Prelude to Sharabha Avatara

Sanatkumara said

Wise Nandishvara, be kind, and out of affection for me tell me what happened next.

Nandishvara replied

When Virabhadra said this Nrisimha was overwhelmed with rage. He roared and rushed to seize him. Meanwhile Shiva's extremely terrible energy arose, invincible, enveloping the sky and becoming the very cause of fear, so that Virabhadra's form was visible only for an instant. Maheshvara's energy was neither golden nor amiable, nor born of sun or fire, nor like lightning or the moon. It was matchless, and all those energies merged into Shankara's. That great energy did not belong to the sky, and finally it took the form of the general Rudra, marked by a misshapen figure. Parameshvara became directly manifest as the destroyer. Seeing it, all the gods cried "Victory" in auspicious tones. He had a thousand hands and matted hair with the crescent moon on his head. His whole body was huge, with wings and a beak, very sharp large fangs and talons like vajra for weapons, a dark throat, mighty arms and legs and a fiery complexion. His deep fearful voice rumbled like the clouds at the end of a yuga. He was furious, and the fire covering his wide eyes was like a demoness. His fangs and lips showed. Hara uttered the sound "hum" and appeared in this fierce form. As soon as Nrisimha saw this enemy his strength and valour were destroyed. He was confounded, his brilliance like a firefly's before the thousand-rayed sun. Hara battered his navel and legs with his wings, bound his legs with his tail, wrapped his hands with his own, beat him on the chest, seized Hari in his arms and suddenly rose into the sky with Vishnu, where gods and great sages were, like a hawk seizing a snake. Again and again he hurled him up and flung him down, and as they flew on, Nrisimha was confused by the beating of Bhagavan's wings. Powerful Hari was helpless in Ishvara Hara's grip. All the gods followed and praised him with cries of "I bow", and Brahma and the other sage lords bowed lovingly to him. As he was carried so, controlled by another, Hari's face was dejected. He folded his hands and praised Paramesha in fine words, using a hundred and eight names for Mridha, and begged Sharabheshvara again and again: whenever pride tainted his mind and he showed Shiva disrespect, let him be carried off in this way. Nrisimha said this lovingly to Shankara, helpless and bowed. Vishnu was defeated and his life came to an end, and in an instant powerful Virabhadra destroyed his limbs, his face and whatever remained of his body and form.

The divinity in Sharabha form was praised by Brahma and the others, who hailed Shankara as the bringer of welfare to all the worlds. The gods said: Maheshvara, Brahma, Vishnu, Indra, the moon, all the gods, the great sages and all the daityas arose from you, lord of everything; you make and protect Brahma, Vishnu, great Indra, Surya and the other gods and asuras. Since you take away samsara the learned call you Hara, and since you seized Hari and carried him off they call you Hara too. Dividing your body into eight parts you hold up everything. The gods desire that you protect them. You are the great Purusha, Shambhu, Sarvesha, leader of the gods, the self of those who own nothing, the faultless self, the supreme brahman and refuge of the good, the friend of the distressed and ocean of compassion, wise, the great lord, whose sign is being-consciousness-bliss. Hearing the gods, Shambhu Parameshvara spoke to the gods and the divine ancient great sages. He said that as water poured into water, milk into milk and ghee into ghee, so Vishnu merges into Shiva and into no one else. It was Vishnu's own self that became powerful Nrisimha and was filled with haughtiness, and then Nrisimha set about destroying the universe. Those of his devotees who desire success would pray to him and honour him, for he was foremost among Shiva's devotees and the giver of boons among them. Saying this, while all the gods watched, the bird-king Bhagavan vanished. The illustrious, strong Virabhadra, leader of ganas, stripped off Nrisimha's hide and took it to the mountain, and since then Shankara has worn Nrisimha's hide as a garment. Nrisimha's face became the chief in his garland of skulls. The gods lost their fear and sang this account, and, their eyes wide in wonder, returned where they had come from. This sacred account holds the essence of the Vedas. One who reads or hears it gets all he desires, and it increases wealth, fame, lifespan, freedom from disease and nourishment. It removes every obstacle and ailment, calms misery, fulfils wishes, is an abode of auspiciousness, wards off untimely death, gives intelligence and destroys enemies. This supreme form of the Pinaka-wielder, the Sharabha form, should be revealed only to Shiva's devotees, and will be read and heard only by those whose selves are in Shiva. It gives the nine kinds of devotion, is divine and develops inner understanding. It should be read at Shiva's festivals, on chaturdashi and ashtami and when installing Shiva's image, and it brings one nearer to Shiva. A learned person should read it, self-controlled, when there is fear of thieves, tigers, Nrisimhas, his own king or other kings, dust storms, earthquakes, bandits, excess rain, falling meteors, great storms and drought, and his devotion to Shiva will become firm. A person who reads or hears it without desire, keeping Ishvara's vrata, goes to Rudra's world, becomes Rudra's follower, enjoys himself there with Rudra, and by Shiva's compassion gains union with him.