Myth and Symbol

Vishnu's Incarnations

Various animal and human figures were viewed as examples of Vishnu's benevolent activity on earth, and identified with him as avatars or incarnations. These appear successively whenever the world is in danger from evil. The number became fixed at ten, although their precise identities were flexible. For example, a passage in the Harivamsha has the lotus instead of the fish and tortoise; it also includes Dattatreya, while omitting the Buddha,. However, the usual list of Vishnu's avatars is that given here and depicted in the 18 th -century miniature. The avatars illustrated, surrounding a central depiction of Vishnu and Shri, follow the sequence in the list, except that the sixth is Rama and Sita, the seventh Krishna playing his flute with Radha, and the eight Parashurama.

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Vishnu's Incarnations

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