Part 1.3 - Incarnations of Viṣṇu

The doctrine of incarnation (avatāra) is a special feature of Vaiṣṇavism. Lord Viṣṇu comes down to earth assuming the form of a man or an animal for fulfilling some specific purpose. These forms of Viṣṇu are called his avatāras. The Matsyapurāṇa says that Lord Viṣṇu takes birth whenever He finds it necessary to re-establish dharma.^[1]

In the Śrīmadbhagavadgītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa declares that whenever there is decline of righteousness and unrighteousness is in the ascendant, He will incarnate himself:

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata/
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham//
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām/
dharmasaṃsthāpanāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge// ^[2]

When injustice, lawlessness abounds in the universe Viṣṇu takes incarnations in different forms in this earth by His power of māyā. It is stated that for the destruction of the demons and for the welfare of the world Lord Viṣṇu takes incarnation.^[3] According to the Matsyapurāṇa, Bhṛgu’s curse to Lord Viṣṇu to be born seven times on the Earth for his offence of beheading his wife is also regarded as the reason of the earthly incarnation of Viṣṇu. Mahāviṣṇu became seven times the son to Aditi.^[4]

The purpose and functions of different avatāras are described in the Purāṇas. The Matsyapurāṇa has given detailed descriptions of different avatāras in its different chapters. Regarding the number of avatāras there are differences in different Purāṇas. Generally the avatāras are regarded as ten in number.

The popular daśāvatāras (ten incarnations) are:

1. Matsya,
2. Kūrma,
3. Varāha,
4. Vāmana,
5. Narasiṃha,
6. Paraśurāma,
7. Rāma,
8. Kṛṣṇa,
9. Buddha and
10. Kalki.^{[5] [6]}

The Matsyapurāṇa has presented a complete daśāvatāra theory. But it also puts some confusion by bringing variations in the description of incarnations.

In the 285^th chapter of this Purāṇa the popular daśāvatāras are presented as:

1. Matsya,
2. Kūrma,
3. Varāha,
4. Narasiṃha,
5. Vāmana,
6. Rāma,
7. Paraśurāma,
8. Kṛṣṇa,
9. Buddha and
10. Kalki.^[7]

But, the 54^th chapter gives the names of ten incarnations as:

1. Matsya,
2. Kūrma,
3. Varāha,
4. Nṛsiṃha,
5. Vāmana,
6. Bhārgavanandana i.e., Paraśurāma,
7. Raghunandana i.e. Rāma,
8. Balarāma,
9. Buddha and
10. Kalki.^[8]

Again the 47^th chapter of the same Purāṇa [has furnished the following as the daśāvatāras]:

1. Nārāyaṇa,
2. Nṛsiṃha,
3. Vāmana,
4. Dattātreya,
5. Māndhātā,
6. Jāmadagnya,
7. Dāśarathi Rāma,
8. Vedavyāsa,
9. Buddha and
10. Kalki .^[9]

Thus, it is clear that the second list omits Kṛṣṇa and substitutes Balarāma, whereas in the third list Nārāyaṇa, Dattātreya, Māndhātā and Vedavyāsa are included. The Matsyapurāṇa also states that Nārāyaṇa, Nṛsiṃha and Vāmana are divine incarnations; on the other hand Dattātreya, Māndhāta, Jāmadagnya, Rāma, Vedavyāsa, Buddha and Kalki are the human incarnations.^[10]

In the first two chapters of Matsyapurāṇa, the Matsya incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu is described. This incarnation is connected with the deluge of the Universe. The incarnation of Matsya depicts Lord Viṣṇu as destroyer and creator of the universe. Kūrma avatāra i.e., tortoise incarnation is connected with the churning of ocean. In the 245^th chapter, Matsyapurāṇa has given description of the tortoise incarnation. The Kūrma is described as the one fourth portion of Viṣṇu.^[11] The 247^th and 248^th chapters of Matsyapurāṇa have given a clear picture of the Varāha avatāra i.e. boar incarnation. The Narasiṃha incarnation is depicted in the 161^st to 163^rd chapters where Viṣṇu takes the half human and half lion form to kill Hiraṇyakaśipu, the demon king. In Vāmana incarnation, Lord Viṣṇu snatches away the tribhuvana (three worlds)with the measure of his three feet from demon king Bali.^[12] In this incarnation He in disguise of a dwarf went to the yajña of demon king Bali and asked for a very small gift of land measured by his three feet for sacred fire place.^[13] After receiving the promise of three feet land from king Bali, Vāmana then changing Himself into a gigantic form covered the three lokas and sent Bali to pātala.^[14]

V. S. Agrawala has opined,

“The motif of the Vāmaṇa story was rooted in the Vedic symbolism of Viṣhṇu taking three strides and measuring out the three lokas.” ^[15]

Lord Viṣṇu in the incarnation of Paraśurāma annihilates the kṣatriyas. In his Rāma incarnation, Lord Viṣṇu manifested Himself as Rāma, the son of Daśaratha in the Tretā yuga. He kills Rāvaṇa, the king of Laṅkā.^[16] Unlike the Vaiṣṇava Purāṇas, the Matsyapurāṇa gives a brief description of Kṛṣṇa avatāra. Lord Viṣṇu, the protector of the universe, manifested Himself as Śrīkṛṣṇa in the Dvāpara yuga. He was born in the womb of Devakī as a result of the penance of Vasudeva.^[17] Lord manifested himself in the human form and deluded the world by his yogamāyā.^[18] The reason of His incarnation was to re-establish righteousness.^[19] It appears that according to the Matsyapurāṇa, Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu are not different. In many places of the Matsyapurāṇa, Viṣṇu is spoken of as Vāsudeva or Kṛṣṇa which implies that Kṛṣṇa is the Lord Himself as is found in the Bhāgavatapurāṇa.^[20] To restore dharma Lord Viṣṇu incarnates himself in the human form as Buddha. He brings destruction for the Asuras. He had lotus-like eyes and was handsome like gods and was born as the fruit of penance.^[21] Ka1ki, the last and the future incarnation of Viṣṇu is to take birth in the Kali age. He would be born as the son of Viṣṇuyaśas.^[22]

Amongst his other incarnations which are included in the list of incarnations given in the Matsyapurāṇa, Dattātreya is one who was born in the first Tretā age, when one fourth part of the righteousness was destroyed. Viṣṇu incarnated Himself as Māndhātā who was born in the 15^th Tretā age and Uttaṅka was his officiating priest.^[23] In the 28^th Dvāpara age, Viṣṇu incarnated as Vedavyāsa, the son of Parāśara.¹⁰⁶

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Matsyapurāṇa, 164.180-181

[2]:

Bhagavadgītā, 4.7-8

[3]:

Matsyapurāṇa, 70.11; 246.89

[4]:

Ibid., 47.105

[5]:

Padmapurāṇa, 257.40-41; Agnipurāṇa, 2.16; Garuḍapurāṇa, 1.86.10-11; Varāhapurāṇa,

[6]:

68-69 etc.

[7]:

Matsyapurāṇa, 285.6-7

[8]:

Ibid., 54.15-19

[9]:

, 47.237

[10]:

Ibid., 47.241

[11]:

Ibid., 249.27

[12]:

Ibid., 47.46

[13]:

mamāgniśaraṇārthāya dehi rājan padatrayam/ Ibid., 246.48

[14]:

Ibid., 246.52-92

[15]:

V. S. Agrawala, Matsyapurāṇa-A Study, p.306

[16]:

Matsyapurāṇa, 47.245

[17]:

Ibid., 47.1-4

[18]:

Ibid., 47.11-12

[19]:

Ibid., 47.12

[20]:

kṛṣṇastu bhagavān svayam/ Bhāgavatapurāṇa, 1.3.28

[21]:

Matsyapurāṇa, 47.247

[22]:

Ibid., 47.248

[23]:

Ibid., 47.243¹⁰⁶., 47.246