HARIHARA

also spelled Hari-hara, in Hinduism, a syncretic deity, combining the two major gods, Vishnu (Hari) and Siva (Hara). Images of Harihara (also known as Sambhu-Visnu and Sankara-Narayana, variants of the names of the two gods) began to appear in the classical period after sectarian movements, which elevated one god as supreme over the others, had waned sufficiently for efforts at compromise to be attempted. The dual form found special favour in Cambodia, where inscriptions and images in the 6th7th century are known. In images of Harihara, the right half is depicted as Siva and the left as Vishnu. The visage of the Siva half is awesome, befitting his function as destroyer, and its hands hold the trisula (trident); the Vishnu side is pacific, appropriate to the preserver role of that deity, and its hands hold weapons characteristic of him. Half the headdress is shown with Siva's matted locks and half as Vishnu's crown, and, on the forehead, half of Siva's third eye is visible.