Dashavatara
Also called: Ten incarnations of Vishnu · Topic: Early Indian Art and Architecture: Stupas, Rock-cut Caves, Temples · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Dashavatara means "ten avatars". These are the ten forms Vishnu was believed to take on earth to save the world from evil. The usual list is Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (man-lion), Vamana (dwarf), Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha (or Balarama in some lists), and Kalki, the avatar still to come. These forms became a favourite subject for temple sculpture. Their stories are told in the Puranas.
Example
The Dashavatara temple at Deogarh in Uttar Pradesh (c. fifth century CE) is named after these ten avatars. One of its famous panels shows Vishnu lying on the serpent Sheshnag.
Don't confuse with
- Avatar: a single form of Vishnu, such as Varaha. Dashavatara is the whole set of ten.
Related concepts
- Puranic Hinduism
- Vaishnavism
- Avatar
- Varaha
- Vasudeva-Krishna
- Shaivism
- Linga
- Garbhagriha
- Antarala
- Shikhara