Lucknow: The first song in the Ashtapadis is the Dashavataravandana, an invocation to Lord Krishna whose glory in the ten incarnations that He took to protect humanity is celebrated. Poet Jayadeva does not include Krishna in the ten incarnations, taking Him as the Supreme Lord, synonymous with Vishnu, and counts Balarama (also a deity in the Jagannatha Temple at Puri) and Buddha among the ten avataras. The poet succinctly presents the essence of each avatara in the two lines of the short verse. This song is extremely popular among dancers and depicts all the navarasas.
In the final verse of the Dashavataravandana in the Ashtapadis, poet Jayadeva condenses the entire essence of each avatara into a single word or phrase. This verse is very popular among dancers to depict the vast Bhagavatam in all its variety of shades and moods encompassed within bhakti. All the nine rasas find ample scope within this single song. Whereas the deeds of the Lord embody vira rasa or heroism, along with rage or raudra, the other characters in the various episodes epitomise various emotions such as wonder, revulsion, terror, pathos and even laughter. The AbhinayaDarpana, a manual for Bharatanatyam dance, describes the specific gestures used to depict the dashavataras of Mahavishnu.
- vedan-uddharate = “To the Lord who rescued the Vedas (as the Fish)”
Matsyaavatara – show the matsyahastas (hands) on the same level as the shoulders.
- jagan-nivahate = “who bore the earth (as the Tortoise)”
Kurmaavatara – show the kurmahastas on the same level as the shoulders.
- bhu-golam-udbibhrate = “who lifted up the globe (as the Boar)”
Varahaavatara – show the varahahastas on the level of the waist and keep them on the sides.
- daityaṃdarayate = “who tore asunder the Asura (Hiranyakashipu, as Narasimha)”
Narasimhaavatara – hold Simhamukha with the left hand and tripataka with the right hand.
- balimchalayate = “who tricked Bali (as Vamana)”
Vamanaavatara – the left hand holds mushti upwards and the right hand also holds mushti but facing downwards.
- kshatra-kshayaṃkurvate| = “who decimated the Kshatriyas (as Parashurama)”
Parashuramaavatara – the left hand is placed on the waist and the right hand is held in ardha-pataka.
- paulastyamjayate = “who defeated Ravana (as Rama)”
Ramachandra avatara – the right hand holds kapittha position and the left holds sikhara position.
- halamkalayate = “who wielded the plough (as Balarama)”
Balarama avatara – the right hand holds pataka and the left is kept in mushti.
- karunyam-atanvate = “who upheld compassion (as Buddha)”
Buddha – is usually depicted with hands in cin-mudra, one facing up and the other down.
- mlecchan-murchayate = “who destroy the mlecchas (as Kalki),”
Kalkiavatara – the right hand holds pataka and the left hand is in tripataka.
In the account of the ten avatara-s, we can also see the respect that Indian tradition accords to all forms of life. The Lord may choose any form to incarnate. From the first to the tenth, we see a progression in complexity of the form He chooses. First the primordial waters where life has to start is alluded to, where He appears as a fish. Then He takes the form of reptile, a turtle. Then comes the fierce wild boar, a wild animal of the jungle. The next avatara is of the demon-like Narasimha, a fierce, growling, snarling being that is half man and half lion, so ferocious as to have torn Hiranyakasipu’s vitals out and strung them around His neck like a garland!
In the beginning of the human forms, the first one is that of the dwarf, Vamana. Next is the fierce Parashurama who cuts up evil kings and warriors with an axe as his implement letting a river of blood flow! The next incarnation is Sri Rama, the noble prince of Ayodhya devoted to dharma. In Jayadeva’s account, the next one is Balarama, elder brother of Lord Krishna, both being supreme deities at the Jagannatha Temple at Puri. Buddha, the very embodiment of kindness and mercy, is the next incarnation of Lord Vishnu, indicating total harmony between Hinduism and Buddhism among the common people across many centuries in ancient India. The final one, Kalki, who is yet to arrive, promises to wield missiles and modern high-tech weapons to save the world and restore dharma.
Team Siddhanta Knowledge Foundation
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