Early History of the Vaishnava Faith and Movement in Bengal, from Sanskrit and Bengali Sources c9.s3.22

c9.s3.22

3. Līlāvatāras. The character of these Avatāras is not defined, but these forms have been declared by the Śrīmad-bhāgavata, i. 3. They are twenty-four in number as follow: (1) Catuḥsana, that is the four ‘Sanas,’ who in four forms are really one, namely, Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanātana and Sanatkumāra, who appeared as Brahman ascetics to propagate Jñāna and Bhakti, (2) Nārada, the author of the Sātvata Tantra, (3) the Varāha, four-legged (catuṣpād), but also two-legged according to some (dvipād), (4) the Matsya, (5) Yajña, (6) Nara and Nārāyaṇa, (7) Kapila, (8) Dattātreya, (9) Hayaśīrṣa, (10) the Haṃsa, (11) Dhruva-priya or Pṛśnigarbha, (12) Ṛṣabha, (13) Pṛthu, (14) the Nṛsiṃha, (15) the Kūrma, (16) Dhanvantari, (17) the Mohinī, (18) the Vāmana, (19) Bhārgava (Paraśu-rāma), (20) Rāghava, (21) Vyāsa, (22) Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa, (23) the Buddha and (24) Kalkin. These are also the Kalpa-Avatāras, as they appear in each Kalpa.