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DASHAVATARA

PREFACE Everybody should be aware of the numerous tales and information found in our mythology. Dashavatar is a prime example of the adage that “bad will always lose” that is frequently heard. The ten manifestations of Vishnu teach us not only that evil perishes but also that it is our duty as humans to fight it.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

MATSYA AVTAR

KURMA AVTAR

VARAHA AVTAR

NARASIMHA AVTAR

VAMANA AVTAR

BIBILOGRAPHY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

PARSHURAMA AVTAR

RAMA AVTAR

KRISHNA AVTAR

BUDHA AVTAR

यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत| अभ्युत्थानंधर्मस्य तदात्मानं स्रुजाम्यहम्| परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्| धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे| Whenever there is a decay of righteousness, O Bharata, And there is an exaltation of unrighteousness, then I descend myself, For the protection of the good, for the destruction of evil-doers, For the sake of firmly establishing righteousness, I am born from age to age.

INTRODUCTION

Vishnu is the second god in the Hindu triumvirate (orTrimurti). The triumvirate consists of three gods who are responsible for the creation, upkeep and destruction of the world. The other two gods are Brahma and Shiva. Brahma is the creator of the universe and Shiva is the destroyer. Vishnu is the preserver and protector of the universe. His role is to return to the earth in troubled times and restore the balance of good and evil. So far, he has been incarnated nine times, but Hindus believe that he will be reincarnated one last time close to the end of this world. The 4 of them took place in the Satya Yuga, 3 in Treta Yuga, 1 in Dvapara Yuga, 1 in Kali Yuga and 1 is yet to take place in Kali Yuga.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Matsya – Fish Kurma – Tortoise Varaha – Wild boar Narasimha – Man-Lion Vamana – Dwarf Brahmin Boy Parashurama – Brahmin Warrior Rama – King of Ayodhya, Human Krishna – King of Dwaraka, Human Buddha – Gautama Buddha, Human Kalki – The Prophesied warrior who comes on a king at the end of Kali Yuga

M ATA SYA AVATA R

The Matasya avatar story is as follows. The Satya Yuga was about to end and a great flood was to come and destroy all the life on earth to start afresh for the next Yuga. Lord Brahma after a day full of creation, was tired. He wanted to go to sleep and wassoonsnoring loudly. While Lord Brahma was sleeping an asura Hayagriva emerged from Brahma’s nose. With Brahma asleep, Hayagriva realized that it was the right time to take in all the knowledge of the Vedas. Hayagriva concentrated and soon absorbed the knowledge in the Vedas. He then hid deep inside the ocean, thinking that nobody would find him there.Lord Vishnu saw this and was worried. If the Vedas were stolen by the asura, the knowledge of the Vedas could not be passed on to the Next Yuga. As a Preserver, it was his job to make sure the knowledge survived to the next Yuga.

In the earliest yuga (era) of Sata-yuga, king Manu was performing severe penance for long period. One day as he was performing ablutions with river water, a small fish came into his hands and just as he was about to throw the fish back into the river, the fish requested the king to save its life. Heeding its request, the king put the fish into a jar of water but the fish started growing and very soon the jar was not big enough for it. Then the king threw it into the river, but it soon it outgrew the river and the king then threw it into Ganges and then into the ocean.

The king realised that it was Lord Vishnu himself and then the lord made an appearance and made a special request to the king. It predicted that the world would come to an end by a huge flood in seven days and requested the king to build a huge boat and take the seven sages (hermits), seeds of all plants, one animal of each type. He told him that he would appear as a fish to propel the boat to Mount Himavan for surviving the flood to the next yuga(eon). True to his word, after seven days the Lord appeared and the king tied the boat to the fish by using the royal serpent Vasuki and the fish took all of them to Mt Himavan and kept them there till the flood was over and in the new era, the king started procreation a for the new era. Thus, taking the Matasya avatar, Lord Vishnu saved the earth from destruction.

KURMA AVATAR

Devas grew weaker due to a curse of Sage Durvasa. The demons or asuras, a group of malicious deities in the Hindu mythology, tried to overcome them. A war followed, which continued for long. Despite fighting bravely, devas could not win over the asuras. They asked Lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu asked the devas to use Mount Mandara as a churning stick. But, they could not pull up the mountain. On advice of Lord Vishnu, the gods and asuras made a deal to churn the ocean jointly. They pulled the Mount Mandara and used it as a churning stick. Serpent Vasuki was used as a rope. it was pulled first one way and then the other.

During churning, Mandara began to sink into the mud at the bottom of the milk ocean. Vishnu took the form of Kurma (second dashavatara), and held the mountain on his broad back. As a result of the churning, amrita was obtained which asuras took control of it. Here Vishnu, took the form of a beautiful lady, Mohini. He managed to take the nectar bowl with him and gave it to devas. Thus devas eventually got powerful. Thus, Vishnu helped them once again and as Kurma Avatar.

VARAHA AVATAR

This avatar of Vishnu dashavatar is in a form of boar. He saved the earth from Hiranyaksha, who incidentally is also the brother of Hiranyakashyap. He has grown because boons from Brahma. Hiranyaksha took the earth to the bottom of the ocean. He did this because wanted to make Devas weak. The devas need Havis, the sacrificial oblations of the mortals to maintain their strength. Since they started losing their strength, they requested Vishnu to help them. Vishnu took the form of a boar, the third dashavatar. Herescued the earth from the depths of ocean with his tusks. Hiranyaksha, who was searching for Vishnu, finally finds him in the form of boar – a dashavatar.

Lord Vishnu saving earth in form of Varaha avatar (Dashavatar) Hiranyaksha intercepted the boar, and then commenced one of the greatest battles of all time. Vishnu balanced the earth on his thigh, and gored Hiranyaksha to his death. Since he had balanced Bhooma Devi (the goddess of earth) on his thighs, a son was born to her. As he was created when Vishnu had been involved in a ferocious battle, he was an Asura. This is the famous Narakusara, who was later slain by Vishnu in his avatar as Krishna.

The avatar of Varaha signifies the restoration of the Earth from a pralaya (deluge) and the formation of a new kalpa (cosmic cycle). Varaha Purana, one of the major eighteen Mahapuranas, describes about the Varaha incarnation of LordVishnu, and also about the rescue of the Prithvi.

NARSINGH AVATAR

Hiranyakashyap was a demon king who did severe penance of Brahma. Brahma became pleased with him and asked for a boon. Hiranyakashyap demanded immortality. Brahma replied that this is not possible as everyone who takes birth has to die, so ask something else. Hiranyakashyap then asks “no one created by you can kill me; I cannot die inside the house or outside, during the day or the night. I cannot be killed by any weapon by any human or beast, living or non living, any demi-god or demon. ” Brahma granted him this boon. Thus Hiranyakashyap became very strong and he started asking people to treat him as god. But his own son, Prahlad was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. He was initiated by Sage Narada and he belived in none other than Narayan. Knowing this, Hiranyakashyap became very angry and tried to dissuade Prahlad from worshipping Vishnu. He tried to kill him by burning him in fire, by giving him poison, by crushing him under elephants’ feet, by rolling down from high hills, by snake bites, by many kinds of weapons, but because of his devotion, Prahalad could not be killed by any means. Hirankashyap’s sister Holika, offered a solution. She sat with Prahalad on a pyre, thinking that the flames would burn Prahalad and she would be saved by a cloth which was immune from fire. But by god’s grace, Holika was burnt and Prahalad was saved. This is still celebrated as Holika dahan which is followed by Holi, a prominent Indian festival. One day, Hiranyakashyap challenged Prahalad that where is his god. Prahalad replied – he is everywhere. Out of rage, Hiranyakashyap asked, is he in the pillar and broke the pillar with his mace.Duly, Narsingh avatar or fourth dashavatara of lord Vishnu appeared in form of half lion and half man. It was twilight (neither day nor night) and it was the entrance of the palace (neither inside nor outside). At that moment the Narsingh Avatar ( neither man nor beast), killed Hiranyakashyap with his nails. (Not with a weapon).

VAMANA AVATAR Vamana avatar is a story of Lord Vishnu’s incarnation. Lord Vishnu decided to be born as Aditi and Kashyap’s son. The son was a dwarf or a Vamana. This was the Vamana avatara (dwarf incarnation) of Vishnu dashavatara which was taken to save Indra’s kingdom. There was a king of the daityas named Bali. Bali was the grandson of Prahlada, the son of Hiranyakshyap. He was powerful and invincible. He was also righteous and truthful. The gods cold not bear to see Bali’s prosperity and began to plot how Bali might be foiled. So well did Bali rule that disease, drought and evil disappeared throughout the three worlds. Bali had organised a horse sacrifice. Many sages came to the sacrifice and Shukracharya was the chief priest. The dwarf (Vamana) also arrived at yajna. Shukracharya, the guru of Daityas, realised that the dwarf was none other than Vishnu. He warned Bali not to promise anything to the Vamana (The Dwarf), who was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu ( a dashavatara). Bali replied that it would be his honour to serve Lord Vishnu. Bali went to the dwarf and asked what he had wanted. Vishnu expressed the wish that he might be given as much of land as might be covered in three of the dwarf’s steps. This boon Bali readily granted. But no sooner than the boon had been granted, the dwarf adopted a gigantic form. In two steps, the Dwarf covered the whole kingdom of Bali, from heaven to earth to nether world and demanded where he should place his third step. Bali offered himself. Vishnu was charmed at Bali’s generosity.He then appointed Bali king of the underworld and Indra’s kingdom was returned back to him. Vamana Avatar is instantly recognizable with the short frame having a wooden umbrella.

PARSHURAMA AVATAR Parshurama is born to Sage Jamdagni and Renuka. Parshurama was very obedient to his father, and once when asked by his father, he did not hesitate and beheaded his own mother. Jamdagni and Renuka meditated before the birth of Parshurama and with the blessing of Shiva, Vishnu agreed to take incarnation as their son which became sixth of the ten dashavataras. He was the fifth son of his parents. In his childhood, he did severe penance and pleased Lord Shiva. Lord presented him with the weapon parshu, thus the boy was called as Parshurama. At that point of time, a king named Kartavirya Arjuna became very strong. He also defeated Ravana. One day, he came to the hermitage of sage Jamdagni and was welcomed by the sage. Jamdagni had a cow, Kamdhenu, presented by Indra, which allowed him to serve his guests. Impressed, kartavirya wanted the cow, which Jamdagni denied. The king stole the calf. At that point of time, a king named Kartavirya Arjuna became very strong. He also defeated Ravana. One day, he came to the hermitage of sage Jamdagni and was welcomed by the sage. Jamdagni had a cow, Kamdhenu, presented by Indra, which allowed him to serve his guests. Impressed, kartavirya wanted the cow, which Jamdagni denied. The king stole the calf. Parshurama was not at home at this point of time. When he returned back, he went to the palace of King Kartavirya and killed him. Then he retrieved Kamdhenu and came back to his home. Soon, sons of Kartavirya discovered their father at the palace and knew that only Parashurama could have killed him. In revenge, they traveled to the hermitage and murdered Jamadagni, surrounding the rishi and shooting him to death with arrows like a stag. Afterwards, they decapitated his body and took his head with them. When Parshurama discovered his mother weeping over the body of his father, he vowed to avenge the death of his father. He hunted down the sons of Kartavirya at the palace. He killed them all and returned with the head of his father to conduct the cremation. Parashurama then vowed to enact a genocide on the war-mongering Kshatriyas twenty-one times over. Parshurama is also the guru or teacher of Bhishma, Drona and Karna. Parshurama’s famous curse is on Karna which rendered the Brahmastra useless for Karna. 19

RAM AVATAR Dasaratha, a descendant of Ishvaku dynasty ruled over Kosala. . Rama , Lakshmana ,Satruguna, and Bharatha were his four sons. Mithila was the capital of Videha kingdom ruled by the Rajarishi Janaka. Janaka had a daughter Sita by name. Rama and Sita were married. The bridal party returned to Ayodhya.Dasaratha after consulting his preceptors and the elders called for a general council and with the common consent of the Yuvaraj. This was acclaimed by all wholeheartedly. He ordered that the preprations for Cornation of Rama might be begun at once. Due to some inner grudges Ram had to leave the kingdom and went for 14 years of vanvas. Sita as the wife of Rama and Lakshmana as his brother and personal attendant would never like to part with Rama. So they too followed Rama to forest. On the way he visited many sages. The great sage Agastya was one of them. Agastya suggested that Panchavati would be an ideal place for Rama’s further stay. So Rama did. Panchavati may be taken as the starting point for certain developments. This area was occupied by Surpanaka the sister of Ravana of Lanka. Surpanaka one day by chance came to the hermitage where Rama was staying. On seeing these three beautiful human beings she was stunned. She wanted to marry Rama. On his refusal she wanted to devour Sita. Then Lakshmana mutilated her by cutting off her nose and ear. This coupled with her disappointment in her love affair, made her report the matter to her brother Ravana. Ravana without a second thought went straight to Maaricha and ordered him to take the form of a attractive deer and go and play before the parnasala of Rama. As Lakshmana disappeared from the scene, there came a mendicant with the words “Bhavathi Bhikshaam Dhehi”. A Sanyasi should be respected and so Sita respectfully gave him a seat in the hut. After a few minutes she understood it was Ravana and inspite of her protests the cruel Rakshasa picked her up and away went his aerial car with her.The cruel Raksha took her to Lanka and placed her in the Asoka grove under strict vigilance, having failed to make her consent to become his queen. With the help of vanar sena Rama fought a war that has very ups and down and killed Ravana and rescued his wife sita .

KRISHNA AVATAR On hearing from brahma and the devas about the increase in the atrocities of the asuric forces in the world, lord sri maha vishnu assured them he would relieve the world of such difficulties as early as possible. Accordingly he decided to take birth in the yadu dynasty and be born as the son of devaki and vasudeva. Mathura was ruled by urgrasena. His son kamsa of asuric nature was very powerful and he was wielding power unlimitedly. DEVAKI, the daughter of another Chief Devaka, was a cousin of Kamsa. Vasudeva married Devaki. On the wedding day Vasudeva and Devaki were taken in a procession through the streets of Mathura and Kamsa, the most self conceited prince, himself acted as the charioteer to the surprise of all. While driving, came an incorporeal voice which ran thus, “Kamsa, the eighth child of this Devaki will kill you.” At once the chariot stopped. Kamsa drew his sword and was about to kill his sister Devaki. Vasudeva tried his best to convince Kamsa in several ways but could not. Then wisely Vausudeva said, “Kamsa, the sons of this Devaki, I shall deliver to you the moment they are born. Please spare her”. Kamsa put both Devaki and Vasudeva in prison. One day on the 8th day of the dark fortnight of SIMHA month when the constellation of ROHINI was in the ascendant Devaki delivered a male child in the prison room. Vasudeva and Devaki saw the child with four arms, with the disc, conch, the Kausthuba gem on the chest, the mark of Srivatsa on the neck, dressed in peethambur(peetAmbara means yellow clothes/ garments), with Vanamali garland and the crown. Both of them bent low with folded hands and the next moment they saw only an ordinary child.

The child spoke thus: “Take me at once to Gokulam and there Yasodha has just now delivered a female child. Leave me by the side of Yasodha and bring the female child over here. You will not find any difficulty in executing this work. Be quick”. Vasudeva took the child in a basket and came out of the cell. Krishna lived in Gokulam for eleven years with mother Yashoda , father Nanda and brother Balrama . Krishna and Balrama killed many asura’s that was send by Kamsa . One day Narad muni told Kamsa where was Devki’s eight son is living and he’s gonna kill him soon . So Kamsa arranged a carnival invited Krishna and Balrama. The next day - the day of the grand carnival. As he entered the arena Krishna was challenges for a duel in wrestling by CHANDRA the strongest and ablest wrestler in Krishna’s court. At the same time Balarama was challenged by another equally strong wrestler by name MUSHTICA. Both the wrestlers of the Royal court were defeated and killed in the event. Kamsa seeing this became completely confused and unnerved. While in that state Krishna with all quickness and agility jumped to the throne placed at a fairly high level, took hold of Kamsa by the hair, pushed him down and with a few blows with his fist sent him to the land of death. Thus the tyrant’s life came to an end. Ugrasena was again made the King of Mathura. Krishna’s boy-hood days saw only a part of the purpose of his incarnation completed. Still there was much more to be done.

BUDDHA AVATAR Buddha can be easily described as the pioneer of promoting peace and calmness in the world. He is the leader of popularizing non-violence amongst human beings. He is the compassionate teacher who preached the world regarding the path of ahimsa and helped each being to attain a peaceful life and after-life. The story of Buddha is as spiritual as it can get. Gautam Buddha is often known as the awakened one. Let us understand a little what led him to become who he was. King Siddhartha was married and had kids. One day when he was roaming in his kingdom, he encountered a sick man, an old man, a corpse and someone with a disability. This scenario disturbed him deeply. He learned and realised that sickness, pain and death are parts of life that no one can take away from you. As Gautam Buddha was born in a royal family in Lumbini (Present Day – Nepal), he was oblivious of these concepts such as sickness and pain. When he saw it with his own eyes, it helped him to widen his vision and look at the problems faced by people. He decided that he wanted to give up his royalty, status, wealth, power. He had encountered a monk which gave him the indication of giving up his royal & luxurious life and became a holy man. He tried to find all kinds of answers to take away the suffering and pain from life but the more research he did, the more he realised that it was indeed inevitable. One fine day when he was sitting under a bodhi tree, meditating peacefully, he had the vision and enlightenment that changed his and many people’s lives. He dwelled carefully on his life experiences and discovered the truth. This is his journey of becoming a buddha. Buddha set out on his journey soon after his enlightenment to teach the world of his learnings and principles. The people who follow his teachings are said to follow the Buddhism religion or Buddhism way of life. Buddhist are considered to have skipped the circle of life and death and have gone away from the concept of karma.

KALKI AVATAR Kalki is described as the final incarnation of Lord Vishnu. When the effects of evil started to set in the world and the dawn of Kaliyug began, Kalki came to the rescue on top of a magnificent white horse with a sword drawn to destroy evils at once. He appears when chaos and evil become uncontrollable in the world. Kalyug has to end for Satyayug to begin the next cycle of existence.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author enjoys thanking the government officials, Dashavtar, a traditional type of folk theatre, and Rahul Shrivastava, to whom I was linked as a research scholar during my investigation.

BIBILOGRAPHY

https://manipalblog.com/dashavatar-a-depiction-of-evolution/ http://www.divineavatars.com/vishnu/dashavatar.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashavatara https://10yearitch.com/general/dashavataram/ https://issuu.com/gaurijoshi1997/docs/coffee_table_book-_dashavatara https://www.hinduismfacts.org/dashavatara/

Vishnu is the preserver of the universe and the cosmic order. Dashavatar is the mythological story of the 10 avatars of Vishu who descends to the terrestrial world to establish stability and order, time and again. The progression in the ten incarnations of Vishnu is found parallel to Darwin’s theory of evolution by many. Starting from the first Vishnu avatar – Matsya or fish representing life in water, followed by Kurma or turtle signifying life in water and on land, then Varaha or boar alluding to terrestrial life and so on. The sequence of the Vishnu avatars could be taken to symbolise various stages in the evolution of life culminating in the advent of the perfect being. Get it for your kids or read it for yourself. The book will give you a divine feeling.