Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Sri Varadha Bhoga Yoga Narasimha Temple, Shanthigrama  Did you know that in the12th century Sri Varadha Bhoga Yoga Narasimha Temple in Shanthigrama in Karnataka a unique feature is the ring of nine forms of Narasimha (Nava Narasimha Vritta) incorporated in the ceiling of its portico?  Sri Varadha Bhoga Yoga Narasimha Temple in Shanthigrama in Hassan district of Karnataka built during the Hoysala period in early 12th century, is dedicated to Narasimha, the fourth lion-man incarnation of Lord Vishnu in a meditative posture called the Yoga Mudra or Yogapatta. It was built in 1122 AD under the reign of Hoysala King Veera Ballala by Prakasa Muni. In subsequent years, under the Hoysala King Vishnuvaradhana's reign, following his conquering the Talakad region, the King gifted the charming Shanthigrama village to his beautiful wife Shantaladevi who was a gifted dancer and musician. Shantaladevi is reported to have substantially refurbished the four temples in Shanthigrama includi...

Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple, Gorur Did you know that the Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple in Gorur Karnataka, built in the sixteenth century, has the self manifest Vigraha (idol) of Lord Narasimha, the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu in Lion-Man form, facing West? The Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple in Gorur, Hassan district of Karnataka, is a quaint temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his fourth avatara (Incarnation) in a lion-man form. Unsually, the self manifest stone Vigraha of Lord Narasimha faces west, instead of the usual east direction, as it is beleived that a sage known as Gokarna rishi did penance on the banks of the Hemavathi River (a tributary of the divine Kaveri River) here facing east. It is a local belief that the Lord Narasimha appeared to the rishi at this very spot on a stone formation in a Yogic posture (hence known as Yoga Narasimha); and the place initially came to be known as Gokarna Kshetra which over the centuries got changed to Gorur in the fifteenth century (1...

Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple, Melukote Did you know that the Lord Narasimha sitting in the Yoga posture on top of the hill at the Yoga Narasimha Temple in Melukote, in religious history is said to have been worshipped by His staunch devotee Prahalada? The Yoganarasimha Swamy Temple, in Melukote in the Pandavpura Taluk in the Mandya district of Karnataka, is located on hill top at an elevation of 3590 feet. It is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu in Lion-Man anthromorphic form, deified in a Yogapatta (Yoga posture), and is said to be one of the most revered of the seven divine temples dedicated to Yoganarasimha. The temple's archives has references in the Vedic literature.   In religious history of Naradiya Purana, the archa vigraha (idol) of Narasimha is said to have been worshipped by His royal deciple Prahalada, son of an evil daitya king Hira...

Yoga Narasimha Temple, Mudigere Did you know that the Yoga Narasimha Temple in Mudigere, Karnataka has the unique vigraha of Lord Narasimha with 'Nine' faces, which are said to be very distinctly visible during the abhisheka only? The Yoga Narasimha Temple located in Mudigere village, Dudda Taluk in Hassan District of Karnataka has the main deity Lord Yoga Narasimha (the Man-Lion avatar of Lord Vishnu) with 'Nine' faces, which are stated to be very distinctly visible during the abhisheka only. The temple also has an exlcusive shrine dedciated to Lakshmi Varaha Swamy which helped to stop the fierce and ferocious destrcitve nature of the main vigraha of Ugra Yoga Narasimha. The temple has history dated to 850 - 900 AD to the Hoyasala period, believed to have been built by the legendary architect (sthapathi) Jakanachari. The temple is constructed in Hoysala Style architectu...

Atmano mokshartham jagat hitaya cha Did you know that Atmano mokshartham jagat hitaya cha, a motto created by Swami Vivekananda, suggests a twofold aim of human life – one is to seek one's own salvation and the other is to do welfare of the world? Atmano mokshartham jagat hitaya cha (translation: for the salvation of our individual self and for the well-being of all on earth) is a sloka, a dictim of the Rig Veda. It has two messages. One is to seek salvation for one's soul and the other is to address the issue of welfare of the world. Swami Vivekananda would often use it, and it became the motto of the Ramakrishna Mission that he founded in 1897 and the related Ramakrishna Math. This motto also cements the two divergent and obvious aspects of 'atman' (soul) and 'jagat hitaya' (service to humanity) which are to be achieved by one's own efforts. To achieve this, constant human effort is a requisite not only for o...