Maha Pratyangira Devi

maha prtyangira devi
As told in Markandeya Purana: In the beginning of the Satya yuga, the Lord Narasimha, an avatar of Vishnu, killed the unruly King Hiranyakashipu by tearing up his body and drinking his blood. Because of the anger in Hiranyakashipu's body and the malicious effects of human blood, Narasimha was drunk on rage and could not be stopped. To calm him down with the power of compassion, Lord Shiva came down as Sarabeswara, a bird-animal-human hybrid. Upon seeing this, Lord Narasimha created Gandaberunda, a two headed-bird that was Sarabeswara's opposite. Upon seeing this, Sarabeshwara turned into Bhairava (Shiva's fierce form) and created the godddess Prathyangira from his third eye. They praised her as she calmed Narasimha down by sitting on his lap.

Another legend states that in ancient times two rishis (seers), Prathiyangira and Angiras were meditating and through a root mantra, discovered a nameless goddess. Later she honoured the rishis by naming herself after them and hence, she was called as Prathiyangira Devi.

According to the Narasimha Purana, Lord Narsimha was very angry after killing Hiranyakashyupu. He set on Hiranyakashyupu's sinhasana. Brahma and Laxmiji were afraid to go towards Narsimha so Brahmaji sent Prahlad towards Narsimha. Prahlad set on Lord Narsimha's lap. Prahlad is the one who calmed lord Narsimha.This is the widely accepted version.

Lord Shiva worshipped Laxmi. Then, she made Sarabha Pakshi become Lord Sarabeswara. Then, Prathyangira came as she was flying in the sky. Her form was powerful, she was bigger than the other gods and goddesses. Her head was above the whole sky and her feet well into the down from a far distance, she had a thousand faces of lions, 2,000 eyes and possibly 2,000 hands with multiple weapons and a thousand tongues.

It is believed her creation came with thunder and lightning and as soon as Narasimha Swami saw her huge figure, he realized the mission of his Avataram and calmed immediately. In her potri malai she is beautifully described as "Sarabeshan Rekkaiyaal Vandhavale Potri, Seeriya Simha mugam etravale Potri, Narasimhan Ugiram Thaniththavale Potri, Engal Annai Sri Prathyangira Potri".

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