astrology articles

Vishnu: The Protector

It has always been a pleasure knowing more about Hindu Gods. The Lord of the Lords ‘Vishnu’ is the preserver, the nurturer and the protector of this creation. Lord who is respected by Gods, dreaded by demons and admired by his devotees, abodes in the highest heaven Vaikuntha. Sitting silently and smiling, he takes care of the whole universe and whenever he feels that there has been a threat or some chaos engulfs the universe, he takes the form of a human or a beast to protect the people who follows the path of ‘dharma’.To protect the ethical, moral, sacred values he has descended from heaven several times but among his incarnations, the ten Avatars has always been of great importance popularly known as the ‘Dasha-Avatar’.

They are:
Matsya, the one-horned fish,
Kurma, the mighty turtle
Varaha, the fierce boar
Narasimha, the man-lion
Vamana, the clever dwarf
Parshuram, the vengeful, priest
Rama, the dutiful prince
Krishna, the righteous cowherd
Buddha, the compassionate sage
Kalki, the messiah.

 

lord Vishnu Evolution Of Lord Krishna
 

 

I Among the ten avatars, Krishna is said to be the Purna Avatar, the total incarnation of Vishnu. It is also interesting to know that many religion found there belief in Lord Krishna. There was a fusion of world religion Vaishnavism or cult of Vishnu as worshiped in the incarnation of Krishna helped adapt Hinduism to new ideas. Greeks found their hero Herakles in Krishna, the Zorastrial belief in the messiaha was reflected in the prophecised descent of Kalki. Puranic myth of Matsya saving Manu’s ship appeared to be a variation of the Biblical tale of Noha’s arc. Early Christian missionaries were convinced with the legends of birth of Krishna, were inspired by Christian gospel of birth of Jesus and Virgin Mary. The cult of Vishnu also traveled to South Asia and they absorbed the legend of Rama in the epic Ramayana in their own cultural tradition.

Krishna the lord tinged with the hue of blue clouds has always been portrayed as a divine form of Lord Vishnu.The festival of Janmastami essentially celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna.

There is a myth that around the birth of lord Krishna in the Dvapara –yuga, the greed of the kings to rule the world burdened the earth, Bhoodevi the goddess of earth bowed before the good lord in the form of a cow and said,“Save me before the greed of man breaks my back”.

The festival of Janmastami essentially celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. The myth around the birth of Lord Krishna. The Dvapara-yuga, the third quarter of the world-cycle, the ambitions of Kings burdened the earth. Bhoodevi the goddess of earth stood before Vishnu in the form of a cow and cried: “Save me before the greed of man breaks my back”.

 

Plucking two of his hairs, one white and one black, the lord said, “I will place these in the womb of Devaki, the Yadava princess, and she will give birth to your guardians, Baladeva and Vasu deva, who will rid the world of unrighteous men and reestablish Dharma”.

Thus Vasudeva Krishna was born of Vishnu’s black hair, on a dark night, in the dark half of the lunar cycle when rain clouds rumbled across the sky and rains lashed the land of Vraja (modern day Mathura/Vrindavan near Agra). He was the eighth child. He was dark colored and hence He was known as “Krishna”.

From the book ‘Vishnu’ by Dr.Devdutt Pattanaik.