Bonus Article: Lord Vishnu’s Das Avatar.

Bonus Article: Lord Vishnu’s Das Avatar.

Lord Vishnu’s Das Avatar (ten incarnations) are profound narratives that illustrate divine interventions to restore dharma, weaving a tapestry of cosmic justice and intricate relationships.

This bonus article, explores two key aspects:

1.       The curse of Jaya and Vijaya, Vishnu’s divine attendants, and their subsequent births as demons, and

2.      The connection between Lord Vishnu and Budha Graha, paralleled with the maternal conflicts in Vishnu’s avatars, reflecting themes of duty, sacrifice, and divine purpose.

The Curse of Jaya and Vijaya: A Cosmic Cycle of Redemption.

Once in Vishnu’s divine abode, Vaikuntha, Jaya and Vijaya, the devoted gatekeepers, barred the four Kumaras—Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatana, and Sanatkumara—from entering. These eternal sages, appearing as children, were ardent devotees of Vishnu. Offended by the gatekeepers’ refusal, the Kumaras cursed Jaya and Vijaya to lose their divine status and be born as mortals (Bhagavat Puran, Canto 3, Chapter 16). The curse was severe: they would live as demons, estranged from Vishnu’s grace.

Lord Vishnu, upon learning of the incident, appeared before the Kumaras and his attendants. Acknowledging the sages’ righteousness but moved by Jaya and Vijaya’s devotion, Vishnu modified the curse, offering a choice: seven births as his devotees or three births as his enemies, each time to be liberated by his hand. Jaya and Vijaya chose the shorter path, preferring three demonic births to return swiftly to Vaikuntha (Bhagavat Puran, 3.16.31-35). This decision initiated a cosmic drama spanning multiple yugas, with Vishnu’s avatars confronting these demons to fulfill the curse.

The Three Demonic Births and Vishnu’s Liberation.

The curse manifested in three successive births, each marked by enmity with Vishnu’s avatars, culminating in their liberation:

1. Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu.

In the Satya Yuga, Jaya and Vijaya were reborn as the Rakshasa brothers Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu.

• Hiranyaksha: Born as a powerful asura, Hiranyaksha submerged the Earth in the cosmic ocean. Lord Vishnu incarnated as Varaha, the boar, to slay him and restore the Earth (Vishnu Puran, 1.4; Bhagavat Puran, 3.18).
• Hiranyakashipu: His brother, driven by vengeance, oppressed devotees. Vishnu appeared as Narasimha, the man-lion, to kill Hiranyakashipu, protecting his devotee Prahlada (Bhagavat Puran, 7.8).
• Connection: Both demons, embodiments of Jaya and Vijaya, were liberated by Vishnu’s fierce avatars, fulfilling the first cycle of the curse.
1. Ravan and Kumbhakarna.
• In the Treta Yuga, Jaya and Vijaya were reborn as the Rakshasa brothers Ravan and Kumbhakarna, rulers of Lanka. Ravan’s abduction of Sita led to his confrontation with Vishnu as Shri Ram, who defeated them in the epic battle of the Ramayan (Valmiki Ramayan & Tulasi Ramayan).
• Connection: Rama’s victory was a triumph of dharma and the second liberation of Jaya and Vijaya, drawing them closer to Vaikuntha.
2. Shishupala and Dantavakra.
• In their final birth in Dvapara Yuga, Jaya and Vijaya appeared as Shishupala and Dantavakra, two kings who were hostile to Vishnu’s avatar Krishna. Shishupala was slain by Krishna’s Sudarshan Chakra during the Rajasuya Yagna (Mahabharat, Sabha Parva, 44), and Dantavakra met his end later at Krishna’s hands (Bhagavat Puran, 10.78).
• Connection: Krishna’s actions completed the curse, liberating Jaya and Vijaya, restoring them to Vaikuntha.

This cycle underscores Vishnu’s compassion, ensuring his devotees’ salvation even through enmity, as their hatred kept them focused on him. The narrative highlights the interconnectedness of Vishnu’s avatars across yugas, united by the divine purpose of upholding dharma.

Budha Graha and Maternal Conflicts in Vishnu’s Avatars.

Budha Graha (Mercury), the Vedic planet governing intellect, communication, and wisdom, is intricately linked to Lord Vishnu, the preserver of cosmic order. Several traditions draw a symbolic connection between Budha Graha and Lord Vishnu. Devotional practices, such as the Navagraha Stotra, invoke Vishnu’s grace to appease Budha’s influence, suggesting that Vishnu’s benevolence can harmonize Budha Graha’s planetary effects. This cosmic and symbolic connection frames the exploration of Budha’s strained maternal relationship and its parallels with Vishnu’s avatars.

Budha Graha’s Strained Maternal Bond.

Budha’s origin is marked by conflict. Born to Chandra (Moon) and Tara, the wife of Brihaspati (Jupiter), Budha’s birth stemmed from Tara’s affair with Chandra, sparking a cosmic dispute. Brihaspati, enraged, cursed Budha, and Tara’s actions led to an emotional rift with her son. Budha, aware of his mother’s infidelity, harbored resentment, resulting in a distant relationship (Brahmanda Puran, 3.8; Matsya Puran, 23). This narrative of maternal conflict echoes the complex maternal bonds in several of Vishnu’s avatars.

Vishnu’s Avatars and Their Maternal Relationships.

Several avatars experienced strained or disrupted relationships with their mothers, reflecting themes of duty, sacrifice, and divine purpose:

1. Parashuram.
• Born to Jamadagni and Renuka, Parashuram faced a harrowing test when his father ordered him to behead Renuka. Bound by dharma, Parashuram complied but later used a boon to resurrect her (Brahmanda Puran, 2.3; Mahabharat, Shanti Parva, 49).
• Connection: This act of killing his mother, though reversed, mirrors Budha’s strained bond with his mother Tara, driven by conflicts rooted in duty and familial discord.
2. Shri Ram.
• Ram, born to Dasharatha and Kausalya, was separated from his birth mother due to his stepmother Kaikeyi’s demand for his fourteen-year exile, influenced by Manthara. Kausalya’s anguish is vividly described as she bids farewell (Valmiki Ramayan & Tulsi Ramayan).
• Connection: This forced separation, driven by external manipulation, parallels Budha’s emotional distance from Tara due to her actions.
3. Krishna.
• Born to Devaki and Vasudeva, Krishna was separated from his birth mother at birth to escape Kamsa’s wrath. Raised by Yashoda in Gokul, he formed a deep bond with her, while Devaki endured years of longing (Bhagavat Puran, 10.3, 10.45).
• Connection: Krishna’s separation from Devaki, necessitated by divine purpose, reflects Budha’s disrupted bond with Tara due to external circumstances.
4. Buddha.
• As Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha left his family, including his foster mother Prajapati Gautami (his birth mother Mahamaya died shortly after his birth), to pursue enlightenment at age 29 (Lalitavistara Sutra, Chapter 7). This voluntary renunciation reflects a sacrifice of maternal ties for spiritual duty.
• Connection: Buddha’s departure mirrors Budha’s emotional distance from Tara, both driven by a higher purpose over personal bonds.

Conclusion.

The Das Avatar of Lord Vishnu reveal profound interconnections, from the cosmic redemption of Jaya and Vijaya through avatars like Varaha, Narasimha, Ram, and Krishna, to the maternal conflicts mirroring Budha Graha’s strained bond with Tara. These narratives illustrate the interplay of divine purpose and human-like relationships, offering timeless lessons on duty, sacrifice, and salvation.