Sharabha

Sharabha (, ) or Sarabha is an eight-legged part-lion and part-bird deity in Hindu religion, who is described as more powerful than a lion or an elephant, possessing the ability to clear a valley in one jump in Sanskrit literature. In later literature, Sharabha is described as an eight-legged deer.

The Shaiva scriptures narrate that the deity Shiva assumed the form of Sharabha to pacify Narasimha - the fierce man-lion avatar of Vishnu worshipped by the Vaishnava sect. This form is popularly known as Sharabheshvara ("Lord Sharabha") or Sharabheshvaramurti. In the mainstream Shiva Purana, Shiva assumed the form of Sharabha, a bird-lion hybrid form with two wings of Shakti in the form of Shulini Devi and Pratyangira Devi to calm down Narasimha. Seeing this, Narasimha created Gandaberunda, a powerful two-headed bird, to fight Sharabha. Seeing that the fight between Sharabha and Gandaberunda was terrorizing the world, Pratyangira in her ugra form was released from the third eye of Sharabha. Pratyangira managed to pacify Narasimha so he could resume his Satvik form, and thus Dharma in the world was restored.

Vaishnavas refute the portrayal of Narasimha as being destroyed by Sharabha Shiva, and regard Sharabha as a name of Vishnu. Some Vaishnava scriptures such as the ''Narasimha Purana'' suggest that Vishnu assumed the form of the ferocious two-headed bird Gandabherunda, who in turn defeated Sharabha.

In Buddhism, Sharabha appears in Jataka Tales as an earlier birth of the Buddha. It also appears in Tibetan Buddhist art, symbolizing the perfection of effort. As a figure of power and majesty, Sharabha has appeared in numerous emblems. Provided by Wikipedia