| Pratyangira | |
|---|---|
 Narasimhi upon her lion mount | |
| Other names | Narasimhi, Atharvana Bhadrakali, Pratyangira, Simhamukhi |
| Sanskrit | प्रत्यङ्गिरा |
| Affiliation | Mahadevi, Chandi, Durga, Kaushiki, Mahalakshmi, Lalita |
| Weapon | Trishula (Trident), Damaru (Drum), Kapala, Pasha (rope/snake rope) |
| Mount | Lion |
| Texts | Devi Bhagavata, Kalika Purana, Atharvaveda |
| Consort | Vishnu as Narasimha[1] |
Pratyangira (Sanskrit: प्रत्यङ्गिरा, Pratyaṅgirā), also called Atharvana Bhadrakali, Narasimhi, Simhamukhi, and Nikumbala, is a Hindu goddess associated with Shaktism. She is described to be the female energy and consort of Narasimha.[2][3] According to the Tripura Rahasya, she is the pure manifestation of the wrath of Tripura Sundari. In the Vedas, Pratyangira is represented in the form of Atharvana Bhadrakali, the goddess of the Atharva Veda and magical spells.[4] Narasimhi is part of the Saptamatrika mother goddesses.
There are many Hindu texts that narrate the different legends of Narasimhi.
In a tale in the Devi Mahatmyam, Narasimhi was one of the Saptamatrikas, or one of the seven mother goddesses who were forms of the goddess Mahadevi. They had assembled to defeat the asuras Sumbha and Nisumbha, who had overrun Svarga (heaven).[5]
According to many Puranas, at the end of the Krita Yuga, a glittering spark appeared from the universe and transformed into a wicked demon named Vipulasura. Vipulasura disturbed a group of eight sages who were performing rituals of Ashta Lakshmi. This angered the goddess Lakshmi who transformed a holy lotus flower into a kavacha or a strong shield. It is also mentioned that the lotus that was transformed had 562 petals in it. The shield provided a great protection to the eight sages, allowing them to perform the holy rituals without any disturbance. Following this, Mahadevi took the form of Narasimhi and defeated and killed the demon Vipulasura.[6]
According to the Markandeya Purana and Shiva Purana, in the beginning of the Treta Yuga, Narasimha, the fourth among the ten avataras of Vishnu, killed the unruly asura king Hiranyakashipu by disembowelling him. Narasimha grew furious and unstoppable due to the evil energies contained in Hiranyakashipu's body that entered into him. The story ends with Prahlada pacifying Narasimha and he returns to Vaikuntha after assuming his true form as Vishnu.[7] In the Shaiva tradition, Shiva assumed the form of Sharabha, a bird-lion hybrid form. Sharabha tried to carry Narasimha in his talons, but Narasimha in turn assumed the form of Gandabherunda and engulfed Sharabha. Upon the prayers of Shiva as Sharabha, Parvati took the form of Pratyangira and emerged out of the head of Sharabha, pacifying Narasimha and taking her place as his consort, Narasimhi, after which Narasimha released Sharabha.[8]
The term 'Prati' means reverse and Angiras means attacking. Thus, the goddess Pratyangira is the one who reverses any black magic attacks. In the temples of South India, she is also eulogised as Atharvana Bhadrakali as the she is considered the embodiment of the Atharva Veda.[9][10]
In some images she is shown as dark-complexioned, terrible in aspect, having a lion's face with reddened eyes and riding a lion or wearing black garments, she wears a garland of human skulls; her hair stands on end, and she holds a trident, a serpent in the form of a noose, a hand-drum and a skull in her four hands. She is associated with Sharabha and she has a variant form, Atharvana-Bhadra-Kali. She is considered to be a powerful repellent of the influences generated by witchcraft and is said to have the power to punish anyone doing Adharma. It is said that when Narasimhi shakes her lion's mane, she throws the stars into disarray.[11][12]
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Prathyangira is also mentioned in the Hindu epic Ramayana. Indrajita was performing "Nikumbala yajna" (a sacred ritual to worship Goddess Nikumbala, which is another name of Goddess Pratyangira)[13] while Rama and his soldiers were waging war in Lanka. Hanuman came down to stop this ritual because he knew that if Indrajita completed it, he would become invincible and he stopped the yajna and thus, Lakshmana defeated and killed Indrajita in the Battle of Lanka.
Tantra classifies deities as Shanta (calm), Ugra (wrathful), Prachanda (horrifying), Ghora (terrifying) and Teevara (ferocious). Pratyangira is considered as a teevara murti. Pratyangira worship is strictly prohibited for people who have namesake Bhakti. Pratyangira worship is only done by the guidance of a Guru who is proficient in Tantra.[14]
Worships dedicated to Pratyangira is performed at many places for the welfare of the people and for eliminating the influences of evil forces. In some temples, Pratyangira Homam is performed on the days of Amavasya.[15]
Like all Tantric deities, she can be invoked for the eight kinds of acts usually performed. They are appealing, growth, increasing, attracting, subduing, dissention repealing and killing. Detailed information is found as to what kind of materials are to be used for the respective aim, and the number of recitations to be performed. It is further said that any act performed invoking this deity, especially the bad ones like killing and subduing, it is impossible to retract it even when the doer wishes.[16][17]
