Pratyangira

Pratyangira
Pratyangira upon her lion mount
Other names	Narasimhini, Atharvana Bhadrakali, Nikumbhila
Affiliation	Mahadevi, Mahalakshmi, Bhadrakali
Weapon	trishula (trident), damaru (drum), kapala (skull), pasha (rope or snake)
Mount	Lion
Texts	Atharvaveda, Devi Bhagavata Purana, Kalika Purana,
Consort	Narasimha

Pratyangira (Sanskrit: प्रत्यङ्गिरा, IAST: Pratyaṅgirā), also called Narasimhini, Atharvana Bhadrakali, and Nikumbhila, is a Hindu goddess. shes said to be the shakti of serbahswar bhairava She is one of the Matrikas, a group of seven mother goddesses especially venerated in the Shakta and Tantra traditions.

Literature

In the Vedas, Pratyangira is represented earliest in the form of Atharvana Bhadrakali, the goddess of the Atharva Veda and magical spells.

According to the Devi Mahatmya, in order to assist Chandika in her battle against the asura army of Shumbha and Nishumbha, the male gods manifested their female energies as goddesses. Narasimha's energy manifested as Narasimhi, described to be similar to his own form.

According to the Tripura Rahasya, she is a manifestation of the wrath of Tripura Sundari.

Pratyangira is also mentioned in the Hindu epic Ramayana. Indrajita is described to have begun to perform the Nikumbhila yajna, a ritual to worship Nikumbhila—another name for Pratyangira—while Rama and his soldiers were waging war in Lanka. Hanuman is described to have arrived at the site and stopped the ritual because its completion would have granted invincibility to Indrajita. Consequently, Lakshmana was able to defeat and kill Indrajita in the Battle of Lanka.

According to various Puranas, at the end of the Krita Yuga, a glittering spark appeared from the universe and transformed into an asura named Vipulasura. Vipulasura disturbed a group of eight sages who were performing rituals to propitiate Ashta Lakshmi (the eight forms of the goddess Lakshmi). This angered the goddess, who transformed her lotus into a kavacha (shield) to protect them. The goddess then assumed the form of Narasimhi and subsequently defeated and slew Vipulasura.

Iconography

The Pratyangira yantra.

Pratyangira is depicted with the head of a male lion and the body of a woman. In paintings and sculptures, she is typically characterised by a dark complexion, a lion's face, reddened eyes, disheveled hair, and a protruding tongue. She is shown riding a lion vāhana (mount) and wearing a garland of skulls.

Her iconography primarily exists in two distinct forms: a commonly depicted four-armed form and a multi-headed, multi-armed cosmic manifestation called Maha Pratyangira. In the four-armed form, she is seated on her lion mount holding a trishula (trident), a pasha (serpent noose), a damaru (hand drum), and a kapala (skull cup). The Maha Pratyangira form expands this imagery to feature multiple lion faces and numerous hands holding various weapons. Her ugra (fierce) appearance is believed to serve as a protective visual form for her adherents.

Worship

Pratyangira is worshipped across various traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Her sadhana (spiritual practice) is performed by adherents for the purpose of counteracting evil rites and magic, obtaining welfare, and destroying suffering.

A number of temples are dedicated to the goddess, primarily in South India:

• Prathyangira Devi Temple, Shollinganallur
• Maa Pratyangira Kalika Alayam
• Prathyangira Devi Temple, Ayyavadi

See also

• Matrikas
• Varahi
• Brahmani