Hindu Mythology

Incarnations

The ten avatars of Vishnu, (Clockwise, from Left upper corner) Matsya, Kurma, Varaha,Vamana, Krishna, Kalki, Buddha, Parshurama,Rama and Narasimha, (in centre) Krishna

Several gods are believed to have had incarnations (Avatars). As the protector of life, one of the duties of Vishnu is to appear on the earth whenever a firm hand is required to set things right. The epic Bhagavatha Purana is the chronology of Vishnu's ten major incarnations (there are in total twenty six incarnations): Matsya (fish), Kurma (turtle), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (lion-faced human), Vamana (an ascetic in the form of a midget), Parasurama (a militant Brahmin), Rama, Krishna, Gautam Buddha(later buddhists separated themselves from Hindus), Kalki (a predicted warrior on a white horse who would come in this yuga ) whose appearance also signals the beginning of the end of the epoch.