DASHAVATARAS

 DASHAVATARAS (TEN INCARNATIONS) OF LORD VISHNU

     One should know about some important features of other religions too at least for the sake of knowledge and to respect and retain the dignity of other religions too. With this aspect this article is written for the sake of cooperation between all religions. In fact the number of avataras (incarnations of lord Vishnu are 24. Out of them 10 avataras are more significant. And hence they are put together are called dashavataras.)

     I will discuss below the names , period and purpose of all the ten avatars. Since the periods are mentioned in terms of yugas, I will briefly point out the years of yugas based on Manu maharshi’s  Samhita. The two zodiacs coincided in the year 285 A D. The first point  of sign Aries of the movable zodiac of sayana system and the first point of constellation Aries coincided in the year 285 A D. Accordingly the yugas are calculated below. Ascending yugas are for a total period of 12000 years  and descending yugas are  12000 years for a total  period of 24000 years.  Or sum of the two sets of yugas is 24000 years according to some Indian saints. The present backward movement of the intersection point of the equator with the  ecliptic (Vernal equinox or first point of sign Aries of the movable zodiac) is about 50.3 “ per year and accordingly it will take about 26000 years for complete rotation of 360 degrees. Since its average speed is not known the correct period of roation cannot be measured till one complete rotation. Assumption of 24000 years by the Indian saints without any support of technology is a great mystery. According to Indian saints human civilization and intelligence will go on increasing when the first  point of Libra (Autu0mnal equinox) of movable zodiac ascends towards first point of Aries constellation which is the top most point of Satya Yuga and decreases with some destructions as we notice some lost underground civilizations. The following are the Yugas.

Ascending Satya Yuga: From 16515 B C to 11716 B C

Descending Satya Yuga: From 11715 B C to 6916 B C

Descending Treta Yuga: From 6915 B C to 3316 B C

Descending Dwapara Yuga: From 3315 B C to 916 B C

Descending Kali Yuga: 915 B C to 285 A D

Ascending Kali Yuga: 286 A D to 1485 A D

Ascending Dwapara Yuga: 1486 A D to 3885 A D

1921 A D = 1921 – 1485 = 436 of Dwapara Yuga.

     I discuss below the details of Dashavataras.

1.     Matsya  (The fish incarnation): In the form of fish lord  Vishnu informs the king Vaivasvata Manu of the coming destruction of the world by means of fires and floods and directs manu to collect “all creatures of the world” and keep them safe on a board built by the gods. When the deluge (pralaya) comes, Vishnu appears as a great fish with a horn, to which Manu ties the boat, which leads them into safety. (Similar instance is in the Bible also). This took place in Satya yuga.                                                                                                              

2.     Kurma (The giant Tortoise incarnation): When devas and asuras were churning the ocean of milk in order to get amrita, the nectar of immortality, the mount Mandara they were using as the churning staff started to sink and Vishnu took the form of a tortoise to bear the weight of the mountain. This happened in Satya yuga.

3.     Varaha (The giant boar incarnation): In this form Vishnu defeated the demon Hiranyaksha and saved the Earth  from his custody. This happened in Satya yuga.

4.     Narasimha (The half man/ half lion incarnation): In this avatar Vishnu killed Hiranyakashipu, a demon who was against religious humans and was gifted         by Brahma not to be killed by any man. Hence Vishnu took the form of half man/ half lion to kill him. This took place in Satya yuga.             

5.     Vamana (The dwarf incarnation): Bali with devotion and penance defeated Indra and humbled other deities who appealed to Vishnu for protection. Vishnu descended as boy vamana. During yajna, Vamana approached King and Bali promised him for whatever he asked for. Vamana asked for three paces of land and Bali agreed. Then the dwarf changed his size to a giant                                   trivikrama form, covering the earthly realm and with the second he covered the heavenly realm. He took the third stride for the nether world. Realising               Vamana as Vishnu, Bali offered his head as the third place. Vishnu agreed and did so and granted him immortality and rulership of patala. This happened in Treta yuga.

6.     Parashurama (The warrior with an axe incarnation): He was granted as boon an axe after a penance to Shiva. When the king Kartavirya Arjuna destroyed the asram of his father, Jamadagni, and took the cow Kamadenu by force, Parashurama killed the king at his palace. In revenge the sons  of the king killed Jamadagni. In revenge Parashurama started killing shkatriyas until his grandfather, rushi Rucheeka appeared and stopped him. Parashuama is  a chiranjeevi (immortal) and is believed to be alive today in penance at Mahendragiri. he seems to be born in Treta  Yuga.

7.     Rama (The incarnation of morality and rules): He is a commonly worshipped avatar in Hinduism. His story is mostly read in scriptures of Hinduism, the Ramayana. While in exile from his own kingdom, with his brother Laxmana, his wife Sita was abducted  by demon king of Lanka, Ravana. He travelled to Lanka killed Ravana and saved Sita. Rama and Sita returned home and were crowned. Depending on the planets positions given in Ramayana at the time of Rama’s birth and using planetary software, it is decided that Rama was born in the year 5114 B C which in turn falls in Treat Yuga.

8.     Krishna (sometimes at  9 or 0) or Balarama :

Krishna was the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudeva and the foster son of Yashoda amd Nanda. Krishna is a frequently worshipped deity in Hinduism. He is the hero of various legends particularly the Kansa vadha and Mahabharata. Krishna is usually depicted with a flute in his hand. He is also a central figure in Mahabharata, Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavadgita. According to Gregorian calendar Krishna was born in the year 3227 B C which falls in Treta yuga.

Balarama: Balarama the elder brother of Krishna is regarded as an avatar of Shesha, an extension of Ananta, a form of Lord Vishnu. Balarama is  included as eighth avatar of Vishnu in the Sri vaishnava list, where Buddha is omitted  and Krishna appears as the ninth avatar.

9.     Buddha : (sometimes Krishna, sometimes at 8 or 0)

Goutama Buddha is the founder of Buddism, is commonly included as an avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. He is a compassionate teacher who preached the path of ahimsa (non-violence). Buddha lived in Kali Yuga.

!0.       Kalki : Kalki is described as the final incarnation of Vishnu, who appears at the end of each Kali Yuga. He appears only when chaos, evil and persecution prevails, dharma vanished. Some believe that the Sri Vekatesvara Swamy at Tirupati is Kalki avatar of Vishnu. During this period of Kalki,  ruling of Kings ended and democracy prevailed by the hidden Kalki power.  Kalki avatar took place in Kali Yuga.