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In early Buddhism, a hymn to the Buddha in Pali composed by his wife Yashodhara, is titled the "Narasiha Gatha"
another title of Buddha. In later Mahayana Sutras, he is known as "Sakyasimha" or the Lion of Sakyas and has many
sutras of the same name in sanskrit.
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Narasimha in Hinduism rips apart the King of demons Hiranyakashipu.
In Buddhism, Buddha is also known as Narasiha in the "Narasiha Gatha".
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from http://www.nrsimhadeva.com
THE LIONS ROAR
Sutta Pitaka
Saüyutta Nikàya
Division III Ý Khandhaka
Book 21 Ý Khandha Saüyutta
Section 2 Ý The Middle Fifty
Chapter 3 Ý Khajjanãya (Tatiyo) Vagga
21. 2. 3. 6.
(78) Sãha Ý The Lion
1. I heard thus. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anàthapiõóika
in Jeta's grove in Sàvatthi.
2. From there the Blessed One addressed the monks:
3. ßMonks, the lion, king
of animals, comes out of his den, stretches himself, looks in the four directions, roars the lion's roar three times, and
sets out in search of prey.
4. ßMonks, the wild animals that hear the lion's roar become frightened and anxious about
their selves and those, living in holes enter holes, living in water dive into water, living in the forest enter the forest,
and birds fly away.
5. ßThe king's elephants in the villages and hamlets well bound with strong ropes, break the bonds,
tear them and, frightened, strew urine and excreta and run away wherever their heads turn.
6, ßMonks this much is
the excellence and the supremacy of the lion to the wild animals.
7. ßIn the same manner, monks when the Thus Gone
One, worthy, rightfully enlightened, endowed with knowledge and conduct, well gone, the knower of the worlds, the tamer of
those to be tamed, the Teacher of gods and men, enlightened, and blessed is born in the world and teaches, `This is matter,
this the arising of matter, the fading of matter. These are feelings, perceptions, intentions and this is consciousness, the
arising of consciousness and the fading of consciousness.'
8. ßMonks, those gods with long life, beauty, enjoying
much pleasantness, and established long in heavenly palaces hear the teachings of the Thus Gone One and become frightened,
and anxious about their selves. `Friends, we being impermanent thought we were permanent; we, being evanescent thought we
were everlasting. Indeed, we are impermanent, not everlasting completed with a self view
9. ßMonks, this is the excellence
and the supremacy of the Thus Gone One to the world together with its gods and men.û
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NARSIHA GATHA
1. His red sacred feet are marked with an excellent wheel;
His long heels are decked with characteristic marks;
His feet are adorned with a chowrie and paraso.
That
indeed, is your father, Narasiha.
2. He is delicate and a noble Sakya Prince;
His body is full of
characteristic marks;
He is a hero amongst men, intent on the welfare of
the world.
That, indeed,
is your father, Narasiha.
3. Like the full moon is His face;
He is dear to Gods and men;
He
is like an elephant amongst men;
His gait is graceful as that of an elephant of
noble breed.
That,
indeed, is your father, Narasiha.
4. He is of noble lineage, sprung from the warrior caste;
His feet
have been honoured by Gods and men;
His mind is well established in morality and
concentration.
That,
indeed, is your father, Narasiha.
5. Long and prominent is His well-formed nose,
His eye-lashes are
like those of a heifer;
His eyes are sapphire blue; like a rainbow are
His sapphire blue eyebrows.
That,
indeed, is your father, Narasiha.
6. Round and smooth is His well-formed neck;
His jaw is like that
of a lion;
His body is like that of king of beast;
His beautiful skin is of bright golden colour.
That,
indeed is your father, Narasiha.
7. Soft and deep is His sweet voice;
His tongue is as red as vermilion;
His white teeth are twenty in each row.
That, indeed, is your father, Narasiha.
8. Like the
colour of collyrium is His sapphire hair;
Like a polished golden plate is His forehead;
As white as the morning
star is His beautiful tuft
of hair (between the eyebrows).
That, indeed, is your father, Narasiha.
9.
Just as the moon, surrounded by a multitude of stars,
Follows the sky path, even so goes the Lord of monks,
Accompanied
by His disciples.
That, indeed, is your father, Narasiha.
(from the Jataka, Yashodhara, Siddhartha's wife praises Lord Buddha as he
returns victorious to his kingdom!)
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