Ashtamukha Gandabherunda Narasimha ( अष्टमुख गंड भेरुण्ड महा नरसिम्हा)

 

Ashtamukha Gandabherunda Narasimha

According to Hindu Mythology  , Narasimha Avataar   is fourth one. The hindu people praises Narasimha Avataar in various forms. Out of them the most specific and rare form is Gandabherunda .As per mythological Texts the Ganda berunda form described as two headed bird. The anger &ferocious form of Lord Gandabherunda Narasimha is two headed bird while calm & peaceful form of Lord Ganabherunda Narasimha is Single headed bird. This form appears as Maha Garuda I.e Great  Eagle.  Some of the Hindu devotees,worships the Lord Narasimha in the form of 8 faces Gandaberunda which is called as "Astamukha Gandaberunda".The Eight forms of "Astamukha Gandaberunda" is (1)Gandabherunda Pakshi Raja (2)Nrisimha Mrugaraja (3)Maha vyaghra (4) Hayagriva (5) Adi Varaha (6) Aghora Vaanarendra (7) Maha Garuda (8) Bhalluka

The Ganda Berunda took physical form in the Narasimha,after Narasimha has slain the demon Hiranyakashyapa, through the taste of blood, Narasimha did not let go of his dreadful form and the demigods were even more afraid from the supreme lord now, than before the demon. Shiva, the best friend of Vishnu, thus incarnated himself as Sharabha a part-lion and part-bird beast. With his Wings, representing Goddess Durga and Kali, he embraced Narasimha and pacified him. But out of Narasimha (Vishnu) emerged an even more fearful form: Ganda Berunda, having two heads, fearful rows of teeth, black in complexion and with wide blazing wings. The destructive energy of Narasimha (Vishnu) in the form of the two-headed bird, began to fight fiercely with Sharabha (Shiva) for eighteen days. After the eighteenth day, Narasimha (Vishnu) was finally able to overcome his infinite fierce energy, and regained control over it. In order to save the universe from Vishnu and Shiva's fiercest forms (Berunda and Sharabha), Vishnu stopped the fight.   Narasimha (Vishnu)  and Shiva finally transformed back in their  usual form

Lord Narasimha is also called as Ashtamukha Gandaberunda. Remember, Pratyangira is not to be confused with the lion faced devi form, which seems like an extension of the dasha maha vidya. Here, Prtyangira or Simha Mukhi Lakshmi is none but Mahalakshmi.

It is believed that Ashta Mukha Gandaberunda is none but the combined power of Narasimha in all his Grandeur with Sharabha, Durga,Kali forming a part of his body and Lakshmi as Narasimhi/Pratyangira cooling his ferocity.

To establish dharma, save pious people from the clutches of demons / ill minded people, Sriman Narayana manifested into several avatars and Sri Narasimha Avatar is one among them; most of us knew that Narasimha had killed Hiranyakasyapu, the demon king and blessed Prahlada his great devotee; due to His furious nature as Narasimha, no one could control his anger, Brahma and other mini gods were afraid of his rage.

Brahma, accompanied by other mini gods, approached Shiva and described the Narasimha Avatar. Siva took it lightly and said this is a tiny issue and he can sort it out with ease in no time; he instructed Vinayaka to subdue Narasimha; when Vinayaka approached Narasimha, Narasimha severely warned and drove him away; Nandi, Aghora Veerabhadra were sent to subdue Narasimha, one after the other, after Vinayaka failed in his attempts, Nandi, Aghora Veerabhadra were severely attacked by Narasimha and they reported severity of their experience to Siva; ego and arrogance entered Shiva’s mind and he took the form of Sharabeswara with 5 heads, 16 arms, 8 legs, Kali and Durga as his wings and was accompanied by his parivara devatas and he reached the spot to fight with Narasimha.

Narasimha’s blazing fury reached peak, he took the form of Ashtamukha Gandabherunda Narasimha – the 8 faces are:

1] Twin headed Gandabherunda facing East,

2] Adi Jvala Narasimha facing SouthEast,

3] Vyagra facing South,

4] Hayagriva facing SouthWest,

5] Varaha facing West,

6] Hanuman facing NorthWest,

7] Garuda facing North and

8] Bhalluka facing NorthEast.

Here we have to note the power and secret of the name. Many of us knew very well that Hanuman also has 5 faces and in that form he is called / worshiped only as Panchamukha Hanuman but whereas here the name is Sri Ashtamukha Gandabherunda Narasimha and not Ashtamukha Gandabherunda. There is a significance of the name Narasimha added as suffix to the name i.e. all the 8 faces not only have their individual, specific grandeur and strength but it is combined form, i.e. gets double effect, fortified with the grandeur, strength of Narasimha and that is why this avatar gets the name as Sri Ashtamukha Gandabherunda Narasimha.

Ashtamukha Gandabherunda Mahanarasimha

One should perform the ekādaśa sahasra japa and tarpaṇa for śarabheśvara who, in our lineage, is the pūrvāṅga for the mantra of Gaṇḍabheruṇḍa Nṛsiṃha. Without the initial japa of the fifty-six lettered Dakṣiṇāmnāya mantra of Sāḻuveśa, in the krama followed by us, one is not permitted to undertake the procedure for Gaṇḍabheruṇḍa Narasiṃha.

Also, for both the mantras, owing to their fierce nature, some kind of japaśānti is prescribed. The Tantra of Gaṇḍabheruṇḍa Nṛsiṃha, said to be revealed by Mārīca Kāśyapa, prescribes the use of Tryakṣarī Bhuvaneśvarī for the purpose of japaśānti. As Bālā is the chief mantra used for japaśānti in our Sampradāya [as also śaiva Pañcākṣarī], ūrdhvāmnāya Bālā is used after the japa of the mahāmantra (as it includes in itself the Bhuvaneśvarī bīja).

After completing a hundred thousand japa of the mūla mantra of the Lord (for some reason, mālā mantras and digbandhana mantras seem to be incorrectly treated as mukhya mantras today), one performs the āvaraṇa pūjā of the dvātriṃśāvaraṇa cakra, using sweetened lemon water as viśeṣārghya. Following this, tarpaṇa is offered using milk or water made ruddy by adding rakta-chandana. Bali is offered to sixty-four yoginīs and Nṛsiṃha gaṇas, and then to the main deity using a white pumpkin. The deity then expresses its statement of grace in a dream or through avishkarana.

Several years ago, during the second puraścaraṇa of the mahāmantra of Gaṇḍabheruṇḍa Nṛsiṃha, severe bodily afflictions were experienced and the unbearable energy of the mantra could not be easily discharged. This is a great possibility especially for those with a predominant kapha pravṛtti. At that point, I was guided one night in a dream to consume honey sanctified with Bhuvaneśvarī bīja-puṭita Mantrarāja seven times every day until the afflictions dissolved completely. In about three days, the afflictions dissolved and the grace of the Lord was magnificently experienced. There certainly is a reason why Māgha is the chosen month for the propitiation of this rather severe form of the Lord.

Like the upāsanā of Ucchiṣṭa Gaṇapati, one should completely immerse oneself in Nṛsiṃha-bhāva while invoking the Lord in this form as failing to do so will result in a perceived separation from the deity which may result in calamity to the upāsaka.