Ancient Indian Historical Tradition c20.21

c20.21

These considerations show how the belief arose that Viṣṇu became incarnate when conditions on earth had become evil, in order to destroy wickedness and re-establish righteousness,⁵ for his three chief alleged historical incarnations were, the earliest Rāma Jāmadagnya, the second Rāma Dāśarathi, and the last Kṛṣṇa. Such statements are brahmanical, and historical consistency cannot be expected in all.⁶ The misstatement of Rāma Jāmadagnya's position arose probably from the notion that the Kṛta age was one of unblemished righteousness.