History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c91.267.3

v7.c91.267.3

Matsya, Hayaśīrṣa, Kūrma, Sūkara, Narasiṁha, Vāmana, Bhārgava Rāma, Rāma, Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Buddha, Kalki. In Bhāgavata XI. 4. 17-22 sixteen avatāras are set out, viz. usual ten plus Haṁsa, Datta (Dattātreya), Kumāra (Nārada), Ṛṣabha, Vyāsa and Hayagrīva. Twelve avatāras are noted in Matsya 99. 14 and Padma V. 13. 182-186. The Prapañcasāratantra (ascribed to the great advaita teacher Śaṅkarācārya) mentions (in Paṭala 20. 59) Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Nṛsiṁha, Kubja (i. e. Vāmana), three Rāmas (i. e. Bhārgavarāma, Dāśarathi Rāma and Balarāma), Kṛṣṇa and Kalkin (i. e. it omits Buddha). The Ahirbudhnya Saṃhitā (5. 50-57) enumerates 39 avatāras of Vāsudeva, that are set out by Otto Schrader in his Introduction to the Pañcarātra and the Ahirbudhnya Saṃhitā, pp. 42-43. The Viṣṇupurāṇa¹⁶²⁶ states that Lakṣmī follows Viṣṇu in his avatāras The Purāṇas are full of the descriptions of the exploits of Viṣṇu in his several avatāras. But it should not be supposed that Śiva had no avatāras The Vāyu (chap. 23) mentions 28 avatāras of Maheśvara the last of which was Nakulī (Lakula) as verse 221 says. In Varāha 15 10-19 all avatāras are praised except that of Buddha. But Varāha (48.