VISHNU JI’S INCARNATIONS

                      INCLUDING RAM CHANDR JI & KRISHN JI

It was the curse of sages Shukra and Bhrigu that Vishnu Ji was condemned to be born several times on earth. This curse coincided with Vishnu Ji’s powers to preserve, restore and protect his devotees to whom he had promised that he wil incarnate himself whenever evil overwhelms and demons make life unbearable. He appears on earth, to restore order and righteousness.

Popularly, a ten incarnation myth is well accepted. However, the myth varies in different Puraans, some claming it to be 22 or even more.

It is worth mentioning here that Krishn Ji, the 8^th incarnation, is understood to be a complete and ideal avataar of Vishnu Ji, while all other incarnations appeared for limited/specific purpose only.

1^ST INCARNATION MATSYA, THE FISH

Appeared during Satyug (also known as Krityug) the period of truth & purity, to take out Vedas from the ocean to enable Brahma Ji work on the cyclic process of creation of universe. One school of thought propounds it as an incarnation to save Manu, the first of mankind on earth, during the great floods (parlay) which destroyed everything pertaining to the previous universe.

2^ND INCARNATION KURMA, THE TORTOISE

appeared during Satyug, to hold on his back, the newly created globe and help it to stabilize itself. Another myth, not much different, has it that when powers of gods waned due to a curse by sage Durvasa, they approached Vishnu Ji to save them from evils of demons and help them achieve eternity. Visnnu Ji advised them to jointly churn the ocean  with demons, using Mount Mandara as churning rod and the gaint snake Vasuki as the rope. The mountain being too heavy began to sink. At this stage Vishnu Ji appeared as the gigantic tortoise Kurma, to beat the mountain on his back which facilitated the process of churning of the ocean Samundra Manthan.

3^RD INCARNATION VARAHA, THE BOAR

Appeared near end of Satyug, to save earth during world destruction caused by demon king Hiranyakash, elder son of sage Kashyap. He rescued the earth out from deep waters by taking it on his tusks and at the same time killing the demon.

4^TH INCARNATION NARASHIMHA, HALF MAN HALF LION

Appeared at the end of Satyug, to save his devotee Prahlad, son of cruel demon king Hiranyakashipu who was blessed against death (conditions applied) by Brahma Ji. Narasimha killed the demon, ensuring that the special conditions under the boon were honoured such as “he can’t be killed either by a man or by an animal” hence Vishnu Ji appeared as half man half lion. There were some other similar conditions which were also taken care of.

5^TH INCARNATION VAMAN, THE DWARF

Appeared during Satyug as son of sage Kashyap and his wife Aditi to restore heaven to gods, from Bali, a demon king and grandson of Prahlad. Bali had earlier defeated gods and captured their heaven. Gods requested Vishnu Ji for help. At this, Vishnu Ji took the form of a dwarf and appeared before king Bali at a time when he was conducting a religious ceremony and giving away gifts to Brahmans. Bali asked this Brahman in diminutive form to ask for anything. At this vaman asked for as much land as he could measure in three steps. Bali agreed but to his utter surprise, Vaman covered heaven in his first step and earth in the second step. As a consideration for Bali’s kindness, Vaman left patal, the nether world to Bali. It may be interesting to note that the festival of Onam, celebrated in kerala, is linked to this.

6^TH INCARNATION PARSHURAM, THE BRAHMAN

Appeared at close of Satyug, to repress tyranny of powerful Kshatriyas. He was born to hermit Jamdagini and his wife Renuka. The sixth & the seventh incarnations of Vishnu Ji existed simultaneously. Parshuram confronted Ram Chandr Ji immediately after he broke the divine bow in the court of King Janak to marry his daughter Sita Ji. Parshuram was a hot headed person who would easily pick up fights such as with Ganesh Ji  & Ram Chandra Ji. Lakshmi Ji incarnated herself as his wife Dharini.

7^TH INCARNATION RAM CHANDR JI, THE RIGHTEOUS

Appeared at end of Tretayug, the second age of the world, to give lessons in righteousness and killing the ten headed demon king of Lanka, Ravan. He also curtailed Prashuram’s ambitions against Kshatriyas.

Lakshmi Ji incarnated herself as Sita Ji, his wife. Ram chandr Ji is also Known by other names such as Ragahav, Purushottam etc. the whole story of Ram Chandr Ji is to demonstrate the value of systems of Hindu Society as scripted in the epic Ramayan by sage Valmiki, and at the same time killing the demon.

8^TH INCARNATION KRISHN JI THE ORATOR OF GITA ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF KARM(DUTY)

Appeared in Duaparyug. The avataar also appeared to kill evil doers and more importantly to lead Pandavs in the war against their cousins Kauravs, the war known as Mahabharat.

Lakshmi Ji also incarnated herself as his wife Rukmini. Some other names given to Krishn Ji include Banke Behari, Gopal, Murari, Ghanshyam etc. The tale around Krishn Ji i.e. Mahabharat, including Gita, was scripted by sage Vyas.

9^TH INCARNATION BUDDH, THE RELIGIOUS TEACHER

Lived during 563 483 BC and founded Buddhism, a mix of several ancient teachings and systems, relatively unorthodox as compared to vedic traditions. His teachings were more or less Upanishads put into action. However his teachings which were focused on non violence, did some damage, as people became more docile and susceptible to attacks of outsiders. It may be worthwhile to mention here that while all the incarnations of Vishnu Ji are mythical, this 9^th incarnation as buddh is based on recorded history. Lakshmi Ji also appeared with him as a monk. According to a different school of thought, Balram, the powerful brother of Krishn Ji was an incarnation of Vishnu Ji and not Buddh. Krishn Ji is then sequenced younger as the 9^th incarnation and Balram the 8^th.

10^TH INCARNATION KALKI

Scheduled to appear sometime in future, at the end of Kalyug, an era or yug which began around the times of Mahabharat war. This incarnation of Vishnu Ji would be to restore purity in the world and the cycle of the yugs to restart with Satyug again. Kalki incarnation is propounded to appear riding a horse and holding a sword. Since this incarnation is yet to appear and, as clear details are unavailable, he is not worshipped.