Exploring the Avatars of Lord Vishnu: An In-Depth Analysis

‍The Lord Vishnu avatar is often cited as the supreme god of all avatars, who has taken 10 different forms (the ‘Dashavatara’) to save humanity from various threats. That sounds like a simple explanation, right? Well, it is indeed an elaborate version of things. Let us get into the details and explore the connection with worldly manifestation.

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Shri Vishnu, The Preserver of Equilibrium

The first avatar is that of Shri Vishnu, who is also known as the ‘Samudra-grah’. The word ‘Samudra’ means ocean; and ‘graha’ stands for the one who holds. So, Vishnu’s first form is that of the one who holds the equilibrium of the ocean of world manifestation. This particular avatar happened when the whole world was engulfed in the water. It was during this period that Vishnu, in the form of a serpent, held the earth on His hood. So, that was the time when the equilibrium of the world was being held by the Vishnu avatar. This also means that at that time, the whole manifestation was in a dormant state.

Shri Krishna – The Dark Age Bearer

The second avatar of Vishnu is that of Shri Krishna, who is also known as the ‘Kali-yuga-graha’. It is said that a thousand years before the advent of Kali-yuga, there was a sage named Parashuram. He was a very righteous and pious person, who used to pick up sticks while passing through the forests. Once, while passing through a forest, he heard the cry of a baby. He went to see what it was. He found a baby girl (named ‘Yogmaya’) in a basket, and the baby girl was crying. The sage picked up the baby girl and took her home. He also adopted another child, who was a boy. The boy was very naughty and mischievous. This boy grew up to become the famous Kali-yuga-bearer Shri Krishna.

Shri Ram – Protector and Enabler of Dharma

The third avatar is that of Shri Ram, who is also known as the ‘Treta-yuga-graha’. The word ‘treta’ means the third, and ‘yuga’ means ‘Age’. So, the third Age is known as the Treta-yuga. To understand this connection and significance, we need to understand the term ‘Dharma’. Dharma is the enabler of a balanced and peaceful existence. Dharma stands for conduct, ethics, moral, and all that which shows the right path and helps us maintain harmony. The age of Treta was an age where there was a lot of confusion and chaos. There was no Dharma in the society. It was during this time that Shri Ram, the seventh son of King Dashrath of Ayodhya, was born. He was the one who established Dharma in the society.

Shri Varaha – The Manu (Humanity) Saver

The fourth avatar is that of Shri Varaha, who is also known as the ‘Manu-sav’. The word ‘sav’ means ‘saver’, and ‘Manu’ refers to the first person of the humanity. So, the one who saved the first person of the humanity is known as Varaha. This avatar happened at the time when there was a flood and the whole world was immersed in water. At that time, Varaha came as a boar and lifted the whole earth back and saved the mankind.

Shri Narasimha – The Darkness Bearer

The fifth avatar of Shri Vishnu is that of Shri Narasimha, who is also known as the ‘Krodha-sav’. The word ‘krodha’ means ‘darkness’, and ‘sav’ means ‘saver’. So, the one who saved us from the darkness is known as Narasimha. The word ‘darkness’ here refers to the ignorance which is one of the impediments to the growth of the society. At that time, there was a demon king named Hiranyakashipu, who was a very tyrannical king. He was a great devotee of Shri Vishnu, but he was also very egoistic. It is said that he was so powerful that no one could equal him. He had a boon from Shri Vishnu that no one could kill him. So, he was the most powerful person. At that time, a child named Prahlada was born to the demon king. Prahlada was a very innocent child. He had immense faith in Shri Vishnu. So, he used to tell his father that there is only one God and that he is supreme. But the demon king was so egoistic that he did not want to hear anything about Vishnu. At that time, Prahlada’s mother was pregnant and she went to the forest to collect some herbs. There she saw a cow. She was so hungry that she wanted to slaughter the cow and eat it. At that time, the cow spoke and said, “Please do not kill me. I will give you whatever you want.” The cow gave her a boon. The boon was that the child in her womb would become a great devotee of Shri Vishnu. At that time, the child in the womb of the mother was Shri Vishnu, and He came out of her womb as Narasimha and killed the demon king.

Shru Hari -The Dark Age Bearer and the Protector of Dharma Again

The sixth avatar of Shri Vishnu is that of Shru Hari, who is also known as the ‘Treta-yuga-sav’. The word ‘sav’ means ‘saver’, and the word ‘Treta’ refers to the third Age. So, the one who saved the Age of Treta was Shru Hari. His story is very much related to Shri Krishna’s story. It is said that there was a king named Sagar. The son of Sagar was named Bhagiratha. Bhagiratha was a great king and he was very dedicated towards his religion. But unfortunately, he had no children and the dynasty was going to end with him. So, Bhagiratha went to the Himalayas to pray and find a solution. There he saw a group of sages worshipping Shri Vishnu. He also joined them in their worship. It is said that while they were worshipping, the Ganga water was flowing in the Himalayas. Bhagiratha’s prayers were answered, and Shri Vishnu took the form of a child and came to him. The child was named Shru Hari. Shru means to flow, and Hari means Vishnu. So, ‘Hari’ refers to the Vishnu in the Ganga water. Bhagiratha took the child to his home, and Shru Hari grew up to become a very intelligent and knowledgeable person.

Hayagriva -Concluding Words

The seventh avatar of Shri Vishnu is that of Hayagriva, who is also known as the ‘Kali-yuga-sav’. The word ‘kali’ means ‘Age’ and ‘yuga’ means ‘Age’. So, the one who saved the Age of Kali is known as Hayagriva. Once there was a demon by the name of ‘Gogra’ who was ruling the whole world. There was no Dharma in the society; there was no justice. People were suffering and they were longing for a saviour. At that time, Shri Vishnu took the form of a horse and went to the Himalayas. There he saw the sages worshipping him. He took the form of a horse and went towards the south and then west and reached the ocean. There he took the form of a person who was half-horse and went towards the north