Dashavtar

Description

Whenever evil flourishes in the world Vishnu is said to take human form to restore the cosmic order. There are different traditions and scriptures which mentions 24 incarnations of Vishnu but most accepted ones are 10 incarnations or Dashavtar. So here's all ten incarnations...The Fish, the Tortoise, the Boar, the Man-Lion, Vaman the Dwarf , Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki in symbolic form. Vishnu takes the form of matsya the fish to save Manu the first man from the deluge, after which he takes his boat to the new world along with one of every species of plant and animal, gathered in a massive cyclone. Kurma, the giant tortoise came to bear the weight of the mountain when the gods and demons were churning the Ocean of milk in order to get the nectar of immortality, the mount Mandara they were using as the churning staff started to sink and Vishnu took the form of a tortoise. He appeared as Varah the boar to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had taken the Earth and carried it to the bottom of the cosmic ocean or we can say ether. The battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha is believed to have lasted many years and Varah carried the Earth out of the ocean between his tusks and restored it to its place in the universe. Narasimha the man-lion came to rescue devotee Prahlada,son of Hiranyakashyapa, the demon who was granted a powerful boon from Brahma that he could not be killed by man or animal, inside or outside a room, during day or night, neither on ground nor in air, with a weapon that is either living or inanimate. Vishnu descended as an anthropomorphic incarnation and disemboweled Hiranyakashipu at the courtyard threshold of his house, at dusk, with his claws, while he lay on his thighs. Vaman, the dwarf, the fifth descendant of Vishnu, was appealed by gods for protection of three realms from Bali, who with devotion and penance was able to defeat Indra, the god of all gods. This humbled the other deities and extended his authority over the three worlds. Vaman approached him and Bali promised him for whatever he asked. Vamana asked for three paces of land. Bali agreed, and the dwarf then changed his size to a giant and with his first stride he covered the earthly realm, with the second he covered the heaven thereby symbolically covering the abode of all living beings.He then took the third stride for the netherworld. Bali realized that Vaman was Vishnu incarnate. In deference, the king offered his head as the third place for Vaman to place his foot. Bali was granted immortality and the ruler of the netherworld. Parashurama, the first warrior-sage, who had to follow the Dharma of both, a Brahmin as well as a Kshatriya. Rama exemplified the highest portals of physical manifestations of life as a human being. Emotional upheavals were dealt without using any super powers. Krishna the epitome of love and joy, embodies the ultimate human blossoming, the perfect balance of human and divine. Buddha born as a prince ,who walked on the path of self exploration renouncing the worldly life and first ever to attain nirvana in human body. Kalki is the final incarnation of Vishnu, who appears at the end of each Kali Yuga. He will be atop a horse and his sword will be drawn, blazing like a comet. He appears when only chaos, evil and persecution prevails, dharma has vanished, and he ends the kali yuga to restart Satya Yuga and another cycle of existence.