DASHAVTAR : 10 Incarnations of Lord Vishnu | webvedic

One of the most important deities of Hinduism is Shri Hari Vishnu. Along with Brahma and Shiva, Vishnu forms the major trinity of Hindu religious practice.

In its many forms, Vishnu is considered the protector and protector. Hinduism teaches that when humanity is threatened by chaos or evil, Vishnu will descend into the world in one of his incarnations to restore ‘Dharma’. 

Vishnu who incarnates is called an avatar. Hindu scriptures speak of ten avatars. They are believed to have existed in the Satya Yuga (Golden Age or Age of Truth), when mankind was ruled by the gods. 

SHRI VISHNU 10 INCARNATIONS WHICH ARE CALLED "DASHAVTAR".

Collectively, the avatars of Vishnu are called Dashavataras (10 avatars). Each has a different form and purpose. When a person is faced with a challenge, a particular avatar descends to address the issue.

The myths associated with each incarnation refer to a specific period of time when they were most needed. Some people refer to it as the cosmic cycle or the time-soul. For example, the first incarnation, Matsya, the ninth avatar, landed long before Balarama. Recent mythology states that Balarama must have been Lord Buddha.

No matter the specific intent or with time, the avatars are meant to reestablish religion, the path of religious or universal laws taught in Hinduism texts. The inclusion of avatars in legends, myths and stories within Hinduism is an important allegation.

1. First Avatar: Matsya (The Fish)

Matsya is said to be the avatar who first saved humans as well as other creatures of the earth from the great flood. Matsya is sometimes depicted as a great fish or as a human torso attached to a fish tail.

MATSYA AVATAR

Matsya is said to have told man of the impending flood and ordered him to preserve all the grains and living creatures in a boat. This story is similar to many Holocaust myths found in other cultures.

 

2. Second Avatar: Kurma (Tortoise)

Kurama (or quorum) is a turtle avatar that is associated with churning the ocean to obtain the treasure that dissolves in the ocean of milk. In this myth, Vishnu took the form of a turtle, with a stick churning on its back.

KURMA AVATAR

The Kurma avatar of Vishnu is usually seen in mixed human-animal form.

 

3. Third Avatar: Varaha (The Boar)

Varaha is the boon which the demon Hiranyaksha raised the earth from the ocean floor after dragging it to the bottom of the sea. After a battle of 1,000 years, Varah pulled the earth out of the water from his tusk.

VARAHA AVATAR

Varaha is depicted as a full boar or as a boar's head on a human body.

 

4. Fourth Avatar: Narasimha (The Man-Lion)

As legend has it, the demon Hiranyakashyap received a boon from Brahma that he could not be killed or harmed in any way. Now arrogance under his protection began to haunt Hiranyakashipu both on heaven and earth.

NASIMHA AVATAR

However, his son Prahlad was devoted to Vishnu. One day, when the demon challenged Prahlada, Vishnu emerged as Narasimha in the form of Narsingh to kill the demon.

 

5. Fifth Avatar: Vamana (Dwarf)

In the Rigveda, Vamana (dwarf) appears when the demon king Bali ruled the universe and the gods lost their power. One day, Vamana visited the court of Bali and asked for as much land to cover in three steps. Bali expressed his desire to laugh at the dwarf.

VAMAN AVATAR

The dwarf then took the form of a giant. He raised the whole earth with the first step and the whole middle world with the second step. With the third move, Vaman sent Bali to rule the underworld.

 

6. Sixth Avatar: Parashurama (The Angry Man)

As Parashurama, Vishnu appears as a priest (Brahmin) who comes into the world to kill evil kings and save humanity from danger. He appears as a man with an ax, sometimes referred to as Rama with an axe.

PARSHURAM AVATAR

In the original story, Parashurama appeared to restore the Hindu social order, which was corrupted by the arrogant Kshatriya caste.

 

7. Seventh Avatar: Lord Rama (Perfect Man)

Lord Rama is the seventh incarnation of Vishnu and a major deity of Hinduism. He is considered supreme in some traditions. He is the central figure of the ancient Hindu epic "Ramayana" and is known as the king of Ayodhya, the city believed to be the birthplace of Rama.

RAM AVATAR

According to the Ramayana, Rama's father was King Dasharatha and his mother was Rani Kaushalya. Rama was born at the end of the second era, which the gods sent to battle with the multi-headed demon Ravana.

Rama is often depicted with dark skin, standing with a bow and arrow.

8. Eighth Avatar: Lord Krishna (divine statesman)

Lord Krishna (the divine statesman) is the eighth incarnation of Vishnu and one of the most widely revered deities in Hinduism. He was a shepherd (sometimes portrayed as a charioteer or politician) who cleverly changed the rules.

KRISHNA AVATAR

According to the legend, the famous poem, Bhagavad Gita, is spoken by Krishna on the battlefield from Arjuna.

Krishna is depicted in various forms because there are so many stories around him. The most common story describes Krishna as a divine lover who plays the flute; He is also described as childlike. In the paintings, Krishna often has blue skin and wears a peacock feather crown with yellow feathers.

 

9. Ninth Avatar: Gautama Buddha

Siddhartha Gautama, later known as Gautama Buddha, relinquished his family and all material authority in search of enlightenment. He founded Buddhism and taught people how to end all forms of suffering through the Noble Eight fold Path.

BUDDHA AVATAR

Shrimad Bhagwat 1.3.26 talks about the Buddha incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

तत: कलौ सम्प्रवृत्ते सम्मोहाय सुरद्विषाम् ।
बुद्धो नाम्नाञ्जनसुत: कीकटेषु भविष्यति ॥ २४ ॥

tataḥ kalau sampravṛtte sammohāya sura-dviṣām
buddho nāmnāñjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati

Translation: Then, at the beginning of Kali Yuga, the Lord will appear as Lord Buddha, in the province of Gaya, the son of Anjana, just for the purpose of seducing those who envy the faithful believer.

There are also some scholars who consider Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu - Adi Buddha, not Siddhartha Gautama.

 

10. Tenth Avatar: Kalki (The Mighty Warrior)

KALKI AVATAR

Kalki ("eternity" or "mighty warrior") is the 10^th or last incarnation of Vishnu. It is not expected to appear until the end of the present-day Kali Yuga. Kalki will come, it is believed, to rid the world of persecution by unrighteous rulers. It is said that he will be seen riding a white horse and carrying a fiery sword.