Mysore Emblem
Date uploaded in London – – 7 March 2024
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Double headed bird is called Bharanda, Gaṇḍabheruṇḍa, Bhāraṇḍa (भारण्ड) in Hinduism. It is a Sanskrit word. From Sumerian Civilization to Vijayanagara Samrajya of 14th century we see this bird in art and architecture. The strange thing about this bird is still the East European countries and Russia use this bird in their national emblems or Flags or coins.
The Gaṇḍabheruṇḍa (गण्डभेरुण्ड), a double-headed eagle, has been the State symbol of many royal dynasties especially in South India. According to the archaeologists and historians, the bird signifies peace, progress and power. The Purāṇas indicate that Viṣṇu as Gaṇḍabheruṇḍa subdued Śiva as Śarabha after Narasiṃha was conquered by Śarabha.
Hindus used it in many places. A rishi was named Bharanda in Yoga Vasistha. It is not unusual to see a bird name for a seer. Many of our Rishis/ Seers have bird names such as Kausika, Bharadwaja, Chandilya etc.
Bharaṇḍa (भरण्ड) is another name for Bheruṇḍa or Garuḍa, as mentioned in the foreword to volume 7 of the translation of the Kathāsaritsāgara.
Probably Panchatantra which is 2000 year old is the earliest Sanskrit book that used this bird .
Bhāraṇḍa (भारण्ड).—A kind of fabulous bird. (Also bhāruṇḍa); एकोदराः पृथग्ग्रीवा अन्योन्यफलभक्षिणः । असंहता विनश्यन्ति भारण्डा इव पक्षिणः (ekodarāḥ pṛthaggrīvā anyonyaphalabhakṣiṇaḥ | asaṃhatā vinaśyanti bhāraṇḍā iva pakṣiṇaḥ) Pañcatantra (Bombay) 5.11.
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Russian Coin 2009
Wikipedia adds more details,
Gandaberunda (Sanskrit: गण्डभेरुण्ड, lit. ’the powerful-necked one’, IAST: Gaṇḍabheruṇḍa) is a two-headed bird and he is a form of the Hindu god Vishnu as Narasimha and he has enormous powers in Hindu mythology. In Hinduism, Gandaberunda is a form of Vishnu as Narasimha who fought and disemboweled and killed Sharabha, a form of Shiva and Hiranyakashipu at the same time in Hindu mythology.
The two headed eagle is holding two elephants in his claws and beaks, revealing his enormous powers. In a coin found in Madurai, he is holding a snake in his beak.
All 2-dimensional depictions show a symmetrical image in which he is a double-headed eagle while other images show his long tail feathers like a peafowl. In the Chennakeshava Temple, Beluru, Karnataka, Gandaberunda as a two headed eagle is carved in a scene of chain of destruction, which results in the destruction of the universe.
Gandaberunda is a form of Narasimha, the fourth incarnation of Vishnu in the Dashavatara of Vishnu and he disemboweled and killed both Sharabha and Hiranyakashipu at the same time. He is present in many Hindu scriptures.
Karnataka Emblem
Gandaberunda is emblem of Kingdom of Mysuru of Vadiyar rulers, and after India was united, it was kept by Mysuru State as its emblem. The Mysuru State was enlarged in 1956 CE and renamed as Karnataka in 1973 CE, and Gandabherunda is official state emblem of Karnataka. It is used as official emblem of Government of Karnataka. It is enormous powers destroying forces of destruction. It is a statue motif in Hindu temples.
A statue showing Gandaberunda is found on a roof of the Rameshvara temple in the temple town of Keladi in Shimoga District, the capital of the Keladi Nayakas. Gandaberunda is used by Vadiyar rulers of Mysuru as Royal emblem. Goverment of Karnataka has Gandaberunda as state symbol and is found on bus terminals and tickets issued by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation. Gold Coins from reign of Achyuta Deva Raya is first to use Gandaberunda on coins.[7] The crest of the Indian navy ship INS Mysuru (D60) shows Gandaberunda.
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In Jainism
Bhāraṇḍa (भारण्ड) refers to “fabulous three-legged birds”, as mentioned in chapter 1.5 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism
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MY OLD ARTICLE POSTED HERE IN YEAR 2011
Double Headed Eagle: Sumerian-Indian Connection
By S Swaminathan, Posted on 18th December 2011.
| Double-Headed bird found in Alaja Huyuk, Turkey, 14th C BC |
There are striking similarities between the Indian and Sumerian civilizations. One of them is the use of the Double Headed Eagle as a royal symbol. From 3800 BC until today this mythical bird is used as a symbol of royalty. Russia and other Eastern European countries use it on their currency notes and national flags. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh praise the mighty strength of this bird in coins, sculptures and literature. The Panchatantra used the story of double headed bird, also known as Ganda Berunda bird, to emphasize unity.
Ancient Cankam (Sangam) Tamil literature used this bird in their love poetry. Devotional poets of India like Ekanath also used this bird as a simile.
Sumerians considered this bird the symbol of God Ninurta of Lagash. They thought it had divine power. We can trace the history of this mythical bird from the Sumerian days. A cylindrical seal shows the double headed eagle from 3800 BC. Later, the Hittite empire which had its capital in Bogazkoy (in Modern Turkey) used it in several monuments. Even today we can see the monuments displaying this symbol in huge sculptures in Hattusa and Yazilikaya. Bogazkoy was the place where a tablet with the names of the Vedic Gods: Indra, Mitra, Nasatya and Varuna was discovered. The tablet was dated 1380 BC. This establishes the Indian connection of the region.
Even the Holy Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire used this symbol. This Hindu symbol was used by the Christians.
In Sanskrit literature – the Panchatantra (book of fables) has a story about Ganda Berunda bird. It says that the bird had two heads but one stomach. In the story, one head wanted to drink Amrita (ambrosia) but the other head went for poison. Ultimately, the head that drank the poison made the bird die. The moral of the story is that disunity is dangerous.
| Sculpture in Keladi Temple, Karnataka |
Tamil literature, dated two thousand years old, mentions it in three places. In Akananuru, poet Kapilar (verse 12) compares this double-headed, single-bellied bird to two people in love. Though there were two physical bodies, they have one life. Nallanthuvanar also used this simile in Paripatal (Verse 8-72). But another Tamil poet Maruthan Ilanagan in Kalithokai (verse 89) used this bird in the form of two fighting heads, like the Panchatantra story. It shows that Indians from one end of the land to the other knew this bird very well. Thakadur Yaththirai is a lost Tamil book, but excerpts are available as quotes in other works. These quotes compared the fight between two kings Athiyaman and Peruncheral Irumporai to the double headed bird fighting with itself. (Ref. Purath thirattu verse 785).
The Bird that lifts elephants
The most imaginative story of the bird comes from the Vijayanagar Empire. Gold Coins issued by Achyuta Raya (1530-1542) show the Ganda Berunda bird lifting an elephant in each of its beaks. Its power is legendary. Other coins show each head holding a snake. Before Achyuta Raya Devaraya II (1422-1446) issued coins with the bird’s name in Deva Nagari script.
Jain Stupa at Sirkap, Taxila is the most ancient Ganda Berunda monument in India. We can see this mythical bird sculptures in Srisailam, Keladi, Koramangala, Belur and the medieval art of Sri Lanka.
| Achyuta Gold coin with the bird |
Recently even dances were choreographed showing the magical strength of the bird. Dasara Flower Show in Mysore had a 10 foot flower decoration of the bird to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the bird symbol in Karnataka.
The Wodeyar family of Mysore use this as their royal emblem. Later the Government of Karnataka used it as the emblem of the state. There are stories connecting this bird with the Narasimha (Man-Lion) avatara of Vishnu.
Eastern European country Albania has this bird in its national flag. Several countries issued stamps and coins as well. Russian Roubles and Kopeks had this bird.
| National flag of Albania |
In the Eastern Province Erzurum of Turkey, a huge double headed eagle is being erected in 2011 which is visible from space. Turkey gives so much importance to this legendary bird.
An ancient monument of Turkey shows this bird lifting two hares on its beaks. But the imagination of Indians made it a dinosaur lifting two elephants on its beaks!
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Tags- Double headed bird, Gandabhrunda, Bharanda, Eagle, Russia, Mysore, emblem
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