Narsimha avatar - Man-Lion Incarnate

Discussion in 'Eastern Philosophy' started by rcscwc, Nov 8, 2010.

  1. rcscwc Registered Senior Member

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    Narsimha avatar - Man-Lion Incarnate


    Narsimha is considered the Forth Incarnate of Vishnu. So far nine have appeared. Tenth Lord Kalki, who would be puraaaavatar [Complete Incarnate] is yet to appear.


    This Incarnate appeared for a very period and was of limited scope. A Wiki entry is a very good one. In his previous avatara of Varaha [the Boar], Vishnu killed a rakshasa known as Hiranyaksha. Hiranyaksha's brother Hiranyakashipu, greatly angered by this, started to abhor Vishnu and his followers.


    The rakshasa propitiated Brahma with hardest of meditations, and finally He had to come to grant a boon. But He would not a grant immortality of bodyily entry into heaven. The Rakshas thought for a moment and craved a boon like this: I would not killed by a man or a beast. I may not be killed during the day or during the night. I may not be killed within or outside a house. I may not be killed while on ground or in the air water. I may not be killed by any weapons, hand held or launched.


    Quite a watertight boon. Since it did not directly ask for immortality, Brahma granted it! Have you read Lord of the Rings? Sauron has special powers and he set himslef as a dark lord. So did the Rakshasa. Absolute immunity [he thought] from death is absolute power and can corrupt absolutely. So, he started a campaign against Vishnu, prohibiting His worship, rather the very Name, of Vishnu. Armed with virtual immortality, he set himself as God, and ordered all his subjects to worship none but himself. A reign of religious terror. Brahma, though he weilds an ultimate and irrestible weapon called Bramastra, could not kill him without falsifying His boon. Same dilemma was there with Shiva and Vishnu, who too had irrestible weapons. Even Yama, the Lord of Death, declined for fear of falsification of his powers. Only thing he predicted was that the Rakshasa was still slayable.


    Dear members, have you examined the boon and analysed with every reason and logic? You would find loopholes in that.


    The Rakshasa had a son called Prahalad, a highly revered figure [though a rakshasa], and he was an unswerable devotee of Vishnu. His father tried to kill him repeatedly, but he was saved by Vishnu, who was biding for time. He could not intervene without a direct challenge, and challenge soon came. One day the Rakshasa bound his son to a piller heated to red heat and taunted him : Where is your Vishnu? Call him!!


    Challenge accepted. Vishnu burst forth from the pillar, Prahalad was freed. Vishnu appeared as half man half lion. Except His head and mouth and claws, which were leonine, He was a human. NEITHER man nor beast. He carried no weapons.


    Vishnu, of course bested the Rakshasa in unarmed combat, overpowered him and sat on the THREASHOLD. Threshold is neither in nor outside the house and put him on His thighs. Neither in the air nor on ground nor in water. After the sun had set, He tore him apart with His Lion claws. No weapons. Neither day nor night.

    None of the provisions of the boon were violated. Afterwards, Prahlad sang a song to pacify Him, and He returned.
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2010
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  3. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Are you asking a question or just preaching? :shrug:
     
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  5. Gremmie "Happiness is a warm gun" Valued Senior Member

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    I don't see any questions...So, I have to assume the latter.:shrug:
     
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  7. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Well he did ask

    "Dear members, have you examined the boon and analysed with every reason and logic?"

    but I don't understand what that means.:shrug:
     
  8. Gremmie "Happiness is a warm gun" Valued Senior Member

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    Yeah, that makes two of us...Maybe he'll clarify later.
     
  9. rcscwc Registered Senior Member

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    I did not ask you to believe it.

    My mistake. I should have left it at the question, with members trying to solve the puzzle how he was finally killed.

    1. Misdeeds do not pay in the long run.
    2. Absolute power creates absolute tyrants.
    3. The bigger the tyrant, the bigger his fall.
    4. Pursuit of deathlesnes is a chimera. Mightiest mortals cannot achieve it.
    5. Death is the ultimate truth.


    Sorry, if you cannot understand a set of simple conditions [premises] and try to find a way out. But I understand, logic and reason is not for all.

    ciao.
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2010
  10. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    Oh I can understand the conditions but I didn't understand what you were asking about,
    that's all.
     
  11. rcscwc Registered Senior Member

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    Haha. When it comes to Hinduism, everyone is in a jam [mostly psychological].
     
  12. woowoo Registered Senior Member

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    only if you are an atheist.
     
  13. rcscwc Registered Senior Member

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    Death comes whatever you are. No escape from death.
     
  14. woowoo Registered Senior Member

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    yeah, but the spirit lives on?
     
  15. kmguru Staff Member

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    Yup...

    Long ago I read that the ten avatars correspond to the evolution of human specie...presented in a folk lore stories...
     
  16. rcscwc Registered Senior Member

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    Yes. You can take it as that too.

    First was FISH, MEEN, who towed Mamu's boat in the Flood.

    Second was the Great TURTLE, KACHCHAP, who supported mount Meru on his back when it was used as a Churn.

    Next was the BOAR, terrestrial, but loves water a lot.

    Slowly, the life is coming out of the oceans.

    Narsimha was next, part man part animal.

    Fifth was the first human, but was dwarf in stature. Now full human appears, but has yet to evolve.
     

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