Dasavatara

Dasavatara
ChinmayaBalavihar
(Fairfield)
Class6
DasavataraStoryofevolution
TheAvatar(incarnation)
conceptisacornerstonein
Hinduphilosophy.
Avatarisadescentoradirect
incarnationofGodtoascentthe
mankind.
PeriodicallytheSupremeLord
Vishnudescentsupontheearth,
inanimalorhumanformsand
themissionistopreservethe
worldfromtheincreasingevil.
Thereare10avatarsofVishnu
Thestoryofsalagrama
Salagramaisaprecious
stonelikeobjectofdifferent
shapesfoundattheGantaki
riverinNepal.Thesestones
havespecialmarkslike
spiral,chakras,threadetc.
formedonthem.Asper
Hindubelief,Salagramas
aresacredwiththe
presenceofGodandpartof
theirworship.
http://www.gsbkerala.com/salagrama.htm
Shalankayana VarahaPurana
RelevanceofDasavatar
TheHindumythofDasavatar(10incarnations)describeshowVishnu,thecentral
figureinthetriadofIndiangods,incarnatedfromtimetotimetosavemankindand
thesacredscripturesofIndia'sancientcivilizationfromtheevildesignsofdemons.
AsinothermythswhichmakeupthevastbodyofHinduscriptures,thevictoryof
goodoverevilisapersistentthemeofallmythologiesintheworldandHindu
mythologyisnoexception.
Thescientifictheoryofevolutionstatesthatlifeonearthbeganassinglecelled
organismsandlaterdevelopedintomulticelledbeings.Moreover,thetheoryfurther
statesthataquaticcreaturescameintoexistencefirst.Thencameamphibiansthat
couldexistinwateraswellasonland.Landdependentanimalsandairbornebirds
followedtheamphibians.Finally,humanbeingscompletedthecosmicdramaof
creation.
KALKIandthePropheciesofNOSTRADAMUSNostradamushadpredictedthe
futureofhumanhistoryinatotalof942quatrainswhichheorganizedintoCenturies
groupsof100quatrains(oneCenturyonlyhad42quatrains).Hehaspredictedthe
endoftheWorldas3927ADandthiswilloccuras:
InthewordsofNostradamus"TheLordwillcomebackforthefinaljudgmentasthe
JustJudge,thedamnedshallbetossedintothehellfireandthechosenoneswill
followhimtoheaven".TheactoftheLordatthefinaljudgment(aspredictedby
Nostradamus)issimilartothatofKalkiintheHinduMythologyandhencethe
conceptofKalkiisthatoftheFinalJudge.
Matsya(vtara)thefish
Intheearliestyuga(era)ofSatayuga,akingnamedManu
wasperformingseverepenanceforthousandsofyears.
Onedayashewasperformingablutionswithriverwater,a
smallfishcameintohishandsandjustashewasaboutto
throwthefishbackintotheriver,thefishrequestedtheking
tosaveitslife.
Heedingitsrequest,thekingputthefishintoajarofwater
butthefishstartedgrowingandthejarwasnotbigenough
forit.Thenthekingthrewitintotheriver,butitsoonit
outgrewtheriverandthekingthenthrewitintoGangesand
thenintotheocean.
ThekingrealizedthatitwasLordVishnuhimselfandthen
thelordmadeanappearanceandmadeaspecialrequest
totheking.
Itpredictedthattheworldwouldcometoanendbyahuge
floodinsevendaysandrequestedthekingtobuildahuge
boatandtakethesevensages(hermits),seedsofall
plants,oneanimalofeachtypeandtoldhimthathewould
appearasafishtopropeltheboattoMountHimavanfor
survivingthefloodtothenextyuga(eon).
Truetohisword,aftersevendaystheLordappearedand
thekingtiedtheboattothefishbyusingtheroyalserpent
VasukiandthefishtookallofthemtoMtHimavanandkept
themtheretillthefloodwasoverandinthenewera,the
kingstartedprocreationaforthenewera.
Kurma(vtara)thetortoise
FurthertoPralayadelugeatthebeginningofthepresentKalpa
theGods(devas)losttheirimmortalityduetoacursebythe
shorttemperedsageDurvasa.
ThesagehadoncepresentedagarlandofflowerstoIndra,king
ofgods,whocarelesslygaveitawaytohiselephantwhich
trampledit.TheDevasapproachedVishnuforhelp.
Vishnuthenaskedthemtochurntheoceanofmilkafteradding
medicinesintotheoceanusingMt.Mandaraasthechurning
stick.HerequestedthemtoaskthemhelpofAsurasinliftingthe
mountaininexchangeforofferoftheshareofnectarof
immortalitythatwouldensuefromthechurning.Boththedevas
andtheasuraschurnedtheoceanusingtheserpentVasukias
therope.Atthestart,playingaMachiavelliantrick,Indra,kingof
thegodsaskedtheasurasfortheheadendofvasuki.Butasuras
suspectingfoulplay,tooktheheadend,onlytobedeceivedas
thepoisonfromVasukiwasslowlyweakeningthem.
Butaschurningwasproceedingthemountainwassinkingand
thenLordVishnutooktheformofthetortoiseKURMAandkept
themountainafloat.
Assoonasthebowlofamrita,thenectarofimmortalitywasout,
theasurasgrabbedit.ThenLordVishnutooktheformofan
apsara,abeautifulmaiden,andseducedtheasurasintoletting
herdistributethenectarandalsotoabidebyherorderof
distribution.Assoonasthedevaswereservedthemaiden
disappearedthustotallydeceivingtheasurasandmakingthem
totallyweak.
AdemonHiranyaksha,hadprayedfor
LordBrahmaandgotawardedaboonthat
nobeastnormannorgodcouldkillhim.
Butsomehowfromthelistofbeaststhe
nameofboarwasmissing.Thisprovedto
behislacunae.Hethenstarteda
campaignofplunderacrosstheworlds.
HepushedtheworldtothePataalloka,or
theunderofthesea.HestoletheVedas,
theholyscripturesfromtheLordBrahma,
whilehewasasleepandperformedhuge
atrocities.ToretrievetheVedasandto
savetheworldtheLordVishnuassumed
theroleofaboarandbroughtoutthe
earthfromtheunderoftheocean,using
itstwotusks.ItthenkilledHiranyaksha
andretrievedtheVedasfromtheasura
andbroughtitbacktothesafecustodyof
theLordBrahma.
Varaha(vtara) theBoar
Narashima(vtara) giantlionman
InNARASIMHAAvatar,LordVishnuincarnateshimselfas
asemiman,semilioninthisworld.Thekingof
demons(asuras),Hiranyakasyapu,wantedtobecome
immortalandwantedtoremainyoungforever.Tothisend,
hemeditatedforLordBrahmaandbecauseofhissevere
penance,thegodswerefrightenedandaskedBrahmato
pacifytheking.Brahmawasimpressedbyhisausterity
andgrantedhimawish.Hiranyakasyapuwishedthathe
bekilledneitherbyamanorbeast,norindaylightorat
nightandneitherinsideoroutsideabuilding.Having
obtainedthewishheconsideredhimselfthesupremeGod
andforbadeallworshipofgodsbyanyone.Buthisson
Prahlada,wasanardentdevoteeofVishnu.Thisenraged
Hiranyakasyapuverymuch.Heorderednumerousways
tokillPrahladaincludingaskinghissisterHolikatositwith
Prahladainthefire.ButeverytimePrahladaescaped
unhurt.Enraged,onceheaskedPrahladtoshowhimthe
LordVishnu.Prahladsaid,"Heiseverywhere".Further
enraged,Hiranyakasyapuknockeddownapillar,and
askedifLordwaspresentthere.LordVishnuthen
emergedasahalflion,halfmanfromthepillar,and
carriedhimunderthearchofthedoorway(neitherindoors
noroutdoors),andthetimewasevening(inthetwilight),
neithernightnorday.HethenkilledHiranyakasyapuwith
hisclawsbykeepinghimonhisthighs(neitheronearth
norinthesky)thussavingthelifeofhisdevotee
Prahlada.
Vamana(vtara)thedwarf
BALI,thegrandsonofPrahladawasavery
valorousandmightyasura.Byhispenance
andmight,heconqueredthewholeworld.
Indraandothergodsfearingthatheandthe
asuraswouldconquerallthethreeworlds,
wenttoLordVishnuforhelp.LordVishnuwas
thenbornasadwarfVamanainthehousehold
ofabrahmanpriest.
HewenttoBaliongrowingupandaskedfor
alms.Baliwasdelightedtoofferhimanything
herequestedeventhoughhisroyalguru
warnedhimthatitwasLordVishnu.Vamana
thenrequestedfortheamountoflandthat
couldcomeunderhisthreefeet.Bali
gracefullyagreed.
LordVishnuthengrewinsizeandcoveredthe
earthandheavenintwostride.Anddueto
lackofspace,heputhisthirdlegonBali
himselfandcrushedBalitothenetherorthe
Patalaloka(undergroundworld),thushelping
theGodsout.
Parasurama(vtara) Ramawiththeaxe
InPARASURAMAAvatar,LordVishnuincarnates
himselfasabrahmanpriestinthisworld.Hewas
broughtinthisworldtoavengeallkshatriyaswho
hadbecomearrogantandweresuppressingthe
brahmansintheworld.Hewasbornwithunusual
physicalpower,andbecamebetterfighterthanany
Kshatriya.HewasborntoJamadagniandRenuka,
andbelongedtotheBrighuclan.
Parashuramawasalwayscarryinganaxepresented
tohimbyLordShivaofwhomhewasanardent
devotee.
Kartaviryaapowerfulking,oncewentto
Jamadagni'shomewhenhewasout,andaftera
meal,stoletheKamadhenucow,whichwas
supposedtogiveendlessquantityofmilk.Jamadgni
wasenragedandhewentandkilledthekingand
broughtKamadhenuback.Onhearingthisthesonof
thekingcamebackandkilledJamdagni.
Parasuramawasenragedatthisandwentand
avengedthedeathofhisfatherbykillingall
kshatriyasin21battles.Hislifeisstoryofthe
supremacyofbrahmansoverthekshatriyas.
SriRama(vtara)Theidealperson
ItisthemostimportantAvatarof
Vishnu.Ramarepresentsthepeakof
thehistoricincarnations,andbyhimit
isdefinedtheidealcharacterof
Indianpeople.HeisVishnu
descendeduponearthtoconquerall
theIndianpeninsula,includedSri
Lanka,undertheBharatarule.Lord
Ramaisoneofthemostadoredgods
inIndia.Heisalwaysholdingabow
andarrowindicatinghisreadinessto
destroyevils.Hisstoryformstheepic
Ramayana.Heisperfectinevery
aspecttheperfectman,theperfect
husband,theperfectbrother,the
perfectking,etc.andtheobedient
son.Commonlyheispicturedina
familystyle,withhiswifeSita,and
brotherLakshman.
SriKrishna(vtara)Thephilosophicalman
InKRISHNAAvatar,LordVishnuincarnates
himselfasKRISHNA,thecentralcharacterinthe
epicMAHABHARATA.
InthisbiggestepicofIndianmythologyamyriad
oftopicsarecovered,includingwar,love,
brotherhood,politicsetc.Itisessentiallythestory
oftwowarringgroupsofcousins,thePANDAVAs
andtheKAURAVAs.Asapartofthe
Mahabahrata,duringthewarKRISHNA,givesa
longdiscoursetohisdiscipleARJUNA,
collectivelytermedasBhagvadGita.
Krishna,duringhischildhoodwasresponsiblefor
thekillingofKansa.Krishnaisalsoconsideredto
beanultimateplayboywhowasresponsiblefor
charmingallgopikas(cowherdesses)aroundhim.
UnlikeRamayana,Mahabharatadealswithmore
downtoearthissueslikepolitics,humannature,
humanweaknesses,anddoesnotattemptto
idealizethecharactersasinRAMAYANA.
SriBalrama(vtara)
BalramawastheelderbrotherofShriKrishna.Hewasso
powerfulthathe,singlehandedly,ataverytenderage,killed
thegreatdemon,Asuradhenuka,whohadtheformofaass.
AnotherdemontriedtocarryoffBalramaonhisshoulders,but
theyoungboybeatoutthedemon'sbrainwithhisfist.
WhenShriKrishnawenttoMathura,Balramaaccompanied
himandsupportedhimtillKamsawaskilledbyShriKrishna.
HealsotaughtDuryodhanandBheem,theuseofthemace.
Hischiefweaponisploughshare(hal)andthereforecalled
Haldhar.
Balramaisbelievedastheincarnationofthegreatserpent
SeshaNagaonwhomLordVishnureclines.
ButaccordingtosomeschoolofthoughtBalramawasthe
incarnationofLordVishnu.
SriBuddha(vtara)Theteacher
WiththedepartureofLordKrishna(KrishnaAvatar),theKali
yugasetin.Inthisage,thetruedevotiontoVedaswas
replacedbyemptyrituals.Toenlightentheworld,LordVishnu
descendedtheearthasBuddha,theenlightenedone.
HewasbornasthecrownprinceoftheKapilavastutoKing
SuddhodanaandMaya.HewasnamedSiddhartha,meaning
"Allthingfulfilled".Buthismotherdiedsoonafterhisbirthand
wasbroughtupbyPrajapati,thesisterofMaya.Buddhawas
saddenedbydeathoflivingcreatures,andviceslikepoverty.
Hewasn'thappywithanyanswersthatwereprovidedtohim
andhedecidedtofindoutthemeaningandtheabsolutetruth
andhelefthiswifeandchildtoahermit'slifeintheforestand
becametheenlightenedone.
HispreachingspawnedoffthereligionofBuddhismnow
popularacrossthewholeworld.BuddhaadvocatedtheMiddle
Path,inwhichheofferedabalanced,harmoniouswayoflife,
steeringbetweentwoextremesofselfindulgenceandtotal
abstinence.BuddhismrestsuponfourNobleTruths:
Sufferingisuniversal,
Itiscausedbydesireandyearning
Sufferingcanbepreventedandovercomeand
Eradicationofdesirescanleadtoremovalofsuffering.
Topreventsufferingonehastoconquercravinganddesire
andthisconquestleadstotheattainmentofnirvanaor
completeenlightenment.
SriKalki(vtara)
ItisbelievedthatLordVishnuwillappear,
ridinghiswhitehorseanddrawinga
flamingsword,attheendoftheKali
Yuga,thedarkagethroughwhichweare
nowpassing.
Histaskwillbetoexterminatetheeviland
restoretheDharma.Thuswillbegina
newcycle,startingwiththenewSatya
Yuga.
DASAVATARASTOTRA
OGod,intheformofdwarf!Byplantingyourfeetyou
havecheatedBali,themighty. Ganga,theriverwhich
sanctifiestheworld,hascomeoutofyourtoenails.
Hail!Hari,Godoftheworld,VictorytoThee!
Chalayasivikramanebalimadbhutavamana
padanakhantrajanitajanapavana
kesavedhrtavamanarupa
jayajagadisahare
OGod,intheformofManLion!Inyourhandoflotuslike
beauty,arethefingernailswiththeirwonderfultipswhich
havetornasunderthemostpowerfuldemon
Hiranyakasipu,asifhewasahugeinsect.
Hail!Hari,Godoftheworld,VictorytoThee!
tavakarakamalavare
nakhamadbhutasrngam
dalitahiranyakasipuvarabrngam
kesavadhrtanaraharirupa
jayajagadisahare
OGod,intheformoftheBoar!Theworldrestsinpeace
onthetipofyourtusk,likethedarkmarkingonthediscof
themoon.
Hail!Hari,Godoftheworld,VictorytoThee!
vasatidasanasikharedharanitavalagna
sasinikalankakalevanimagna
kesavadhrtasukararupa
jayajagadisahare
OGod,intheformofTortoise!Ontheampleexpanseof
yourback,callousedbytheburdenoftheearththatit
bears,securelystandstheworld.
Hail!Hari,Godoftheworld,VictorytoThee!
ksitirativioulataretavatishatiprsthe
dharanidharanakinacakragarishte
kesavadhrtakacchaparupa
jayajagadisahare
OGod,intheformofafish!Inthefloodofdissolutionyou
havehelduptherevealedknwoledgeoftheVedas,likea
boat,withouteffort.
Hail!Hari,Godoftheworld,VictorytoThee!
pralayapayodhijaledhrtavanasivedam
vihitavahitracaritramakhedam
kesavadhrtaminasarira
jayajagadisahare
DASAVATARASTOTRA
OGod,intheformofKalki!Forthedestructionofwicked,
youcarryameteorlikeswordinyourhand,trailingatrain
ofdisastertothem.
Hail!Hari,Godoftheworld,VictorytoThee
malecchanivahanidhanekalayasikaravalam
dhumaketumivakimapikaralam
kesavadhartakalsisarira
jayajagadishhare
OGod,whotooktenforms!Pleaselistentothesongof
Jayadeva.Itbestowsgoodness,andjoyitistheessence
oflife.
Hail!Hari,Godoftheworld,VictorytoThee!
srijayadevakeveridamuditmudaram
srnusubhadamsukhadambahvasaram
kesavedhartadasavidhiraupa
jayajagadishhare
OGod,inthebodyofBuddha,theenlightened!Outof
compssionofyourheartyouhavecondemnedthe
ritualisticportionofthevedasordainingthekillingofthe
animals.
Hail!Hari,Godoftheworld,VictorytoThee!
Nindasiyajnavidherahahasrutijatam
sadayahrdyadarshitapasughatam
kesavadhartabuddhasarira
jayajagadishahare
OGod,intheformofBalarama,thebeareroftheplough!
Youwearonyourimmaculatebodyagarmentofthe
colouroftheclouds,blueliketheYamuna,darkenedby
thefearofbeingdraggedbyyourplough.
Hail!Hari,Godoftheworld,VictorytoThee!
Vahasivapusivisadevasaanamjaladabhanam
halahatibhitimilitayamunabham
keshavadhartahaladharrupa
jayajagadishahare.
OGodinthebodyofSriRama!Youhaveamadea
beautifulofferingofthetenheadsofthedemonRavanain
battletotheguardiansofthecardinaldirections.
Hail!Hari,Godoftheworld,VictorytoThee!
vitarasidiksuranedikpatikamantyam
dasamukhamaulibalimramaniyam
kesavadhrtaramasarira
Jayajagadisahare
OGod,intheformoftheLordoftheBhrigus,youhave
bathedtheworldinthebloodofthetyrannousrulers,thus
cleansingitofsinanddestroyingthemiseryofitsrelative
existence.
Hail!Hari,Godoftheworld,VictorytoThee!
ksatriyarudhiramayejagadapagatapapam
snapayasipayasisamitabhavatapam
kesavedhrtabhrgupatirupa
jayajagadisahare.
References
Interestinglink
http://www.chinmayakids.org/dashavatar/matsya_avtar/default.htm
http://www.punditravi.com/dasavtar__the_10_incarnations_of.htm
Pleasedirectallcorrections&suggestionsto
ChinmayaFairfieldathttp://www.chinmayafairfield.org
CompiledbyClass6Teachers
2007