Home > Society > Religion in India > Avatars of Lord Vishnu
Avatars of Lord Vishnu
Avatars of Vishnu are also known as ‘Dasavatara’. The ten incarnations are Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Balarama, Krishna and Kalki.

Share this Article:

Avatars of Lord VishnuAvatars of Vishnu are collectively known as "Dasavatara" in the basic Hindu Trinity of Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva. The Puranas speak of the 10 avatars of Vishnu. These Avatars play a major role in shaping human evolution through centuries. The Bhagavad Gita mentions their purpose to demonstrate that divinity re-establishes Dharma or righteousness and destroys injustice from time to time, by appearing on earth in various incarnations. This list is included in the Garuda Purana and denotes those avatars most prominent in terms of their influence on human society.

The first four avatars of Lord Vishnu are said to have appeared in the Krita Yuga. The next three avatars appeared in the Treta Yuga, the 8th incarnation in the Dwapara Yuga and the 9th in the Kali Yuga. The 10th is predicted to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga in some 427,000 years time.

Dasavatara of Lord Vishnu
Avatars of Lord VishnuThe Dasavatara of Lord Vishnu is discussed below:

1. Matsya: This was the form of the fish, taken up by Vishnu during a deluge that submerged the earth. Matsya is generally represented as a four-armed figure with the upper torso of a man and the lower of a fish. According to a legend, Vishnu commanded a rishi to gather samples of all species and wait in a boat. The gigantic golden fish then dragged the boat through the deluge and then enabled Brahma to start the act of creation all over again.

2. Kurma: In this incarnation, Lord Vishnu took the form of a tortoise. According to this legend, the Gods and Demons united in their efforts to churn the celestial ocean of milk, in the quest of Amrit. This mammoth task was carried out with the Mandara Mount as the churning stick and the mythological snake Vasuki as the rope. Thus, Lord Vishnu incarnated himself as the Kurma in order to support the mount Mandara, which started sinking during the churning of the ocean.

3. Varaha: Varaha is the third avatar of Vishnu, who appeared in order to defeat the demon Hiranyaksha. Varaha is depicted as having a boar"s head on a man"s body. Since, the demon had taken the earth and carried it to the bottom of the cosmic ocean, the Lord killed the demon and lifted the earth out of the flood waters in which it had been submerged. He lifted the Bhumi Devi (Earth), between his tusks and restored it to its place in the universe.

Avatars of Lord Vishnu4. Narasimha: A combination of man and lion, Narasimha represents another form of Vishnu. He is in the form of half-man and half-lion, having a human torso and lower body, but with a lion-like face and claws. When Prahlada, the great devotee of Vishnu was being severely tortured by his father, the demon Hiranyakasipu, Vishnu appeared as Narasimha emerging out of the pillar shown by Hiranyakasipu and killed him.

5. Vamana: The next incarnation of Vishnu is Vamana, the dwarf. This is his fifth Avatar and the first incarnation of the Second Age i.e., Treta Yuga. This is the first Avatar of Vishnu, which appears with a completely human form. He took this form to destroy the demon Bali who snatched Indra"s authority over the heavens by his power.

6. Parashurama: Vishnu took up the form of Parashurama, the sixth Avatar born as the son of the sage-couple, Jamadagni and Renuka. This avatar was to quell the arrogance of the Kshatriya rulers who harmed the sages and unprotected mortals.

7. Rama: In Hinduism, he is considered to be the seventh Avatar of Vishnu and an important manifestation of God. Vishnu came in the form of Rama to rescue the world from the demon, Ravana. Rama"s purpose was to ensure that justice and peace (dharma) ruled. He is the hero of the epic Ramayana, and he is regarded as an example of morality and virtue.

Avatars of Lord Vishnu8. Krishna: Lord Krishna is the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and the most popular of all his incarnations. Krishna is a deity worshipped across many traditions of Hinduism. He is the great expounder of the Bhagwad Gita. He is usually depicted as a young cowherd boy playing a flute or a youthful prince giving philosophical direction. Lord Krishna was the charioteer of Arjuna in the battle of Kurukshetra in Mahabharata.

9. Buddha: Gautama Buddha is mentioned as an Avatar of Vishnu in the Puranic texts of Hinduism. Lord Vishnu took up the avatar of Buddha, to purify Hinduism of excessive ritualism. Lord Buddha preached detachment and the middle path consisting of eight fold virtues of right views, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right meditation.

10. Kalki: The Kalki Avatar is the only avatar of Vishnu that is set in the future. It is believed that at the end of the present age i.e., Kali Yuga, there will be a deluge when Kalki - the tenthth and the last avatar of Vishnu, will ride forth on a horse to redeem humankind and re-establish righteousness. Riding on the back of a white horse, with a drawn sword, he will destroy the enemies of Dharma and re-establish it in all its glory.

In all the forms, Vishnu is regarded as the preserver and protector. Hinduism teaches that when humanity is threatened by chaos or evil, Vishnu will descend into the world in one of his incarnations to restore righteousness.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Religion in India


Religion in Indus Valley Civilization
Religion in Indus Valley Civilisation included Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Details about the religion in Indus Valley Civilization have been gathered from archaeological artefacts.
Shaivism Religion
Shaivism is the second largest “religious community” in modern India with its roots deeply seated in the Hindu Vedic belief.
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is among the more popular denominations of Hinduism, with its own distinctive ideas about spirituality and morality. Vaishnavism concentrates on worshipping god Vishnu and of his incarnations.
Hinduism Religion
Hinduism is more of a philosophy which is a way of living according to the understanding of the principles of Vedas and Upanishads.
Islam
Islam is a religion that beliefs in Allah as the one and only God and creator of the Universe. Islamic law or Sharia is characterised by the five pillars of Islam which comprise the essential duties of every Muslim.
Christianity
Christianity is a religion based on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ and it is the largest religion in the world.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and a philosophy that encompasses a wide variety of beliefs, practices and traditions that are chiefly based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha and its later disciples.
Jainism
Jainism chronologically preceded the religion of Buddhism. It is considered as one of the oldest religions of India. Jainism in India shared with Hinduism and Buddhism. It is an integral part of South Asian religious belief and practice, but it is not a Hindu sect and not a Buddhist heresy, as earlier scholars believed.
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism, closely related to Judaism, Christianity and Islam was founded by Zoroaster.
Sikhism
Sikhism is a religion started by Guru Nanak in land of Punjab in 15th century A.D.
Iyer Brahmin
Iyer Brahmins are originally from Tamil Nadu of South India. The Iyers have always taken an interest in preserving the arts and sciences.
Barai Caste
Barai Caste is the professional cultivator caste of betel leaf. Tamboli and Pansari are the terms used indifferently for Barai Caste. The diversity of names of the sub-divisions of Barai Caste discloses the mixed elements that formed the caste.
Dangi Caste
Dangi Caste is largely distributed in the high land regions, and the word Dangi is said to have originated from the geographical features of their territory. Main occupation of the members of Dangi Caste is cultivation.
Nadar Caste
One of the most renowned castes of Tamil Nadu is the Nadar caste. The Nadar community is a mixture of sub-castes and classes of different origins, which came under one banner of Nadar caste gradually.
Kumbhakar Caste
Kumbhakar is the potter caste who manufactures all kinds of earthen vessels.
Gujjars in Maharashtra
Gujjars in Maharashtra have several sub-castes. Here, in this state the Gurjars are listed as a separate caste. They are included in the Maharashtra OBC list.
Awasthi Brahmin
Awasthi is a surname or a family name of a particular sub-caste of Brahmins in the Indian continent.
Bhoyar Caste
Bhoyar Caste is largely found in the Central Provinces of the country. Traditional occupation of Bhoyars is agriculture. They are good cultivators and mostly grow sugarcane.
Gujjars in Mughal Era
Gujjars in the Mughal era enjoyed great power. Further their power increased with the decline of Aurangzeb, Mughal emperor.
Origin of Vaishnavism
Origin of Vaishnavism shares its attributes to many sources and religious evolution, dating back to pre-Vedic epoch.