Sarbha(Hindu Mythology)

 Sarabha is a Hindu mythological beast. It was look like part of half lion and part of half bird. In some pictures it has been showed having an elephant trunk and was consisting eight legs. It was a carnivorous animal was eating raw meat like others. In scriptures it is described as lion slayer. It was living in mountain ranges like Gobardhan mountain and some ancient mountains of Hinduism. Sarabha is mentioned in Hindu scriptures like Ramayan,Mahabharat.Vaishnav puran etc.

In the Mahabharat it was in form of a dog then Rishi(Hindu monk) blessed him as a lion then elephant then made it Sarabha. And after formtion of Sarabha it started eating everyone and Rishi got angry on it's haughtiness ,  Rishi cursed it again to a dog form.

In the Ramayan when Rama was looking for his lost wife Sita it is said that a Sarabha appeared and wanted to eat him but Rama killed him with his bow and arrow. So Rama is said as Sarabha slayer after that by his followers. 

In Vaishnav puran, after the Carnation of Hindu God Bishnu into Narshima(Half man and half lion), Narshima was in anger and he wanted to destroy everyone. Seeing this another Hindu God Shiva formed into Sharav to make him calm and he took Narsimha with his bird like legs. It has been said that Shiva killed Narsimha because of Narsimha requested to kill him.

Sarabha is also described in Buddhist scriptures , Buddhist monks were believing that Goutam Buddha had an another life as a Sarabha. Coz most of Buddhist were Hindus and excgange of their culture , placed Sarabha in Buddhist scripture.

Sarabha was used as symbol in the time of Chola dynasty.

And it is now uses as emblem of Karnataka government.

God bless you all.