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DEITIES, PHILOSOPHERS & BHAKTS​

January 21st, 2018

1/21/2018

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AVATARS OF BHAGWAN VISHNU

1/21/2018

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(Part – II)
 
The Bhagavata Puran describes Vishnu's avatars as innumerable, though ten of his incarnations (Dashavatara), are celebrated therein as his major appearances. The commonly accepted number of ten avatars for Vishnu are Matsya; Kurma; Varaha; Narsimha; Vamana; Parsurama; Rama; Krishna; Buddha and Kalki.

Significance:

Modern interpreters state that Vishnu's ten main avatars are from simple life-forms to more complexes, and compare the Dashavatara concept to the modern theory of evolution.

  1. Matsya - fish (Paleozoic era)
  2. Kurma - amphibious tortoise (Mesozoic era)
  3. Varaha - boar (Cenozoic era)
  4. Narasimha - man-lion, the last animal and semi-human avatar (Cenozoic era)
  5. Vamana - dwarf and first step towards the human form
  6. Parasurama - a hero, but imperfect human form
  7. Rama - Hero, physically perfect, befriends a speaking monkey deity Hanuman
  8. Krishna) - son of Devaki), one formed by God and not an incarnation
  9. Buddha - the Buddhism founder.
  10. Kalki - yet to happen.

Details:
  1. Matsya: Half fish-half man avatar. He saves the world from a cosmic flood, with the help of a boat made of the Vedas (knowledge. A demon steals and tries to destroy the Vedas, but Matsya finds the demon, kills him, and returns the Vedas.
  2. Kurma: Tortoise avatar. He supports the cosmos, while the gods and demons churn the cosmic ocean with the help of serpent Vasuki to produce the nectar of immortality (just like churning milk to produce butter). The churning produces both the good and the bad, including poison and immortality nectar. Nobody wants the poison, everyone wants the immortality nectar. The demons attempt to steal the nectar, wherein Vishnu appears as enchantress Mohini avatar, for whom they all fall, and give her the nectar.
  3. Varaha: Boar avatar. He rescues goddess earth when the demon Hiranyaksha kidnaps her and hides her into the depths of the cosmic ocean. The boar finds her and kills the demon, and the goddess holds onto the tusk of the boar as he lifts her back to the surface
  4. Narasimha: Half lion-half man avatar. Demon king Hiranyakashipu becomes enormously powerful, gains special powers by which no man or animal could kill him, then bullies and persecutes people who disagree with him, including his own son. The Man-Lion avatar creatively defeats those special powers, kills Hiranyakashipu, and rescues demon's son Prahlada who opposes his own father. The legend is a part of the Hindu festival Holi folklore.
  5. Vamana: Dwarf avatar. Demon king Bali gains disproportionately enormous powers, ruling the entire universe and abusing it. The dwarf avatar approaches Bali in the form of a monk when Bali is trying to show off by giving alms at a sacrifice. Bali offers the dwarf any riches he wants; the monk refuses and asks for three steps of land. Bali grants it to him. The dwarf grows, in his first step takes the earth, the second all of the heavens, and for the third the netherworld where Bali returns to.
  6. Parashurama: Sage with an axe avatar. The warrior class gets too powerful and seizes other people's property for their own pleasure. The avatar appears as a sage with an axe, kills the king and all his warrior companions.
  7. Sri Rama: Sri Rama is called “Maryada Purushottom” as he upheld the human values and exemplified value system in family relationship.
 
 

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January 21st, 2018

1/21/2018

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(Part – I)

                                                       ॐ नमोः नारायणाय.ॐ नमोः भगवते वासुदेवाय ।:।||
                                        (Aum Namoh Narayana:! Aum Namoh Bhagwate Vasudevaya)

Bhagwan Vishnu is one of three sakar forms (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) and his cosmic function is preservation and maintenance of life. The tradition of reverence of Vishnu and its avatars is called Vaishnavism or Vishnuism.
 
Signs & Significance

Vishnu is usually depicted as having a dark, or pale blue complexion and having four arms. A traditional depiction is Vishnu reclining on the coils of the serpent Shesha, accompanied by his consort Lakshmi. The significance is as under:

1.    The upper left hand represents liberation. It holds Padma (lotus flower) which is symbol of purity and represents the unfolding of creation from which the universe emerges. It represents truth or Satya and the originator of the rules of conduct or Dharma; and knowledge or Gyana.

2.   The upper right hand represents cohesiveness and holds the discus or chakra which symbolizes the mind and shines like a tiny sun. The Chakra is named Sudarshan. This name is derived from two words - Su, which means "good", and Darshan, which means "vision". The discus as a weapon thus indicates the necessity of destroying one's ego and illusory self-existence and developing the vision to identify the eternal truth. The discus has six spokes and symbolizes a lotus with six petals, thus representing the power that controls all six seasons.

3.   The lower right hand is said to represent creativity and holds the conch, which is the symbol of the five elements. The Conch or Shankha is named Panchajanya, or the originator of the five basic elements - water, fire, air, earth and sky or space. It is said that the sound that evolves from blowing this conch is the primeval sound of creation. The blowing of the Conch by Vishnu is said to remind his devotees to practice kindness and compassion towards all of existence, kindness and compassion being the language the Lord uses to address his devotees.

4.   The lower left hand represents individual existence and holds the mace, which symbolizes the primeval force from which all mental and physical strength is derived. The Mace, or Gada is named Kaumodaki.



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January 21st, 2018

1/21/2018

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