Gandaberunda: Difference between revisions – Wikipedia

 

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==Depiction==

==Depiction==

The bird is generally depicted as clutching [[elephants]] in its [[talons]] and [[beaks]], demonstrating its immense strength. In a coin found in [[Madurai]], it is shown holding a [[snake]] in its beak.Ganesha Coins of Tamilnadu, 13.48 All 2-dimensional depictions show a symmetrical image similar to the [[double-headed eagle]] while other images show the long tail [[feathers]] resembling a [[peafowl]]. In the [[Chennakeshava temple]] of Belur, Karnataka, Gandaberunda, the two faced bird is carved as a scene of “chain of destruction”, which results in the destruction of the universe.{{Cite web |date=2014-02-02 |title=Kamat’s Potpourri: Amma’s Column – Gandaberunda- The Two Headed Bird |url=http://www.kamat.com/jyotsna/blog/blog.php?BlogID=1149 |access-date=2023-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202000034/http://www.kamat.com/jyotsna/blog/blog.php?BlogID=1149 |archive-date=2014-02-02 }} The Gandaberunda was later identified as a secondary form taken by [[Narasimha]], the fourth avatara of [[Vishnu]] and it is shown killing both Sharabha and Hiranyakashipu at the same time. It is mentioned by several Hindu scriptures.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BVJRAAAAYAAJ&q=gandabherunda+purana |title=The Vedanta Kesari |date=February 1967 |publisher=Sri Ramakrishna Math. |language=en}}

The bird is generally depicted as clutching [[elephants]] in its [[talons]] and [[beaks]], demonstrating its immense strength. In a coin found in [[Madurai]], it is shown holding a [[snake]] in its beak.Ganesha Coins of Tamilnadu, 13.48 All 2-dimensional depictions show a symmetrical image similar to the [[double-headed eagle]] while other images show the long tail [[feathers]] resembling a [[peafowl]]. In the [[Chennakeshava ]], Karnataka, Gandaberunda, the two faced bird is carved as a scene of “chain of destruction”, which results in the destruction of the universe.{{Cite web |date=2014-02-02 |title=Kamat’s Potpourri: Amma’s Column – Gandaberunda- The Two Headed Bird |url=http://www.kamat.com/jyotsna/blog/blog.php?BlogID=1149 |access-date=2023-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202000034/http://www.kamat.com/jyotsna/blog/blog.php?BlogID=1149 |archive-date=2014-02-02 }} The Gandaberunda was later identified as a secondary form taken by [[Narasimha]], the fourth avatara of [[Vishnu]] and it is shown killing both Sharabha and Hiranyakashipu at the same time. It is mentioned by several Hindu scriptures.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BVJRAAAAYAAJ&q=gandabherunda+purana |title=The Vedanta Kesari |date=February 1967 |publisher=Sri Ramakrishna Math. |language=en}}

== Legend ==

== Legend ==

Two-headed bird form of Hindu god Vishnu

Gandaberunda (Sanskrit: गण्डभेरुण्ड, romanized: Gaṇḍabheruṇḍa, lit. ‘terrible-necked’) or Bherunda (Sanskrit: भेरुण्ड, romanized: Bheruṇḍa, lit. terrible) is a two-headed bird in Hindu mythology, a form assumed by the Hindu deity Vishnu. It is believed to possess immense magical strength.^[1] Vaishnava traditions hold it to be a form of Vishnu to fight and subdue Sharabha (In Shaiva traditions, Sharabha is a form of Shiva assumed to pacify Vishnu’s Narasimha avatara).

Depiction[edit]

The bird is generally depicted as clutching elephants in its talons and beaks, demonstrating its immense strength. In a coin found in Madurai, it is shown holding a snake in its beak.^[2] All 2-dimensional depictions show a symmetrical image similar to the double-headed eagle while other images show the long tail feathers resembling a peafowl. In the Chennakeshava Temple, Belur, Karnataka, Gandaberunda, the two faced bird is carved as a scene of “chain of destruction”, which results in the destruction of the universe.^[3] The Gandaberunda was later identified as a secondary form taken by Narasimha, the fourth avatara of Vishnu and it is shown killing both Sharabha and Hiranyakashipu at the same time. It is mentioned by several Hindu scriptures.^[4]

After Narasimha had slain the asura king Hiranyakashipu, he drank his blood, but his fury did not subside. According to the original iterations of this legend, the asura’s son Prahlada was able to pacify the wrath of Narasimha with the recitation of moving prayers, after which the latter returned to Vaikuntha.^[5] However, in one of the traditions it is believed that after killing Hiranyakashyapu, Lord Narasimha got so angry that no one was able to calm him down. According to this iteration, the devas and devis, fearing that Narasimha might destroy the cosmos in his fury, approached the deity Shiva for help. In order to protect creation, Shiva took his Virabhadra form to beseech Narasimha to see reason, but Narasimha ignored…