Vishnu
 |
| VISHNU AND SHESH NAG |
The third incarnation is that
of VARAHA (boar). In periodical
destructions of the world, once the earth sunk into the deep
waters, Vishnu, the great preserver, taking the form of a
boar descended into the waters and drew up the earth with
the help of his tusks.
 The fourth incarnation is that
of NARASIMHA (half-lion half-man combine).
This special form was adopted by Vishnu to kill a demoniac
ruler, named Hiranyakashipu, who had pleased the god Brahma
by his religious sacrifices. Lord Brahma had given him the
blessings that no known man or animal born in the natural
process could kill him, that he could not die either in the
day or in the night, on the earth or in heavens, either by
fire, by water or by any weapon. It was to kill such a tyrant
and to remove him from the earth that Vishnu assumed the form
of Narasimha, which was neither man nor animal: came out of
a broken pillar, laid hold of the demon-king by its teeth,
put him up on his thighs and tore him up in the middle by
his claws. It was evening time - neither day nor night.
 The fifth incarnation is that
of VAMANA (the dwarf). The fourth
lineal descendant of Hiranyakashipu, named Bali, through his
devotion and penances defeated Indra, the god of the firmament,
humbled other gods and extended his authority over the three
worlds. All the gods appealed to Vishnu for protection and
he became manifest in his Dwarf Avatar of Vamana for the purpose
of restraining Bali. Once when this King was making a great
religious sacrifice, Vishnu in the form of Vamana appeared
before him for gifts in the company of other Brahmans. Bali
was extremely pleased to see a holy man with so diminutive
form and promised to give him whatever he should ask. Vishnu
asked only for as much land as he could measure by three steps.
Bali laughingly agreed to grant the boon of three steps. Vishnu
as dwarf stepped over heaven in first stride and then on earth
in second stride. Then out of respect to Bali's kindness and
his grandfather Prahalad's great virtues, Vishnu stopped short
and left to him Patal, the subterranean region.
 The sixth incarnation is that
of PARASHURAMA. Parsu is the name
of an axe-like weapon adopted by this incarnation. This incarnation
was as a Brahman, who manifested himself at the close of the
satyayuga (the first great millennium of Hindu mythological
time calculus). This appearance was for the purpose of representing
the tyranny of the power-drunk Kshatriya-caste. This sixth
Avatar of Vishnu appeared in the world before Rama, the seventh
Avatar, but they are both represented to be living at the
same time. When the Kshatriya Kings of the earth and their
ministers became very corrupt and committed all sorts of sins,
the goddess Prithvi (Mother-Earth) went to Vishnu and prayed
for relief. Her petition was accepted and Vishnu appeared
on the earth as a descendant of great sage Bhrigoo. To avenge
the gruesome murder of his father Jamadagni by a Kshatriya
King and the great oppression perpetrated by rulers he is
said to have cleared the earth of the Kshatriyas twenty one
times and filled with their blood five large lakes. He is
said to be instrumental in colonizing much of Southern India,
where so many shrines are dedicated to him. |
