Harihara

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For the city in Karnataka, India, see: Harihar

For Harihara, the Imperial founder, see: Vijayanagara Empire

Harihara is a the name of a combined deity form of both Vishnu and Shiva from the Hindu tradition. Harihara is thus worshipped by both Vaishnavites and Shaivities as a form of the Supreme God, as well as being a figure of worship for other Hindu traditions in general. Harihara is also sometimes used as a philosophical term to denote the unity of Vishnu and Shiva as different ascpects of the same Supreme God. The exact nature of both Vishnu and Shiva (from their associated stories in Vedic and Puranic scriptures), and their position of difference or unity (or both), is a subject of some debate amongst the different philosophical schools.

1 Different Concepts
- 1.1 One and the same
- 1.2 Milk and Yoghurt
2 References
3 See also
4 External links
- 4.1 The Position of Shiva & Vishnu
- 4.2 Harihara images

[edit] Different Concepts

Due to the fluid and diverse nature of Hinduism there are a wide variety of beliefs and traditions associated to both Vishnu and Shiva. Some schools hold that only Vishnu (including his associated avatars) is the Supreme God, and others that Shiva (including his different incarnations) is actually the Supreme being. Some argue that both Shiva and Vishnu are the Supreme God - both being different aspects of the one person; and there are others still who regard the Supreme God as being ultimately formless (advaita) and thus see both Vishnu and Shiva as different facets of the one formless Brahman.

Depending on which scriptures (and translations) are quoted, evidence is available to support each of the different arguments. In most cases, even if one personality is taken as being superior over the other, much respect is still offered to both Vishnu and Shiva by the other's worshippers (i.e Shiva is still regarded as being above the level of an ordinary jiva and 'the greatest of the Vaishnavas' by Vaishnavas who worship only Vishnu). ^[1]

[edit] One and the same

Sivananda states: "Shiva and Vishnu are one and the same entity. They are essentially one and the same. They are the names given to the different aspects of the all-pervading Supreme Soul or the Absolute. ‘Sivasya hridayam vishnur-vishnoscha hridayam sivah—Vishnu is the heart of Siva and likewise Siva is the heart of Vishnu’."

[edit] Milk and Yoghurt

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada states: "Similarly, by expanding Himself as Lord Shiva, the Supreme Lord is engaged when there is a need to annihilate the universe. Lord Shiva, in association with maya, has many forms, which are generally numbered at eleven. Lord Shiva is not one of the living entities; he is, more or less, Krishna Himself. The example of milk and yogurt is often given in this regard -- yogurt is a preparation of milk, but still yogurt cannot be used as milk. Similarly, Lord Shiva is an expansion of Krishna, but he cannot act as Krishna... The essential difference is that Lord Siva has a connection with material nature, but Vishnu or Lord Krishna has nothing to do with material nature." ^[2]