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| 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. |
