SREE NARASIMHA - PARTHASARATHY TEMPLE THIRUVANGOOR
Legend
SREE NARASIMHA
In the Hindu mythology Hiranyakashipu was the first rebirth of Jaya, one of the two gatekeepers of Vaikuntha, the abode of Mahavishnu. After his brother Hiranyaksha was killed by Vishnu's third avatar Varaha, Hiranyakashipu vowed to avenge his brother's death. The demon king performed severe penance to appease Brahma, the creator. Brahma granted Hiranyakashipu a boon that made him nearly invulnerable: "No weapon or being, neither man nor animal, neither divine nor demonic, neither living nor dead could harm him and he would not be killed during the day or at night, indoors or outdoors and on the earth or in the sky." Additionally, the demon asked Brahma to make him the ruler of the three worlds and all the living beings. With his newfound powers, Hiranyakashipu conquered the three worlds and threw Indra, the king of heaven, off his throne. Hiranyakashipu's son, Prahlada, has become a devotee of Maha Vishnu due to his time spent in Narada's hermitage. When his father asked Prahlada where Vishnu was, the boy replied that Vishnu was omnipresent. Hiranyakashipu asked whether Vishnu was in the pillar of his palace, Prahlada confirmed it. Enraged, the demon king struck the pillar with his mace.
From the shattered pillar emerged Sree Narasimha, half-man and half-lion, who dragged Hiranyakashipu to the entrance of the palace and killed him with his nails at dusk, on the threshold of the palace, thereby satisfying the boon granted by Brahma. The furious Narasimha avatar calmed down after listening to the prayers of Prahlada and showered blessings upon him. The idol installed in this temple is in the serene form of Sree Narasimha blessing the devotee with affection. Sree Narasimha triumphs over the dark forces that emerge in the mind and society and radiates virtue and blessings.
SREE PARTHASARATHY
To restore the Dharma, Lord Mahavishnu incarnates in the mortal realm whenever evil gains the upper hand. As per the request of the Bhumidevi (goddess Earth) and the gods, Mahavishnu incarnated as Sree Krishna, his ninth avatar, to subdue the wicked and re-establish Dharma on earth, as mentioned in the Bhagavata and Vishnu Puranas. In that concept, the most sublime, profound, and timeless blessings are the sacred words of the Bhagavad Gita, which emanated from the divine lips of Lord Sree Krishna. Scholars have described the Bhagavad Gita as the essence of Vedanta. It can be said that Lord Krishna, who was the charioteer of Partha (Arjuna), controlled the war from behind the scenes on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Due to familial attachment, Arjuna had forgotten his duty and laid down his bow and arrow, sitting on the chariot seat. Lord Krishna awakened Arjuna to his duty through Karma, Jnana, and Bhakti Yogas, explaining what is duty and what is not, and highlighting the specialities of other traditions that are supplementary to these. With tenfold fervour, the Lord made Arjuna perform his duty. The idol in the temple embodies the spirit of that Parthasarathi. Just as Sree Krishna steered Arjuna's chariot to victory, He also navigates us through life's challenges, guiding us towards triumph and success.