Video:The 10 Avatars of Vishnu

Transcript:The 10 Avatars of Vishnu

The scriptures speak of the 10 Avatars of Vishnu – different incarnations that take the form of divine intervention provided by Vishnu during the various stages of human evolution. The “dasavatara” (or ten avatars) is meant to re-establish dharma or righteousness and destroy tyranny and injustice on earth.

The First Avatar of Vishnu: Matsya Avatar

The Matsya Avatar is the fish that rescues Veda, plants and animals.

The Second Avatar of Vishnu: Koorma Avatar

Koorma is the Tortoise that supports the churn of the ocean to obtain treasures dissolved in the ocean of milk.

The Third Avatar of Vishnu: Varaha Avatar

The Varaha Avatar is the Boar that raises the earth from the bottom of the sea. 

The Fourth Avatar of Vishnu: Narasimha Avatar

Narasimha is the Man-lion who defies classification and overpowers mortals who seek to outwit death.

The Fifth Avatar of Vishnu: Vamana Avatar

Vamana is the Dwarf who claims the sky from the gods and buries the demons in the underbelly of the earth.

The Sixth Avatar of Vishnu: Parasurama Avatar

Parasurama is the priest who turns to violence to kill unrighteous kings and unchaste women.

The Seventh Avatar of Vishnu: Rama Avatar

Lord Rama is the perfect man, the king of Ayodha, who uploads old rules at the cost of personal life.

The Eighth Avatar of Vishnu: Krishna Avatar

Lord Krishna is the divine statesman. He is the cowherd/charioteer/statesman who shrewdly changes rules.

The Ninth Avatar of Vishnu: Balarama Avatar

Balarama is the elder brother of Krishna, one of the ten avatars of Vishnu that appeared in the Dwapara Yuga. In many versions of mythology, the ninth incarnation is often mentioned as Lord Buddha.

The Tenth Avatar of Vishnu: Kalki Avatar

Kalki, meaning “eternity,” is the last incarnation of Vishnu, who is expected to appear at the end of Kali Yuga, the time period in which we currently exist. Kalki Avatar is to rid the world of the oppression of its unrighteous rulers.



Thanks for watching. To learn more, visit About.com.