Narasimha The Fourth Avatar of Vishnu

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Prahlada, son of the wicked king Hiranyakashipu, was a pious boy devoted to Vishnu. His father tried to discourage his pious inclinations and inflicted on him cruel punishments. Eventually the king decided to kill the child, who was ever lost in contemplation. But first several forms of torture were tried without effect, the boy being always miraculously protected.

Hiranyakashipu was himself invulnerable. A boon he had received from Brahma stated that he could not be killed by day or by night, by god, man or beast, inside or outside his palace. To save Prahlada and destroy the evil king, Vishnu appeared at twilight (neither day or night) as a lion-headed man (neither man nor beast) within a pillar (neither inside nor outside the palace). Then with his claws he tore out the entrails of the genie.

Here the two-armed Narasimha is shown with a wrathful expression on his face, tearing out the entrails of the evil king, lying on his lap.

Being a combination of man (the most powerful and excellent among higher creatures) and lion (the most powerful and excellent among lower creatures), Narasimha represents the best of creation. He is especially the embodiment of valor which is a divine attribute and hence worshipped by rulers and warriors.

References:

Danielou, Alain. The Myths and Gods of India: Vermont, Inner Traditions International, 1991.

Garrett, John. A Classical Dictionary of India: Delhi, Low Price Publications, 1996.

Harshananda, Swami. Hindu Gods and Goddesses: Madras, Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1987.

Mitchell, A.G. Hindu Gods and Goddesses: New Delhi, UBS Publishers, 1998, Eleventh Edition.

Other Paintings of this Series:

Matsya Avatara, the First Avatara of Vishnu

Kurma The Second Avatar of Vishnu

Varaha Avatar - The Third Incarnation of VishnuVishnu

Vamana the Fifth Incarnation of Vishnu

Parashurama, the Sixth Incarnation of Vishnu

Rama, the Seventh Incarnation of Vishnu

Krishna The Eighth Incarnation of Vishnu

Buddha the Ninth Incarnation of Vishnu

Kalki the Tenth Incarnation of Vishnu

Colors of Tradition: Exploring the Artistry Behind Madhubani Paintings

Madhubani painting is also known as Mithila art as it is practiced in the Mithila region of India and Nepal. It has specifically originated from the Madhubani district of the state of Bihar. Traditionally, the women of this region created these paintings and in recent years, it has become a widely practiced art and has now become renowned throughout the world. This art expresses the creativity and culture of the people of Mithila and is passed from one generation to another. In this way, the heritage of Madhubani art has been preserved for many decades. The subjects of these paintings are usually religion, love, and fertility. Sometimes, social events like festivals, weddings, and royal court are also depicted in the paintings. The most commonly painted designs and themes are the forms of Hindu Gods and Goddesses such as Ganesha, Shiva, Saraswati, Lakshmi, Krishna, and Ram. The characteristic features of Madhubani paintings are their vibrant colors and eye-catching geometrical patterns. The empty spaces are filled with traditional motifs such as floral and foliate patterns, animals, birds, geometrical structures, and other designs. The local artists create these paintings using a variety of items such as matchsticks, twigs, brushes, pens, or even their own fingers. The paints are usually made with natural dyes and pigments.
As simple as it may seem, the making process of the world-famous Madhubani paintings is certainly not easy and requires lots of hard labor.

Traditional Madhubani paintings are done either on cloth, handmade paper, or canvas. Select the medium of painting as per your choice. If you have chosen cloth, attach it to cardboard to make a solid base. The making of the painting begins with making a double-lined border. This is a very important step because the border is filled with various geographical shapes and patterns or other motifs. The average width of the border is 1.5 - 2 cm. Now that the border is created, you will be left with a blank middle space. This is the main workspace. Start drawing your choice of figure, designs, and shapes. These must be relevant to the Madhubani painting themes.

When the key design has been made, the empty spaces in between are filled with some designs.
Now is the time to color the painting using vivid shades and hues. Colors in Madhubani are sourced from nature; Indigo is used to produce blue, flower juice produces red, turmeric gives yellow, leaves produce green, cow dung mixed soot gives black, and rice powder gives white.

To paint these colors, the artist uses a bamboo stick and wraps cotton around it. This acts as a traditional brush.
The entire painting is now painted using this special brush with natural vibrant colors. · However, in modern times, the common brush is used and instead of natural colors, artists prefer to use acrylic paints.

Since the entire painting is made with natural materials and colors, it appears simple yet enriching. Originally, this art was created on mud walls or soil grounds but when it evolved over many years, the people of Madhubani started to make it on fabric and paper. Today, this art has become globalized and is receiving worldwide attention and appreciation.