Avatars of Vishnu

Based on Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu has ten incarnations or Avatars is known as Dashavatara. They are Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Vamana, Narasimha, Parasurama, Balarama, Sreerama, Sreekrishna, Kalki. Each of these avatars that appears in the world has different intentions and purposes. The belief is that at the time when humanity is ruled by evil, then Lord Vishnu will appear in the world through one of his avatars to restore righteousness. According to Hindu mythology, the first four avatars of Lord Vishnu is arising in Satya yuga or golden age (Matsya, Kurma, Varaha). The next three avatars of Vishnu has appeared in Treta Yuga(Vamana, Narasimha, Parasurama). The next two have appeared in the Dwapara Yuga.The last incarnation of Lord Vishnu is Kalki. Kalki will appear at the end of kali yuga as the tenth avatar.

MATSYA

Matsya or The Fish is the first avatar of Lord Vishnu. There is a story behind matsya avatar is that one day Hayagriva, a demon robbed vedas from Brahma and disappeared to oceans. At the same time, when king Satyavrata or Vaivasvata Manu gone to Krithamala river for doing his morning prayers. When he took some water in his hands and a fish requested to save it from big fishes. King felt sympathy and he carried the fish to his palace and dropped it in a vessel. Fish is started to growing huge day by day and Vaivasvata Manu is released to pond, but even it grows again bigger and transferred to lake, river and at the last ocean. Fish thanked Vaivasvata to save his life and for giving shelter. Unfortunately, one day, a great flood started to eat the whole earth. Then Lord Vishnu took matsya avatar and saved the king.

KURMA

The second Kurma avatar is appeared at the time of Devas and Asuras war for collecting Amrit.

VARAHA

The third incarnation Varaha has appeared when Hiranyaksha dipped the earth to the bottom of the ocean by creating a flood and at that time Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of boar or Varaha to save the earth.

NARASIMHA

The fourth avatar of Lord Vishnu is arising in the form of half body of a man and half lion. Hiranyakashipu was blessed from the Lord Brahma that no one from a man or animal can kill him inside or outside, a day or night on earth or stars. But Lord Vishnu took the avatar of Narasimha and killed the demon at the doorstep of his house.

VAMANA

The fifth incarnation Vamana is presented in the form of a dwarf man. He requested Mahabali for three paces of land. Mahabali accepted his request without the consent of guru Sukracharya. In the first step of Vamana, he took heaven to earth, and in the second step he took netherworld. But Mahabali can't keep the promise of three paces of land and he realised the fact that Vamana is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu and he gave his head to place his foot.

PARASURAMA

Parasurama is the sixth incarnation and represented as immortal. He is the son of Jamadagni and Renuka. King Kartavirya Arjuna visited Jamadagni and demanded his divine cow Kamadhenu. But Jamadagni didn't accept his demand and the king felt angered upon him and he destroyed Jamadagni's Ashram. Parasurama enraged and killed the king at his palace. Kartavirya Arjuna's sons took revenge upon him and killed Jamadagni. Then Parasurama took a pledge to kill every kshatriya on earth twenty one times over.

SREERAMA

Sreerama is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Sreerama was the heroic man depicted in Ramayana. When he was exiled from his palace for 14 years with his brother Lakshmana, wife Sita and God Hanuman. Ravana kidnapped Sita to Lanka. But Rama travelled to Lanka and killed Ravana to save his wife.

BALARAMA

Balarama is the eight incarnation of Lord Vishnu and also he is the elder brother of Lord Krishna. Baladeva and Balabhadra are the other names of Balarama.