Vishnu-The Lord of the Universe-Chapter#2

Vishnu in the form of fish. Matsya Avtar.


In Kaliyuga, people are far away from God. The world is full of injustice. The human civilization has degraded spiritually through the years. All humans have become sinners. It's the age for wrong doers. There is ignorance of Dharma everywhere. People are killing each other in the name of Religion and castes. No one is really concerned about other’s welfares. Humans will be inclined to follow false sciences rather than accepting the Vedas as the Ultimate Truth to reality. People will see those who are helpless as easy targets and remove everything from them. Other’s property will be coveted. There will be a mad craze for money, lust and other cheap materialistic pleasures of life. Students won't be obedient to the Guru's. In the age of Kali Yug, even pre-teenage girls will get pregnant. The primary cause will be the social acceptance of sexual intercourse as being the central requirement of life. Human life’s moral values will be lost.




Vishnu in the form of tortoise-Kurma Avtar

It is believed that sin will increase exponentially, whilst virtue will fade and cease to flourish. People will take vows only to break them soon. People will destroy trees and gardens in the view of urbanization. People will become addicted to intoxicating drinks.

The good and the bad are balanced. However, sometimes the amount of evilness increases. God descends down into earthly form to remove injustice. Wrong doers will be punished. This is evident from the incarnation of nine avatars.

In the Matsya avatar, Vishnu-The Supreme takes the form of a fish and saves the world from destruction and reestablishes growth of life in the world by defeating a demon which stole the vedas from Brahma. Earlier, a evil demon stole the vedas from Brahma and kept it under an ocean. Vishnu took the form of a fish and fights the demon under water and restores vedas and gives it back to Brahma.

But peace was short lived. The world was again facing miseries. The Devas and Asuras were always at war. In one such war, the demi-gods were on the verge of defeat. A truce was made and the Devas and Asuras agreed to churn the milk ocean to get the divine nectar, which will make anyone immortal. At that time, Vishnu takes the form of a tortoise i.e. Kurma Avatar to support the mountain. Mandara was used as Churn Dasher and Vasuki, The King of Serpents was used as a rope to churn it. Then Maha Vishnu takes the form of Mohini a charming damsel and distracts the evil minded asuras. Thus they are devoid of nectar. The Devas consumed the nectar become and immortal. Rightness is again restored. It is believed that Rahu and Ketu actually drank some of the nectar. This was seen by the Sun and Moon God. Lord Surya and Moon god told this to Vishnu. With the help of his discus, Lord Vishnu cuts the head of Rahu and the body of Ketu. But since they had consumed the nectar, the remaining pieces remained alive. Later, Rahu and Ketu got an head and body of a snake respectively. It is believed that during eclipse, Rahu and Ketu eat up a portin of Sun and Moon as a sign of revenge.


Varaha Avtar. Vishnu saves the earth when it sunk deep into the ocean.

After many years, a demon named Hirayaksha sinks the world deep into the ocean. Lord Narayana comes in the form of a Boer i.e. Varaha Avatar and rescues the earth and lifts it from the ocean. Hiranyakasipu was the brother of Hiranyaksha. He was no different from his evil-minded brother. He hated Lord Narayana and didn’t allow anyone to worship Narayana. However, his son Prahlad was a Vishnu devotee. Hiranyakasipu warned his own son not to worship Vishnu. But Prahlad didn't listen to his father. Enraged by his son’s disobedience, he decides to kill his own son. Sarcastically, he asks his son where his Lord is present? Prahlad replies calmly, “That He is present everywhere and He is omnipresent”. Frustrated and enraged Hiranyakasipu inquires whether his Lord is present inside the stone pillar near his throne. Prahlad says, “Yes”. Hiranyakasipu breaks the pillar and Vishnu appears in the form of half man-half lion form i.e. Narasimha avatar. Thus it is evident that God always comes to the rescue of His devotees in times of danger and no one cares for us as the Divine Lord Perumal.



Lord Narasimha killing Hiranyakasipu. Prahlad can be seen at the right.


Hiranyakasipu was the brother of Hiranyaksha. He was no different from his evil-minded brother. He hated Lord Narayana and didn’t allow anyone to worship Narayana. However, his son Prahlad was a Vishnu devotee. Hiranyakasipu warned his own son not to worship Vishnu. Enraged by his son’s disobedience, he decides to kill his own son. Sarcastically, he asks his son where his Lord is present? Prahlad replies calmly, “That He is present everywhere and He is omnipresent”. Frustrated and enraged Hiranyakasipu inquires whether his Lord is present inside the stone pillar. Prahlad says, “Yes”. Hiranyakasipu breaks the pillar and Vishnu appears in the form of half man-half lion form i.e. Narasimha avatar. Thus it is evident that God always comes to the rescue of His devotees in times of danger and no one cares for us as the Divine Lord Perumal.



Vamana humbles Maha Bali.


In the next avatar, Vishnu takes the form of Vamana, a dwarf Brahmin. King Maha Bali was a good person. However, he was an Asuran and he wanted to win the devas. Though he was good at heart, he had a very bad attitude towards the Devas. In order to attain a heavenly position he performs Ashwamedha Yagam. Maha Bali conducts Ashwamedha Yagam and donates wealth to brahmins and the poor needy. Vishnu disguised as a brahmin named Vamana approaches Bali and asks for three feet of land. Underestimating, the size of the person he agrees to give it as an offering not minding his Guru Sukracharaya’s words. Sukracharaya warned him earlier that Vamana was none other than Vishnu himself who has come to humble him. Sukracharya then becomes an insect and enters into the water pot as it was customary to pour water before donating anything. Maha Bali was confused when water didn't pour out of the pot. Actually Guru Sukracharya was inside in the form of a bee to prevent water from flowing out. Vamana uses "dharbai" and inserts it into the pot's nozzle to allow the water to pour out. It hurts Sukracharya's eye. Once Maha Bali whole heartedly agrees for the donation, Vamana exposes his true form. He expands Himself and keeps one foot on the earth and the other on the heaven. Bali knew that he had been outwitted by the Supreme. He offered his head for the third step. In this incarnation Vishnu shows that He is the Supreme and the most powerful person. He keeps one foot on earth and shows to humans that he is superior to them. He keeps another step on the heaven to show Indra that He is stronger than him too.


Important lessons to be learnt:

* God is Supreme be it Allah, Jesus or Shiva. Fighting and killing each other in the name of religion is doing sin in the name of God. Religion is only a path to salvation. It is a route to attain peace.

* Proof of evolution is observed. Vishnu comes in the form of Fish, Tortoise, then a four legged boar, half man-half lion Narasimha and a dwarf brahmin, then as a perfect man in Parasuram Avtar. In Ram avtar, he shows how a family man should live. In Balaram avtar, he shows his friendly nature. In Krishna avtar, he proves his kiddish playful nature, Supreme power and divine knowledge as he recites Bhagvad Gita.

* His omnipresent nature is seen in Narasimha avtar.

* His power is felt in all his avtars.


Next Edition(22/11/2007):-Chapter#3 Avatar's-Part-II



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