[Advaita-l] Is there a 'Hari-Hara Avatāra' of Viṣṇu?

[V Subrahmanian]

There is a famous temple 'Shankaranarayanan Koil' in Tamilnadu:

http://chitra-mypilgrimage.blogspot.in/2009/08/sankar-narayanar-temple-at-sankaran_04.html


//This is the place where Goddess Parvati, known here as Gomathi Amman had
performed a penance to have the darshan of Vishnu and Siva in unison. She
performed the *tapasu *in the month of Aadi which is an auspicious month
for the south Indians. Both Vishnu and Siva appeared before her in unison
called Shankar Narayan. The deity here is half Vishnu and half Siva and
this can be easily distinguished by the costume that is adorned to the
deity. One onside it is tiger skin cloth and ash on forehead representing
Siva and on the other half it is white cloth and the Tirunamam which is
typical of Vishnu.//

//This temple is held sacred by both vaishanavites and Saivites as it a
fine example to depict that both Vishnu and Siva are same. Another legend
associated with the temple is that once there was a quarrel between and
Shaivites, the followers of Siva and Vaishanavites, the followers of Vishnu
as to who is the greater god. To put all notions of people at rest to show
that both Vishnu and Siva are same , both Gods appeared before their
devotees in unison one half representing Siva and other half as Vishnu.//

vs