Kañci is one of those “beloved places” (ukantaruḷiaṉilaṅkaḷ) of the South Indian landscape where God loves to stay, preferring it to his heavenly abode. In the Āḻvārs’ poetry there is the common conceit of God loving to dwell in the earthly shrine hearing “sweet Tamil songs” sung in his praise. …

“All Braj is gathered at edge of the Jamunā To see Saṅkarṣaṇ’s brother dance on the head of Kāliya the snake: With his feet — thei thei — he sounds out the rhythm of the deep mridangam drum And the heavens fill with chariots — courtiers and musicians whose love and delight make them sing. Before him…

As the Bhāgavata movement along with the cult of Narasimha grew popular in the Tamil land, the devotional literature of the Āḻvārs turned replete with references to the various avatars of Viṣṇu, including Narasiṃha, who was mentioned in eight of the Āḻvārs’ works. The first is Poygai Alvar, who was…

Evolution and Iconography — ॐ नमो भगवते नरसिंहाय नमस्तेजस्तेजसे आविराविर्भव वज्रनख वज्रदंष्ट्र कर्माशयान् रन्धय रन्धय तमो ग्रस ग्रस ॐ स्वाहा । अभयमभयमात्मनि भूयिष्ठा ॐ क्ष्रौम् ॥ “I offer my obeisances unto Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the source of all power. O Lord who possess nails and teeth like thunderbolts, vanquish our demon-like desires for fruitive activity…

Study of a Sūrsāgar Folio at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art In the lower right hand corner of this folio, the blind poet and supreme bhakta of Kṛṣṇa, Sūrdās is witnessing a series of līlas in which Kṛṣṇa and his beloved Rādhā cross-dress and exchange garments and gendered…

This painting from the National Museum, New Delhi depicts Hanumān crossing the ocean to reach Lanka and is from a folio from the Shangri Rāmāyaṇa from the 18th century. As he passes through the glistening rain-filled clouds in the sky, disappearing then appearing once again from behind the clouds, In…

The Bhāgavata Purāṇa paints a vivid imagery of the beautiful young Kṛṣṇa’s pastime of playing the flute and enchanting the cows and the cowherds alike.When the young women of Vraja hear the sound of his flute, they are rendered speechless, overcome by an intoxicating lust and simply lose themselves in…

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata | abhy-ut-thānam adharmasya tadā ‘tmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham || “Whenever there is a fading away of order, O descendent of Bharata, And an uprising of disorder — at that time I propel myself forth (i.e., incarnate in some form).” (Bhagavadgīta 4.7) Just as the…

Lord Śiva is called “the Conqueror of Death” and the Mahāmṛtyuñjaya Mantra or Rudra Mantra is used for the propitiation of Śiva for the conquest of Death. It found in the Ṛg Veda (VII.59.12), Yajur Veda, Atharva veda and in the Taittarīya Upaniṣad. It is also called the Mṛta-Sanjīvini mantra…