 | |
| Matsya 36"x48" Acrylic on Canvas |
 |
| Kurma 36"x48" Acrylic on Canvas |
 |
| Varaha 36"x48" Acrylic on Canvas |
 |
| Narasimha 36"x48" Acrylic on Canvas |
 |
| Vaman 36"x48" Acrylic on Canvas |
 |
| MayaMriga 30"x36" Mixed Media on Canvas |
Dashavatara refers to
the ten major incarnations of Vishnu, the Hindu God of universal preservation. The God Vishnu incarnates
on Earth from time to time to eradicate the evil forces, to restore the Dharma and to
liberate the worthy ones or devotees from cycle of births and deaths.
I have painted only five of them which are direct transformation of Vishnu into the avatar form. When I was child I watched a moth coming out of a shining cocoon in my backyard. I used to wonder how a human form can transform into animal forms of Dashavatar. Here I have tried to capture the phase of metamorphosis or transformation! Half Vishnu and half avatar form!
I have painted only five of them which are direct transformation of Vishnu into the avatar form. When I was child I watched a moth coming out of a shining cocoon in my backyard. I used to wonder how a human form can transform into animal forms of Dashavatar. Here I have tried to capture the phase of metamorphosis or transformation! Half Vishnu and half avatar form!
1. Matsya, the fish, from the Satya Yuga. Lord Vishnu takes the form of a fish to save Manu
from a flood, after which he takes his boat to the new world along with one of
every species of plant and animal, gathered in a massive cyclone.
2. Kurma, the tortoise, appeared in the Satya Yuga. When the devas and asuras were churning the ocean
in order to get the nectar of immortality, the mount Mandara they were using as
the churning staff started to sink and Lord Vishnu took the form of a tortoise
to bear the weight of the mountain.
3. Varaha, the boar, from the Satya Yuga. He appeared to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had
taken the Earth, or Prithvi, and carried it to the bottom of what is described
as the cosmic ocean in the story. The battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha is
believed to have lasted for a thousand years, which the former finally won.
Varaha carried the Earth out of the ocean between his tusks and restored it to
its place in the universe.
4. Narasimha, the half-man/half-lion appeared in the Satya Yuga. The raksha Hiranyakashipu was granted a powerful boon from Brahma,
not allowing him to be killed by man or animal, inside or out, day or night, or
in earth or the stars, with a weapon either living or inanimate. Vishnu
descended as an anthropomorphic incarnation, with the body of a man and head
and claws of a lion. He then disembowels the rakshasa at the courtyard threshold of his house, at dusk, with his claws, while
he lay on his thighs.
5. Vamana, the dwarf, appeared in
the Treta Yuga. The fourth descendant of
Hiranyakashyap, Bali, with devotion and penance was able
to defeat Indra, the god of firmament. This humbled the other deities and
extended his authority over the three worlds. The gods appealed to Vishnu for
protection and he descended as the dwarf Vamana. During a yagna of the king,
Vamana approached him in the midst of other Brahmins. Bali was happy to see the
diminutive holy man, and promised whatever he asked. Vamana asked for three
paces of land. Bali agreed, and the dwarf then changed his size to that of a
giant. He stepped over heaven in his first stride, the netherworld with the
second. Bali realized that Vamana was Vishnu incarnate. In deference, the king
offered his head as the third place for Vamana to place his foot. The avatar
did so and thus granted Bali immortality. Then in appreciation to Bali and his
grandfather Prahlad, Vamana made him ruler of Pathala, the netherworld. Bali is
believed to have ruled Kerala and Tulunadu. He is still worshiped there as
the king of prosperity and recalled before the time of harvest
No comments:
Post a Comment