AVATARS OF BHAGWAN VISHNU

(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.

 
 

He was the son of the king of Ayodhya, Dasharatha and his first wife, Kaushalya and as the first born, was entitled to the throne of Ayodhya after Dasharatha. However great ambitions for her son prompted Dasharatha's second wife, Kaikeyi to play a dirty game and she had Rama banished from the kingdom for fourteen years. Rama was accompanied to the forest by his wife, Sita and Lakshamana - the youngest of his three brothers - son of Dasharatha's third wife, Urmila. He along with Sita and Lakshmana, led a life of asceticism for fourteen years. However, Kaikaeyi's son Bharath did not accept the throne which was offered to him and instead ran the kingdom as a caretaker rather than a king.
 
Towards the end of their time in the forest, Sita was abducted by Ravana - the powerful demon king of Lanka - in revenge for the insult brought upon his sister Surpanakha - who had evil designs on Lakshmana. Sita was kept in captivity in Lanka by Ravana. Lord Rama and Lakshmana, along with an army of monkeys, led by their king Sugreeva and Hanuman, attacked Lanka to rescue Sita. Rama killed Ravana in a fierce battle and thus rescued Sita, after which he went back to Ayodhya and was anointed the king. Sri Rama tought mankind the importance of sticking to the concepts of righteousness, justice, truth and strength of character.
 

1. Krishna: Sri Krishna is the eighth incarnation of Vishnu and the only incarnation of the third Yuga - the Dwapar Yuga. He was the eighth son of King Vasudeva and Devaki, who had been imprisoned by Devaki's brother, Kamsa who was killing all their children as soon as they were born, because of a fear that one of their children would be the cause of his death. He was however unable to kill the eighth child whom Vasudeva managed to slip out of the prison. At a very young age, Krishna managed to slay a number of powerful demons.

 
It is said that he is the only fully human incarnation of Vishnu who was aware of his godly powers from infancy. This is why he is often equated with Vishnu rather than being treated as a mere incarnation. He became the ruler of Dwarka and later played a pivotal role in the epic battle of Kurukshetra, between the Kauravas and Pandavas. Krishna was the cousin brother of the Pandavas and Kauravas.
 
It was during this battle of Kurukshetra where Lord Krishna expounded upon the various philosophies that guide the values of righteousness, duty and justice and how all existence is only a tool in God's hands and it is He who defines all that was done is being done and will be ever done. His messages that he preached to Arjuna - one of the Pandava brothers and Krishna's favourite - comprised the Bhagwad Gita which is one of the most revered texts of Hindu philosophy. It was during this preaching that Krishna showed Arjuna the Vishwaroop - the representation of the cosmos and its functions through himself.

1. Gautam Buddha: The ninth Avatar is that of Gautam Buddha - the founder of Buddhism. He appeared in the Kali Yuga. However there is another school of thought that says that Balarama -foster brother of Krishna was the ninth Avatar of Vishnu. However there is a conflict in views on this issue as the opposing school of thought believes Balarama to be an incarnation of Sheshnag - the snake God.

Buddha was originally prince Siddhartha. However he soon faced a number of events that forced him to take a second look at life. This quest for knowledge set him off on a path of renunciation and deep meditation. His penances under a Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya in the present state of Bihar in India resulted in Moksha or enlightenment for him. He then spread the message of the necessity of practicing Ahimsa (non-violence) and detachment from worldly pleasures and desires, for the purpose of inner-peace and true knowledge. His teachings formed the basis of the Buddhism religion. At a time when people were losing faith in humanity and religion and sinning was commonplace as was violence and greed, Buddha brought with him peace and faith for mankind. This incarnation reflects the intellectual and spiritual progress of human civilization.

1. Kalki: The tenth and last incarnation of Vishnu is yet to appear. It is believed that this appearance will take place towards the end of Kali Yuga, whence this Avatar will appear and slay all of those who are evil and will restore a moral and humanitarian order in society.

 
The Festivals celebrated in remembrance of Vishnu’s avtars are Holi, Ram Navami, Krishna Janmashtami, Narasimha Jayanti, Onam and Tulsi Vivah
 
 
References:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishnu
2. https://www.dollsofindia.com/library/vishnu/
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashavatara

 
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