Editing Narasimha (section)

==Early images==
[[File:Narasimha statue at National Museum, New Delhi.jpg|thumb|A Statue of Narasimha disemboweling and killing Hiranyakashipu]]

In Andhra Pradesh, a panel dating to third-fourth century CE shows a full theriomorphic squatting lion with two extra human arms behind his shoulders holding a conch and a discus. This lion, flanked by [[Vrishni heroes|five heroes (''Viras'')]], is Narasimha.<ref>Abdul Waheed Khan, ''An Early Sculpture of Narasimha'', Andhra Pradesh Government Archaeological Series 16, Hyderabad: Government of Andhra Pradesh, 1964.</ref> Standing cult images of Narasimha from the early Gupta period, survive from temples at Tigowa and Eran.<ref>Alexander Cunningham, Archaeological Survey of India, Annual Reports IX (1873-75), p.47</ref> These sculptures are two-armed, long maned, frontal, wearing only a lower garment, and with no demon-figure of Hiranyakashipu. Statues of Narasimha disemboweling and killing Hiranyakasipu survive from slightly later Gupta-period temples: one at Madhia and one from a temple-doorway now set into the Kurma Matha at Nachna, both dated to the late fifth or early sixth century CE.<ref name="Michael W. Meiste 1996 pp. 291-301">Michael W. Meiste, ''Man and Man-Lion: The Philadelphia Narasiṁha'', Artibus Asiae, Vol. 56, No. 3/4 (1996), pp. 291–301</ref>

An image of Narasimha supposedly dating to second-third century CE sculpted at [[Mathura]] was acquired by the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1987. It was described by Stella Kramrisch, the former Philadelphia Museum of Art's Indian curator, as "''perhaps the earliest image of Narasimha as yet known''".<ref name="Michael W. Meiste 1996 pp. 291-301" /> This figure depicts a furled brow, fangs, and lolling tongue is same as later images of Narasimha, but the idol's robe, simplicity, and stance set it apart. On Narasimha's chest under his upper garment appears the suggestion of an amulet, which Stella Kramrisch associated with Vishnu's cognizance, the Kaustubha jewel. This upper garment flows over both shoulders; but below Hiranyakasipu, the demon-figure placed horizontally across Narasimha's body, a twisted waist-band suggests a separate garment covering the legs. The Hiranyakashipu's hair streams behind him, catching his head against Narasimha's right knee. He wears a simple single strand of beads. His body is caught and held down. His face is pushed down. His eyes face away below from the face of Vishnu. Hiranyakashipu is caught and pulled down as Narasimha disembowels and kills him. His organs are disemboweled and fall over his right side. In [[Matsya Purana]] it is shown Narasimha disemboweled and killed Hiranyakashipu as a plaiter of straw mats shreds his reeds".<ref name="Michael W. Meiste 1996 pp. 291-301" /> Based on the [[Gandhara]] style of robe worn by the idol, Michael Meiste altered the date of the image to fourth century CE.<ref name="Michael W. Meiste 1996 pp. 291-301" />

An image of Narasimha, dating to the 9th century CE, was found on the northern slope of Mount Ijo, at Prambanan, Indonesia.<ref>[[Jan Fontein]], et al. (1990). The sculpture of Indonesia, p. 145</ref> Images of Trivikrama and Varāha avatāras were also found at Prambanan, Indonesia. Vishnu and His avataras have iconographic differences characteristic of the art of central Java. This includes physiognomy of central Java, an exaggerated volume of garment, and some elaboration of the jewelry. This decorative scheme once formulated became, with very little modification, an accepted norm for sculptures throughout the Central Javanese period (circa 730–930 CE). Despite the iconographic peculiarities, the stylistic antecedents of the Java sculptures can be traced back to Indian carvings as the Chalukya and Pallava images of the 6th–7th centuries CE.<ref>Debjani Paul (1978) ''Deity or Deified King? Reflections on a Unique Vaiṣṇavite Sculpture from Java', Artibus Asiae, Vol. 40, No. 4 (1978), pp. 311–333.''</ref>