Ten avatars of Vishnu, reflecting the scientific evolution.

[Brishti]

Namaskar,

I wrote an article a few months ago, about the 10 avatars of Vishnu and how it corresponds to the evolution of species as defined by science. However, do note that I am only an amateur and yet have so much to learn about our religion. If I made a mistake in my post, please correct me.


To fight off notorious evil and aristocrats, Lord Vishnu had to make himself visible to humans and come down to destroy the evil and save the pure hearted individuals. It is said that he would appear ten times throughout the history of time, 9 of which has already happened. However, it is interesting to note the correlation between the chronological forms that Vishnu appeared in, and the science of evolution itself.

1. Matsya - the form of a fish, one of the first animal species to evolve. As Matsya, He made sure every species was saved from a great natural disaster, in order to maintain the variety of plant and animal life.

2. Kurma - the form of a turtle (reptile). Reptiles evolved from fishes.

3. Varaha - a boar (mammal). In this third incarnation, Vishnu as Varaha once again removes evil, which is the purpose of his incarnations.

4. Narasimha - in a form of half beast, half human (part human). So slowly you can see how the avatars correspond to the order of species evolving. In this form, Vishnu destroyed an arrogant and ignorant King, who claimed he was immoral. This goes to show that, false pride is unhealthy for our soul.

5. Vamana - a dwarf or an early species of the Homo genus (early human). Evolved from the half beast, half human form.

6. Parashurama - in human form.

7. Rama - in human form.

8. Krishna - in human form. This form is probably the most popular of all 10 forms, amongst Hindus. It was one of the most recent. Krishna is indeed Rama, yet in a later form. He enlightened Arjuna during the Kurukshetra battle, and those lessons that he offered Arjuna, is explained in the Gita. Reading it, will enlighten us in many ways.

9. Buddha - in human form. His devotion to the Vedas and spiritual enlightenment is something we can all learn from.

10. Kalki - Yet to come.


Thank you for reading. Jai Shri Ram.

[Omkara]

There are supposed to be 22 known avatars and infinie unknown avatars if vishnu,and the dashavatars are not in chronolgical order.This issue has been clarified further here-
http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showthread.php?t=9998

[Brishti]

Namaskar,

Oh so Matsya was not the first.

This completely throws off my point.
I was not aware of this at all.
Thank you for the link.

[Tapasya]

Namaste,

I personally cannot accept Buddha as one of dasa avataras.For me the sequence must be Balarama (8th), Sri Krishna (9th)and Kalki (10th). (By the wayI cannot imagine Bhagavan Krishna to be anything other than the ninth). This isconsistent with south Indian traditions � for example Dasa avatara puja (in thesouth) does not include Buddha and this is consistent with the representationsat Sri Ananda Padmanabha kshetra and at other kshetras and so forth.

In my humble viewBuddha is a (relatively) minor avatar whose purpose in the Kali Yuga, in thecontext of the decline of Brahmanyam, was to arrest the onslaught of karmadoshaM and not to directly to support the vedic faith. Thus for example in allthe avataras Their actions show no distinction between himsa and ahimsa - onlytruth (satya) is relevant. With Buddha this very distinction arises and hence He,for example, rejects vedic sacrifices. Thus for me the purpose of the Buddhaavatara (and that of the kali yuga matha that his disciples subsequently created) isdifferent from that of the dasa avataras.

On this ashtami Rohini,

Pranam

[Sahasranama]

The existence of a half-human and half-animal would actually falsify the theory of evolution.

[realdemigod]

Good effort never thought in this direction

[Twilightdance]

The existence of a half-human and half-animal would actually falsify the theory of evolution.

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[Viraja]

The existence of a half-human and half-animal would actually falsify the theory of evolution.

Why, there are 'kalpa-bedas' in the manifestations of avataras... like there is even a temple for married Hanuman! Similarly, the Narasimha avatara could have taken place a long, long time ago in a different kalpa when half-animal, half-human births was possible. Also, we are just 30% of the land, there are entire continents submerged under water, with that understanding, it becomes clear we have lost many, many valuable clues to how life had been.

[Incense]

The existence of a half-human and half-animal would actually falsify the theory of evolution.

It's about symbolism... If it were literal one would expect Australopithecus Afarensis instead of a dwarf. Also, boars are not part of our evolutionary lineage. I understand the boar in our friend Brishti's analogy, as symbolizing herbivorous quadrupeds, then comes Narasimha, representing a "higher" link in the food chain, and then comes Vamana, representing early anthropoids.

What I don't like is having evolved further than Krsna , he is so happy and wise! But Siddhartha (for me anyway) is more the serious scientist, very concentrated on work in research and teaching. Kalki, well, is yet to come, so there is no comparing him to anything that has existed yet.

[ShivaFan]

Namaste All

I am a great admirer of Lord Chaitanya.

Now, I consider him a Holy Saint, in fact those who have read the History of Chaitanya pretty much cannot help but love Lord Mahaprabhu, who sometimes I have heard to be called "The Golden Avatar".

I am not so sure about all the variations of what is called "avatar", though I have been amazed and wonder"ized" by some of the enchanting things I have heard from Vaishnava's about this. Please note, I am a Saiva.

As anyone who has read my "history", they know that even though I am a Saiva, I know a lot about ISKCON. And, I have been told by Krishna devotees that Lord Chaitanya is "an Avatar of Krishna".

In fact, legit or not, many ISKCON devotees have made the same comments and noticed how the 10 Avatars of Vishnu seem to reflect "evolution". I am not saying they said this proves evolution as is pushed almost like a religion by materialistic school administrations, I don't think that is what these devotees mean, but evolution seems to be in the equation of these avatars in their opinion but it has nothing to do with Darwin.

This post was about the "Das avatars" (ten), but then we have this subset of "avatars" under Krishna, Whom many Vaishnava's consider Krishna a special and unique Avatar of His own Right, so it is not the same as saying "Krishna is an 'avatar' of Vishnu" (we don't need to go into details or jalpa regarding this - I am just bringing up Lord Chaitanya in this context of "evolution", bear with me ...) ...

Now I have heard from some of these same ISKCON devotees, that in one way the "Golden Avatar" (Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) also reflects this "evolution" idea. Where Chaitanya is the example of an Avatar who is now taken "the next stage in evolution" in the Divine's "mission" on "this World" (Bhumi Maa) which is to be "the highest rasa" (or lila, etc.) being a "pure devotee". That Chaitanya is the very example of this both on the "human level" (of possibilities) and on the "totally unattached and selfless" state of devotion to the Divine (which is the next stage in "evolution").

Hmmm....

Very nice actually. I am probably not using the correct Krishnite words for this (as popularized in Bengal and Vrindavan and so on), I hope I am getting my idea across. And I sort of agree, there is this very, almost mystic, "big picture" in the Avatars, and "Avatars of Avatars", as documented in sacred texts that very much looks like a sort of "evolution". But perhaps this is the "bigger message" of "whenever there is a decline in righteousness I descend" - not evolution in Darwinian terms but evolution in terms of jiva souls who have the opportunity on this Bhumi Mother Earth to be with the Divine which creates the Histories that amaze and engage our conciousness. Lord Buddha perhaps was not the "Last Avatar" before Kalki - Buddha speaking a lot about total detachment from the temporary, but perhaps there was to come even more (such as Chaitanya) who portended yet another step in this evolution of "men" and that is of TOTAL attachment (through the feelings of separation) but it is to The Lord - which in effect also results in total detachment from all other things, especially the temporary?

Lord Shiva lives in Kashi. We can go there, and find Him. During all stages of "evolution", He will Never Forsake Kashi. Whatever state we are in, whatever stage, we can Go There. All the Gods have come to Kashi. 33 krores are there. The very City itself has spheres and regions, zones of the Divine. You can pass through and into each tirtha, and it is also one way to evolve. You will know, if you read the glories of Kashi, and then move into the circle, into the next, and to the inner circle. In this world, there are ways to see evolution. For eons, the yogis and great mystics, the renounced, the self-travellers, they have gone on pathways from all over India to come to Holy Places. It seems we must travel, even the Devas and Devi travel down to us. A journey is a nice thing. It doesn't have to be a bad thing. Even the shortest journey can be a long journey in evolution. Of course evolution is true. It isn't about the physical science, do not forget the spiritual science. Sometimes I look at my finger print. There are circles going out, and going in. The pupil of the eye is a circle - it expands and contracts to get a clearer vision. Everything expands and contracts to get a clearer vision, even one day everything which is now expanding will contract. Maybe to get a clearer vision depending on if it is night or day. Evolution makes a lot of sense to me.

Om Namah Sivaya