Narasimham - Kerala Mural Archive

Kadavil Thrikkovil, KTK_P008 — Narasimham: full panel view

Detail Photos

Kadavil Thrikkovil, KTK_P008 — Narasimham: detail view

Deity: Narasimham Location: Kadavil Thrikkovil Sreekrishna Swamy Temple Theme: Non-narrative

The fierce form of Narasimha is depicted in this panel. He has four arms and is sitting cross-legged, resembling the seating position of Ayyappa deity. He is holding a shankha chakra in each of his upper arms. His lower arms are held loosely. There are two figures on either side of him. To the right is a sage and to the left is a deva. Both are holding their hands together in Anjali Mudra.

Narrative

Textual Source: Non-narrative
Mythological Tale: Hiranyakashipu was an asura king with disdain for the Gods and arrogance about his own powers. In turn, his son Prahlada is a true devotee of Vishnu, which angers Hiranyakashipu. He tries to kill Prahlada but all his efforts go in vain because of divine intervention. In a fit of anger, Hiranyakashipu asks where Prahlada's God is and crushes a pillar in anger. Out of the pillar emerges the half-man, half-lion form of Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu had acquired the boon of not facing death unless several conditions are fulfilled: he cannot be killed by humans or animals, in day or night, using any weapons, or in sky or land. Narasimha validates all these conditions as he is neither human nor animal, emerges at dusk which is neither day nor night, uses his claws not any weapons, and finally neither in sky nor land but on Narasimha’s lap. The depiction reminds the devotee that God comes to the aid of a true devotee and is omnipresent.
Episode: Non-narrative

Iconography

Primary Deity/Figure: Narasimham
Iconographic Form: Narasimham (Vishnu's incarnation)
Iconographic Attributes: White skinned half lion, half human form of Vishnu; has fangs, open mouth full of teeth; long claws; four-armed; two of the lower arms, hanging downwards, two of the upper arms, holding the shankha and chakra; wearing a red upper jacket and ornaments, including an ornate crown; Two figures on either side: to the right, a golden-colored sage with long beard and mustache and matted locks, yellow dhoti, rudraksha strings, hands in anjali mudra; To the left, a green-skinned deva with ornaments, long black hair, yellow dhoti, hands in anjali mudra.
Visual & Formal Features: Facial expression detail, Hand gesture (mudra), Ornamentation
Rasa: Raudra

Spatial & Architectural

Zone within Temple: Sanctum
Position in Pradakshina Sequence: 8
Adjacent Panels: Poothanamoksham and Navaneethachoran

Condition & Documentation

Condition: Good
Deterioration Type: Plaster loss
Restoration Status: Unrestored
Documentation Type: DSLR full panel
Permission Basis: Temple priest
Date of Documentation: 15/07/2024
Artist: Unknown
Identifier: KTK_P008
Rights / Notes: These images may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior permission.