Vishnu and his Dasaavtar

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Om Namo Narayana!!!

 

This i could grab while surfing the net. Hope, this

will help members like me (who have very little

spiritual knowledge) to know about Lord Vishnu and his

various forms.

 

May God Bless all

 

Rajan

 

VISHNU

 

Vishnu, preserver of human life is one of the three

gods of the Trimurti. He is a generous God and known

as being ‘Sattvaguna’ (kind and merciful). Vishnu is

the only God of the Trimurti who is reborn whenever

there is a crisis on earth.

 

If ‘Dharma’ (righteousness) is disturbed, Vishnu

descends to earth as an avatar (a human form) to fight

the forces of evil.

 

The Puranas list the Dasavatars’, ten avatars, Vishnu

took on to sustain the cosmos. Seen in order, they

represent the evolution of mankind from the fish stage

to ‘Purusha’ (man).

 

These avatars were Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise),

Varaha (boar ), Nara-simha (man-lion), Vamana (dwarf),

Parashurama (a powerful warrior), Rama, Krishna,

Buddha and Kalki (white horse).

 

A romantic aspect of the myths, is that whenever

Vishnu descends to earth he marries Lakshmi (his

Goddess wife). They are destined to marry on earth as

in heaven. When Vishnu is Rama, Lakshmi is born as

Sita. As Krishna he marries her as Rukmini.

 

Matsya (Fish)

 

The story of the fish avatar, is Hindu, but the

likeness to Noah is uncanny. A great flood threatened

to submerge Manu (a patriarch who once ruled the

earth). Manu asked a for a bowl of water which he

needed for his religious rites. In the bowl was a fish

who told Manu that if he looked after him, Manu would

be saved from the flood. Manu agreed and took the fish

to the ocean.

 

In the ocean the Matsya grew to whale-like

proportions. Taught by Matysa how to build a ship Manu

could sail during the flood.

 

While the deluge ripped the land apart and treacherous

waves rose from the ocean, Manu was safe. Matsya was

his tether who towed the ark to safety. When they

reached the shores they found a dead and barren land

ravaged by the storm .

 

Manu found the cargo contained the seeds for every

form of life, from which he could sow the world.

Vishnu as Matysa supported Brahma who renewed the

world together.

 

After the deluge, many cosmic treasures sank deep into

the ocean. The Asuras (demons) were in race against

the Devas (minor gods) to churn the oceans for amrit

(the nectar of immortality).

 

Vishnu appeared as Kurma (the tortoise) who sided with

the Devas. Together, they decided they would create a

churn for obtaining the amrit.

 

The serpent Vasuki was threaded around Mount Mandara

to create a churn. Kurma dived to the floor of the

ocean and balanced Mount Mandara on his back. In the

grip of Kurma’s cosmic force, Mount Mandara could not

sink into the ocean bed.

 

The Gods churned, and the nectar of immortality came

to their hands. As they continued to churn, fourteen

treasures appeared. For Kurma the most precious was

Lakshmi, the Goddess of beauty and good fortune who

would be his wife.

 

When the demon, Hiranyaksha dragged Bhoomi Devi

(Mother Earth) underwater, Vishnu took the form of

Varaha (a wild boar). After a fierce battle he

overpowered the demon and lifted Bhoomi Devi from the

waters. He pushed with his snout and the land puckered

forming the Himalayan Mountains. He dragged more land

from the sea and shaped the Indian subcontinent.

 

During the satayuga (first epoch) a tyrannical Daitya

(demon) tormented the world. No god could overcome him

and with each battle he won, the Daityas pride grew.

Crazed by his invincibility he shot an arrow at a

pillar to defy Vishnu. Vishnu burst out as Narasimha

(man-lion) and tore Daitya to shreds.

 

Later Bali, the King of the Daityas had become ruler

of the world. He had wisely worshipped Vishnu who had

granted him a special boon. Protected by this boon

Bali became a cause for celestial concern. When all

the other Gods were overcome they pleaded to Vishnu

for help.

 

Vishnu took the form of Vamana (a dwarf), and was born

as the stunted child of Kasyapa and Aditi. He went as

Vamana to a yagna (sacrifice) being performed by Bali.

 

Bali was offering sweets to all those present at the

yagna.. Vamana held out his hands and said he was a

poor peasant. He asked for as much land as he (Vamana)

could cover in three steps. Bali took a look at the

dwarf peasant and granted him this boon.

 

Vamana expanded to a cosmic size. His first step

covered the earth, the second reached heaven. Vamana’s

third step would have reached the lower world but Bali

bowed before Vamana realising he had to be Vishnu.

Pleased by Bali’s humility, Vishnu spared him and gave

Bali a kingdom of his own in the netherworld.

 

In the Treta epoch, (the age of the sacred fires) the

warrior class were becoming dominant. Their weaponry

made them aggressive. They were subjugating ordinary

people. The Gods wanted power to revert to the

priests. Vishnu appeared as Parashurama, and took away

the powers of the warriors returned it to the

scholars.

 

As Rama, Vishnu came on earth to slay the demon

Ravana. A legendary man, his compassionate nature and

his belief in duty elevated him as ‘Maryada Purusha’,

ideal man.

 

In his eighth Avatar, Vishnu was Krishna the greatest

teacher whose words form a priceless Hindu scripture,

‘The Bhagwad Gita’ or the guide to life.

 

As the Buddha, Vishnu is a great religious teacher of

India. He revealed the secrets of moksha and the path

to Nirvana.

 

Vishnu’s final avatar will be as Kalki (white horse).

At the end of the present age (Kal-Yuga) he will come

back riding a white horse. Predictions say Kalki will

brandishing a flaming sword and destroy last demons on

earth.

 

In his cosmic form Vishnu is seen reclining on a many

headed serpent called Ananta and the oceans lie

subdued under him. He holds a chakra (discus) in a

hand with which he maintains order in the universe.

The shankha or conch was retrieved by him during the

churning of the oceans, and its deep humming sound is

an evocation of the sea. He holds a lotus for peace

and a gada (mace) a controlling weapon. Garuda the

eagle is his celestial vehicle.

 

As god and in each of his avatars Vishnu plays the

role of the preserver making the earth a safe heaven

for his believers.

 

 

 

 

 

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