Sri Dasavatara Stotra

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!! Sri Rama Jayam !!

 

Sri Dasavatara-stotra

These are verses glorifying the ten main incarnations of Lord Keshava, Krishna,

from the Gita-Govinda. These show that Lord Krishna is the source of all other

incarnations of God. By Sri Jayadeva Gosvami

 

 

(1) pralaya-payodhi-jale dhritavan asi vedam vihita-vahitra-charitram akhedam

keshava dhrita-mina-sharira jaya jagadisha hare

 

O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a

fish. All glories to You. You easily acted as a boat in the form of a giant fish

just to give protection to the Vedas, which had become immersed in the turbulent

sea of devastation.

 

 

(2) kshitir iha vipulatare tishthati tava prishthe

dharani-dharana-kina-chakra-garishthe keshava dhrita-kurma-sharira jaya

jagadisha hare

 

O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a

tortoise. All glories to You. In this incarnation as a divine tortoise the great

Mandara Mountain rests upon your gigantic back as a pivot for churning the ocean

of milk. From holding up the huge mountain a large scar-like depression is put

in Your back, which has become most glorious.

 

 

(3) vasati dashana-shikhare dharani tava lagna shashini kalanka-kaleva nimagna

Keshava dhrita-shukara-rupa jaya jagasihsa hare

 

O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a

boar. All glories to You. The earth, which had become immersed in the Garbhodaka

Ocean at the bottom of the universe, sits fixed upon the tip of Your tusk like a

spot upon the moon.

 

 

(4) tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-shringam

dalita-hiranyakashipu-tanu-bhringam keshava dhrita-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisha

hare

 

O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of

half-man, half-lion. All glories to You. Just as one can easily crush a wasp

between one's fingernails, so in the same way the body of the wasp-like demon

Hiranyakashipu has been ripped away by the wonderful pointed nails on Your

beautiful lotus hands.

 

 

 

(5) chalayasi vikramane balim adbhuta-vamana pada-nakha-nira-janita-jana-pavana

keshava dhrita-vamana-rupa jaya jagadisha hare

 

O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of a

dwarf-brahmana. All glories to You. O wonderful dwarf, by Your massive steps You

deceive King Bali, and by the Ganges water that has emanated from the nails of

Your lotus feet, You deliver all living beings within this world.

 

 

(6) kshatriya-rudhira-maye jagad-apagata-papam snapayasi payasi

shamita-bhavan-tapam keshava dhrita-bhrigupati-rupa jaya jagadisha hare

 

O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of

Bhrigupati [Parashurama]. All glories to You. At Kurukshetra You bathe the earth

in the rivers of blood from the bodies of the demoniac kshatriyas [rulers] that

You have slain. The sins of the world are washed away by You, and because of You

people are relieved from the blazing fire of material existence.

 

 

(7) vitarasi dikshu rane dik-pati-kamaniyam dasha-mukha-mauli-balim ramaniyam

keshava-dhrita-rama-sharira jaya jagadisha hare

 

O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of

Ramachandra. All glories to you. In the battle of Lanka You destroy the

ten-headed demon Ravana and distribute his heads as a delightful offering to the

presiding deities of the ten directions, headed by Indra. This action was long

desired by all of them, who were much harassed by this monster.

 

 

(8) vahasi vapushi vishade vasanam jaladabham hala-hati-bhiti-milita-yamunabham

keshava dhrita-haladhara-rupa jaya jagadisha hare

 

O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of

Balarama, the wielder of the plow. All glories to You. On Your brilliant white

body You wear garments the color of a fresh blue rain cloud. These garments are

colored like the beautiful dark hue of the River Yamuna, who feels great fear

due to the striking of Your plowshare.

 

 

(9) nindasi jajna-vidher ahaha shruti-jatam sadaya-hridaya darshita-pashu-ghatam

keshava dhrita-buddha-sharira jaya jagadisha hare

 

O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of

Buddha. All glories to You. O Buddha of compassionate heart, you descry the

slaughtering of poor animals performed according to the rules of Vedic

sacrifice.

 

 

(10) mleccha-nivaha-nidhane kalayasi karavalam dhumaketum iva kim api karalam

keshava dhrita-kalki-sharira jaya jagadisha hare

 

O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed the form of

Kalki. All glories to You. You appear like a comet and carry a terrifying sword

for bringing about the annihilation of the wicked barbarian men at the end of

Kali-yuga.

 

 

(11) shri-jayadeva-kaver idam uditam udaram shrinu sukha-dam shubha-dam

bhava-saram keshava dhrita-dasha-vidha-rupa jaya jagadisha hare

 

O Keshava! O Lord of the universe! O Lord Hari, who have assumed these ten

different forms of incarnation. All glories to You. O readers, please hear this

hymn of the poet Jayadeva, which is most excellent, an awarder of happiness, a

bestower of auspiciousness, and is the best thing in this dark world.

 

 

(12) vedan uddharate jaganti vahate bhu-golam udbibhrate daityam darayate balim

chalayate kshatra-kshayam kurvate paulastyam jayate halam kalayate karunyam

atanvate mlecchan murchayate dashakriti-krite krishnaya tubhyam namaha

 

O Lord Krishna, I offer my obeisances unto You, who appear in the forms of these

ten incarnations. In the form of Matsya You rescue the Vedas, and as Kurma You

bear the Mandara Mountain on Your back. As Varaha You lift the earth with your

tusk, and in the form of Narasimha you tear open the chest of the daitya

Hiranyakashipu. In the form of Vamana You trick the daitya king Bali by asking

him for only three steps of land, and then You take away the whole universe from

him by expanding your steps. As Parashurama you slay all of the wicked

kshatriyas, and as Ramachandra You conquer the rakshasa king Ravana. In the form

of Balarama You carry a plow with which You subdue the wicked and draw toward

you the River Yamuna. As Lord Buddha You show compassion toward all the living

beings suffering in this world, and at the end of the Kali-yuga You appear as

Kalki to bewilder the mlecchas [degraded low-class men].

 

Thanks.

 

Hare Krishna ..

Hare Rama ...