Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c9.s3.29

c9.s3.29

With regard to the Nṛsiṃha the author cites the authority of the *Bhāgavata*, *Padma-purāṇa* and Śrīdhara (who is known to have been a worshipper of Nṛsiṃha), and notes that the Māhātmya or greatness of the Nṛsiṃha Avatāra is described in full in the *Nṛsiṃha-tāpanī Upaniṣad*. The Nṛsiṃha lives in Jana-loka, but also in Viṣṇu-loka. Rāma lives in Ayodhyā and in Mahāvaikuṇṭha. Some (e.g. *Viṣṇudharmottara*) are of opinion that the four Vyūhas (Vāsudeva etc.) were incarnated in Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa etc.; but according to the *Padma-purāṇa*, the process of incarnation was as follows: Rāma = Nārāyaṇa, Lakṣmaṇa = Śeṣa, Bharata = the disc Sudarśana of Nārāyaṇa, and Śatrughna = the Pāñcajanya conch-shell of the deity. Kṛṣṇa, according to the Purāṇas, lives in four places, viz. Vraja, Mathurā, Dvārakā and Goloka.