- By Kashish Rai
- Thu, 20 Jun 2024 04:40 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
List Of 10 Avatars Of Lord Vishnu: In the Hindu religion, Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, and Lord Shiva form the trinity. It is stated that Lord Vishnu is the preserver and defender. According to Hinduism, Lord Vishnu has sent one of his reincarnations to Earth in order to restore the balance between good and evil anytime mankind is in danger. Hindu texts state that Lord Vishnu has 10 avatars, and this rebirth of the deity is supposed to be one of them.
Every one of these avatars has distinct goals and objectives. Hindu legends state that the first four manifestations of Lord Vishnu occurred during the Satya yuga or golden period. The next three Vishnu avatars appeared during the Treta Yuga. The Dwapara Yuga is where the following two have emerged. The tenth avatar of Lord Vishnu will emerge at the conclusion of Kali Yuga.
Let us check out the names and order of Lord Vishnu’s Dashavatar as per their yugas.
Lord Vishnu incarnated in every yuga to establish Dharma. (Image Source: Canva)
Complete List Of 10 Avatars Of Lord Vishnu
Order Of Avatar | Name Of Avatar | Purpose Of Avatar | Yuga Of Avatar |
1. | Matsya | Lord Vishnu's first incarnation was as the fish-like avatar Matsya. According to the Matsya avatar, Lord Vishnu saved Vaivasvata Manu, the first man, and the seven sages during the Great Flood (a massive storm), and aboard his boat, he brought a representative sample of every plant and animal species to the newly created planet. | Satya Yuga |
2. | Kurma | Kurma is Lord Vishnu's second avatar. Since the term "Kurma" means "turtle," "Kurmavatara" means "incarnation of Lord Vishnu as a turtle." In this incarnation, Lord Vishnu churned the milky sea with his stick to produce nectar, working with gods and devils alike | Satya Yuga |
3. | Varaha | Varaha is the third avatar of Lord Vishnu. In the guise of Varaha, Lord Vishnu came to save the earth (embodied as the goddess Bhudevi) from the demon Hiranyaksha, who had abducted her and concealed her in the ancient seas. Varaha used his tusks to pull the Earth out of the ocean after slaying the demon, returning Bhudevi to her proper position in the universe. | Satya Yuga |
4. | Narasimha | Narasimha is the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu in half-man and half-lion form. The demon Hiranyakashipu was bestowed with a tremendous blessing by Lord Brahma, which prevented him from being slain by any living thing, including humans or animals, in any environment, day or night, on Earth or in space, and with a living or inanimate weapon. During his incarnation, Lord Vishnu assumed a human body but retained his lion's head and claws. When the rakshasa was disembowelled with his claws, it was dusk and he was resting on his thighs in the courtyard doorway. | Satya Yuga |
5. | Vamana | Vamana is considered as the fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This is the first time an avatar has been seen carrying a wooden umbrella and has a human-like appearance. To reinstate Indra's authority over the sky, Vamana Avatar Vishnu descended from heaven. | Treta Yuga |
6. | Parashurama | Parashurama is regarded as Lord Vishnu’s sixth incarnation. Lord Shiva granted an axe to Parashuram, the son of Jamadagni and Renuka, as payment for his penance. He was the first Hindu Brahmin and Kshatriya (warrior-saint) to combine the duties of the two castes. | Treta Yuga |
7. | Rama | Lord Rama is regarded as Lord Vishnu’s seventh incarnation. Lord Rama is revered in Hinduism as the embodiment of the heroic man. His narrative is told in the ancient literature known as the Ramayana in Hinduism. During Rama's 14-year exile from his native land together with his brother Lakshman and the god Hanuman, the demon ruler of Sri Lanka, Ravana, abducted Sita, the daughter of ruler Janaka. He proceeded to Ashoka Vatika in Lanka to save Sita after slaying the demon king. | Treta Yuga |
8. | Krishna | Lord Krishna is regarded as the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He incarnated in order to kill Demon King Kamsa, free the planet from evil politics, and defend his followers. Krishna is the most revered god in Hinduism. He plays flute. There are many legends about Lord Krishna and he is portrayed performing several lilas. | Dwapar Yuga |
9. | Buddha | The ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu is said to be Lord Buddha. Despite being born into a royal family, he abandoned his duties as a prince in order to achieve full enlightenment. It is thought that Lord Buddha took on the human form in order to discourage the demons from carrying out Yagyas, which Shukracharya, the demons' instructor, had really urged they do in order to retake control over the world. | Kali Yuga Beginning |
10. | Kalki | It is thought that Lord Vishnu's last incarnation would be Kalki. Kalki is believed to not make an appearance till the conclusion of the Kali Yugas. He will arrive in order to free the world from the tyranny of its evil rulers. According to legend, Lord Kalki will ride a white horse and wield a burning sword to defeat his adversaries. | Kali Yuga End (Believed To End Kaliyuga And Mark The Start Of Satya Yuga Again) |
ALSO READ: Why Adiyogi Lord Shiva Is Known As The Source Of Yoga? Know History And Significance