Wondrous Unveiled: Delving into Lord Vishnu's 10 Avatars

May 6, 2024

Vishnu Shasta Paramhansa! Heartfelt wishes to Vishnu devotees and bhaktas. In this blog, let us uncover the wonderful stories of Lord Vishnu’s 10 avatars. 

The 10 Lord Vishnu avatars are called the Dashavatara. They are, 

  • Matsya

  • Kurma  

  • Varaha 

  • Narasimha 

  • Vamana 

  • Parashurama 

  • Rama 

  • Krishna 

  • Buddha 

  • Kalki (The prophesied future avatar who will appear at the end of Kali Yuga)

In Hinduism, it is believed that, whenever evil tramples over goodness, Lord Vishnu will take an avatar and establish dharma.


The Yugas and Lord vishnu’s 10 avatar

The universal time, or the cosmic cycle, is measured by the means of “Yugas” in Hinduism. Each Yuga cycle lasts for about 4,320,000 years.  


The 4 Yugas of Hinduism are 

  1. Satya Yuga - 1,728,000 years 

  2. Treta Yuga - 1,296,000 years

  3. Dvapara Yuga - 864,000 years 

  4. Kali Yuga (the  current Yuga we are living in) - 432,000 years 

  

During each Yuga, Lord Vishnu took different avatars to establish dharma and restore justice. 


Matsya Avatar:

Matsya Avatar, Kurma Avatar, Varaha avatar

Matsaya Avatar is the first incarnation of Lord Vishnu’s 10 Avatar.  

Matsya is a fish-like avatar who saved the first man, Manu, and seven sages from a great flood. It is said that Manu caught a small fish, which outgrew into a giant-sized fish. When the flood occurred, Manu tied his to the horn on the fish’s head. 


Kurma Avatar:

Kurma is the turtle/tortoise-looking second avatar of Lord Vishnu’s 10 avatars. 

In the legend of the Samudra Mandana, the devas and asuras churned the ocean of milk to obtain amrita, the nectar of immortality. During this, Vishnu took the form of a tortoise to bear the weight of a mountain to allow them to complete their task. 


Varaha's Avatar:

The Varaha avatar is the third incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who looks like a boar. 

Hiranyaksha, a demon, abducted the earth and dragged Boomadevi into the depths of the ocean. Lord Vishnu took the form of a boar, defeated the demon, carried the earth out of the ocean between the tusk, and restored it to its place in the universe. It is believed that the battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha lasted for a thousand years. 


Narasimha's Avatar: 

Narashima avatar, Vamana avatar, Parashurama Avatar, Rama Avatar

The half-man/half-lion, Narashima, is the fourth of Lord Vishnu’s 10 avatars. 

Hiranyakashipu, a demon, obtained a boon from Lord Brahma that he could not be killed by humans or animals, from inside or outside, by day or by night, and that no weapon could harm him. So, Lord Vishnu took the form of Narasimha and slayed the demon at dusk on the threshold.


Vamana's Avatar:  

The fifth incarnation of lord Vishnu is the Vamana avatar. 

He is also called the Trivikrama, “God of Three Strides.” Vishnu took the dwarf-like avatar to defeat the demon king Bali, who defeated Indra. Vamana visited Bali’s court, asking for land he could cover in three steps. He covered the earth with his first step and the space between earth and heaven with his second, and in the third step, he stepped on Bali’s head and sent him to Pathala. 


Parashurama Avatar: 

Parasurama is Lord Vishnu’s sixth avatar, the avatar of the warrior. 

Parasurama is said to be immortal and is known by different names, such as Rama Jamadagnya, Rama Bhargava, and Virarama. He is the son of sage Jamadagni and the princess Renuka. He killed all the male Kshatriyas on Earth, 21 times to avenge his father’s murder. 

 

Sri Rama Avatar:

Lord Rama is the seventh of Lord Vishnu’s 10 avatars. 

Rama is regarded as the perfect man, the epitome of justice, and is the frequently adored avatar in Hinduism. His story is told in the Ramayana, one of the most-read Hindu texts. When Ravana, demon king of Sri Lanka, kidnapped Sita, Rama, alongside Lakshmana and Hanuman, waged war, defeated him, and rescued his beloved wife. 


Krishna Avatar:

Krishna Avatar, Buddha Avatar, kalki Avatar

Sri Krishna is the eighth and most revered avatar of Lord Vishnu. 

Lord Krishna is the foster son of Yashoda and Nanda and the seventh son of Devaki and Vasudeva. He is a widely revered Hindu god who is born to kill his oppressive uncle Kamsa. He is also a significant character in the Mahabharata, best known for pulling Arjuna's chariot during the Kurukshetra War. He is the embodiment of several virtues, including duty, love, compassion, and playfulness. 

The Bhagavata Purana, the Mahabharata, and the Bhagavad Gita all feature Krishna as the ultimate God and protector. To worship Lord Krishna in his autentic beauty and grace, check out Tanjore paintings krishna as they beautifully depict the Lord in antique styles of India. 


Buddha : 

In Hinduism, Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, is frequently regarded as the ninth manifestation of Lord Vishnu’s 10 avatars. In Hindu texts, Buddha is portrayed as a kind teacher who advocated for ahimsa, or non-violence.


Kalki Chronicles - Tales of the Final Avatar:

This Kali Yuga is prophesied to end with the appearance of Kalki, the last incarnation of Vishnu. His sword will be drawn and blazing like a comet, and he will be on a white horse. He emerges when dharma has disappeared and only chaos, wickedness, and persecution rule. When he establishes dharma again, the next cycle shall begin with the advent of Satya Yuga. 


Conclusion:

Examining Lord Vishnu's ten avatars offers significant insights into the nature of existence, the cycle of life, and the never-ending conflict between good and evil in addition to a rich tapestry of mythology. With its traits and functions, every avatar is a lighthouse of knowledge and direction for the human race. 

These 10 avatars are predominantly called “Dasavatharam.” Bring peace and harmony into your home with Dasavatharam Tanjore paintings. 

Also check out our exclusive collection of Narasimha Tanjore paintings. 

May the Lord bless you with harmony and prosperity in your life.