* describes Sarabha as having eight legs, three eyes, long nails, two hands and a body glowing like fire. The image has a lion's face and two wings one of which is said to represent the fierce goddess Durgā and the other, Death.¹ The illustration here reproduced (fig. 94) shows Sarabha trampling on the Man-lion.