Elements of Hindu Iconography v1.c11.4

v1.c11.4

“In consequence of Śukra’s curse, which operated periodically, Viṣṇu was born time after time, after a decline of righteousness, which he re-established, destroying the *Asuras*. For Brahmā had decreed that all those *Asuras* who should be disobedient to Prahlāda should be slain by men. Vishnu's incarnations are then enumerated (*vv.* 234-245), *viz.*, (1) a portion of him sprang from Dharma, (2) the Narasimha, or Man-lion, and (3) the Dwarf incarnations, which are called the celestial manifestations, the remaining seven being the human incarnations caused by Śukra's curse (*v.* 238). These seven are (4) the *Dattātrēya* (5) *Māndhātri* (6) *Paraśurāma*, (7) *Rāma*, (8) *Vēdavyāsa*, (9) *Buddha* and (10) *Kalki* incarnations. (Eight instead of seven are obtained if, with the Mahrāṭṭi expounder, we understand the beginning of verse 243 to refer to *Kṛishṇa*). The *Bhāgavata-Purāṇa* gives twenty-two incarnations (*i.* 3, 1 *ff.*), *viz.*: Those in the forms of (1) *Purusha*, (2) *Varāha* or the Boar, (3) *Nārada*, (4) *Nara* and *Nārāyaṇa*, (5) *Kapila*, (6) *Dattātrēya*, (7) *Yajñā* or Sacrifice, (8) *Ṛishabha*, (9) *Pṛithu*, (10) *Matsya*, or the Fish, (11) *Kūrma* or the Tortoise, (12 and 13), *Dhanvantri*, (14) *Narasimha* or the Man-lion, (15) *Vāmana* or the Dwarf, (16) *Paraśurāma*, (17) *Vēdavyāsa* (18) *Rāma*, (19 and 20) *Balarāma* and *Kṛishṇa*, (21) *Buddha*, and (22) *Kalki*. These last two are represented as future. But the incarnations of Vishnu are innumerable, like the rivulets flowing from an inexhaustible lake. *Ṛishis*, Manus, gods, sons of Manus, Prajāpatis are all portions of him (*v.* 26).”*