Anantha Padmanabha - Avataras/Roopas

The word Ananta, PadmaNabha has special meanings. A small attempt to explain the meaning are

•Ananta means infinite, his avataras/roopa are infinite
•He is infinite in Space(Desha), Time(Kala), Attributes(Guna)
•All avataras come out of ananta padmanabha and comes back.
•Bagavantha does not have Deha(Body) like us, it is Aprakrita deha
•Bagavantha does not have Birth & Death like us it is only Darashana, Adarshana
•All references to Mother, Father is only for worldy illustration
•Narasimha is an example demonstrating He is independent by Birth

[ Avatara ]

The most popular Dasa avatara amongst endless avatara are Matysa, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Prasurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Kalki. Dasa means poorna, in each avatara, he is complete and in all avatar is complete. There is no difference between each avatara except in the actions performed based on Bagavanta sankalpa. Each avatara or roopa have the same guna (attributes, just like lamp lit by lamp) but restraints to use it. He moves in Rama as a normal human is a classical example.

Kumara

Padhmanabha took avatara as Sanath Kumara(small child) different from Brahma's son Sanathkumara. This avatara observed perpetual celibacy in order to make the pious follow His footsteps.
Varaha

Padhmanabha took avatara as Divine boar to lift the Earth that had sunk into the lowest depths of the ocean (not the ocean that we see) in order to sustain it.
Mahidasa Aiteraya

Padhmanabha took avatara Mahidasa because he had dasas like Brahma, Rudra and Indra. Aiteraya was son of Itara. Her husband had taken other sons to assist him on sacrifice but left Aitreya as he could not speak. HE was not dumb but once during infancy Itara had asked the baby not to open the mouth. On her continous plead (Yashoda in Srinivasa kalyana) and prayers, Aiterya entered in the sacrificial assemblage (making the preists dumb seeing HIS efflugence) and everyone including Brahma, Rudra, Indra started praising Him and so he was called Mahidasa. Mahidasa Aiterya dsicoursed Aiterya Sruti to Ramaa (Lakshmi's) questions. A part of this Shruti was called as Aiterya Upanishad, which was SrimadhwaAcharya's favorites. Aiterya Sruti emphasised on the way a Jeeva should endevaour for liberation by constantly doing aradhana of Bagavantha about his Sarvottama. Acharya's in Aiterya Bashya has quoted that a right child to a parent is Jnana Putra. Prahalad was Jnana Putra so he could request Satgati for his father Hiranyakashipu. Pandavas are another example.
Nara-Narayana

Padhmanabha took avatara as Dharma, He appeared in the form of dual sages. Nara-Narayana practised severe penance with perfect control of the mind and senses. Nara is visesha amsa. Apsara Urvasi was born out Narayana limbs. Madhwacharya had gone to see Naryana Ashrama guided by another Narayana avatara VedaVyasa.
Kapila

Kapila, lord of siddhas being son, gave upadesha to Devahuti wife of Kardama Prajapathi. He taught sage Asuri, the system of philosphy which due to efflux of time had disappeared. Kapila is God who matures our daily karma. Kapila has to be thought very first during our early hours. He gives instruction being within us and Vayudeva does prayers in all jeevas on Kapila.
Datta

Datta who was chosen by Atri's wife Anusuya as her son taught logic to king Alarka, his disciple, Prahalada and others. Logic based on Vedas-Anivikshaki. Vishnu incarnated as Datta, Rudra manifested as Durvasa while special influence was exerted by Brahma on Soma (Chandra). Atri was surprised to see three Gods and postrated before them. Atri prayed to have a son who is like the God within Siva and Brahma and as he prayed he was blessed with Datta son.
Yajna

He was born of Akuti(sister of Devahuti). Assisted His sons Yama and other devatas(demi-gods). HE held the office of Indra during the first Manvantra presided over by Svayambhuva Manu. Yajna signified sacrifice. Once Rishaba(Bagavanta) as Indra did not give rain, and, Yajna (the same Bagavanta) brought rain. This signifies that any devotee offering piously, rain would come as the outcome of Yajna(sacrifice) and that rain is for the general prosperity('sakala lokha sukinow bavantu'). Asura's who had boon of not being killed tried to swallow Svayambhuva manu during penance. Manu immediatedly prayed to his Grandson (Bagvanta) Yajna who came to his rescue and killed the asuras. Yajna married Dakshina devi(Lakshmi), to signify that no Yajna is complete without sacrifice of self-claimed possesion.
Rishaba

He was born to queen Meru devi and King Nabhi (Son of Anghnidhra). He taught 100 of his sons to lead ascetic life. 1st son is King Baratha who is popularly known in his future birth as Jada Baratha. 9 avadootas who gave 24 dharma that they learnt from nature.
Prithu

Prithu the Great emperor in whom Vishnu vishesha sanidhana (presence) was there milched the earth (in the form of a cow) calling respective demi-gods to milch which yielded respective dravya (dhanya,fruits,plants,trees,seeds, etc) for people living. He is called as Usattama.
Matsya

During Pralaya(deluge) that took place at the end of Chakshusa Manvantra manifested in the form of a Fish and protected Vaivasta Manu (by rescuing him from the deluge and stationing him on the earth, which had been transformed into a boat). A small fish becoming a giant (vishwa) fish is one of the greatness of His Omnipresent and Omnipotent attributes. Demon Hayagriva who had stolen from veda was killed and vedas was rescued.
Kurma

When Indra deva had lost his wealth due to ignoring Hari Nirmalaya offered by Dhurvasa rishi(Rudra Amsa), daityas(demons) had taken powers and position of Indra. On devatas plead, praising the help offered in other avatars, devatas requested Narayana to grace their status. Narayana assumed Kurma (tortoise) supported the Mount Mandara on His back to churn Amrutha(Nectar) in the milky ocean. Devatas and daityas were on the same level, in respect of place, time, purpose, means, endeavor and intelligence, they differed in the reaping of the fruit(between the two) the gods got the fruit - the nectar because of their seeking the dust of the lotus feet (holding vasuki tail or praying Narayana) and (by not doing that) the daityas failed to get it. Sarvottama, Jeevottama, Taratamya can be well studied in each step of Kurma avatara with the grace of SriMadhacharya.
Dhanvantri

Dhanvantri avatara who brought Amrutha in Kalasha. Dhanvantri stotra cures all ill-effects and disease in our body. If our ailments have to be cured it is only by the anugraha of Dhanvantri. Ashivini devatas the ministers for health with Vayu's control do the curing as per the instruction of Dhanvantri to the respective souls. Mohini or Narayani the thirteenth avatara is nirdarshana of Narayana's omnipotency. The first stri(women) roopa of SriHari (as per SrimadBagavatha Tatparya Nirnaya) is Jaya. The demons agreed to close the eyes while Amrutha distribution taken away by the beauty of Narayani's roopa. Narayana's distributed the Amrutha to the gods.
Mohini or Narayani

Mohini or Narayani avatara is nirdarshana of Narayana's omnipotency. The first stri(women) roopa of SriHari (as per SrimadBagavatha Tatparya Nirnaya) is Jaya. The demons agreed to close the eyes while Amrutha distribution taken away by the beauty of Narayani's roopa. Narayana's distributed the Amrutha to the gods.
Narasimha

Narayana took the form of man(Nara)-lion(Simha) avatar and tore the bossom of Hiranyakashipu using claws. One of the major reason to take this avatar was to show that HE would heed to the prayers of pure devotee. Sarvottama is also well established here. Diti devi who wanted son during twilight, Hirayanksha and Hiranyankashipu were brother who opposed god and both were killed by Narayana, former by Varaha later by Narasimha.
Vamana

Vamana took the form of a boy(Dwarf) showcasing that HE is not to be assumed as what HE appears. HE visited Bali and asked him three paces of land with the intention of restoring Amravati to Indra. Vamana one of the meaning is owner of beauty. Vamana left padha is Jnana and right padha is Ananda. HE transformed to Tirivikrama and kept the third foot on the head of Bali to break his headweight. HE however granted boon to be a guard to protect from evil and make him Indra in the next Manvantra. Ravana who had stolen his brother's vimana(airflight) and was greedy to stole Bali's wealth was kicked by the toe of Vamana.
ParasuRama

HIS sixteenth manisfestation as the son of Rishi Jamadagni(pretending to have been enraged) HE got the earth rid of Kshatriyas (as many as) twenty one times, by killing the Kings, who had hatred towards Brahmans. ParasuRama demonstrates the life time by his presence in VedaVyasa avatara, Rama avatara, Krishna avataras.
VedaVyasa

HE was born of Satyavati through the sage Paraasara and finding the people steeped in poor intelligence, divided the tree of Veda into many branches. Any Jnana karya, we should first pray Veda Vyasa and treating Veda Vyasa as a rishi will give us sins. We are in Swetha Varaha Kalpa Vaivasvata Manvantra Kaliyuga, the preceding yuga is Dwapara yuga. In the 28 dwapara yugas that have elapsed in this Vaivasvat Manvantra, Veda Vyasa who appeared in 3rd, 7th, 16th, 25th are avesha of Narayana and 28th dwapara yuga alone is swayam Narayana rest are Munis who occupied the posts.
Rama

HE assumed the form of a ruler of men with a view to accomplishing the purpose of the demi-gods and performed herioc feats like bridging the ocean and so on. Rama Rajya was so famous that Boo lokha became a vaikunta. On his return Rama the swayam Vasudeva(bestower of moksha) called all the eligible jeevas to come with him. He had shown the superiority by taking as many forms Ravana had taken and killed each of the Ravana.
Krishna

HE assumed the form of Krishna among the Vrishni and relieved the earth of its burden(adharma). Krishna had always fought for others to establish dharma. Krishna takes 16108 roopas to demonstrate the garasta dharma. Krishna who killed various evil like Pootana, Satakasura, Kalinga, Kamsa, Sishupala, Dantavakra, Bhanasura, Naraka and left Jarasandha and Duryodhana to Bheema. Srinivasa quotes that his mother as Devaki and father is Vasudeva.
Buddha

In the name of sacrifice, torture and killing of animals assumed huge propertions without understanding the real import of the Vedas. VijayaDasami (Aswija Sukhla Dasami) Buddha gave darshana, when Kali sets in, in order to delude the daityas, HE takes the form of small infant and deluges all the astras. More details please learn from a qualified Guru. It is not the same Buddha which is popular in Eastern countries. We are in the Buddha avatara time so when we do sankalpa include "...Buddha avatare..." . Balarama is considered as Sukhla avesha of Narayana on Sesha and not an Narayana avatara.
Kalki

Then towards the end of Kali age, when several kings turn into robbers, the Lord of the universe, will take descent from a (Brahman named) Vishnuyasa as Lord Kalki.
Sahasra

SrimadhwaAcharya during his travel towards dakshina desha(trivananthapuram, kanyakumari) had explained several meanings of each Vishnu sahasra Nama and detailed that Vishnu Nama has 100 meanings. The scholars who came to test SriMadhwaAcharya bowed down to the richness of SrimadhwaAcharya's poorna sampath.


•PraanaDhaaya - HE gave back life to Gopakas who were bitten by Kalinga Sarpa
•PraanaDhaaya - HE gave back life to Saandeepani son as Guru dakshina
•PraanaDhaaya - HE gave life to Parikshit by protecting the garbha of Uttara from Aswattama's Brahmastra
•PraanaDhaaya - HE terminated the life of Asura's like PaanchaJanan
•PraanaDhaaya - HE terminates the sorrow of devotees. na-joy, ana-sorrow, dyati - destroyer of sorrow
•PraanaDhaaya - HE bestow good status according to the jeeva yogatha - Pra-Good, Anam-Gati
•PraanaDhaaya - HE has given MukhyaPrana devaru full(poorna) of pure knowledge to be as our guru



Rishaba namaka Bagavanta's son(1 of Avadoota) quotes Bagavanta leela as he saw in a spider. The spider creates a web and eats the web it created, likewise all Jeeva created from Brahma, down the order, all gets Laya during Pralaya. Dasa Avatara means Poorna Avatara. Dasa Means Poorna. The God has His own body which is his very own essence, made of pure knowledge and bliss unlike mortals.



To cite, Varaha, Kapila, Vamana are the names that we need to recite while waking up. Varaha upon which we keep our first step in the morning, Kapila, who controls our karma, Vamana to whom we bowdown our head(ahamkara).



Taatparya (Moral)


•It is impossible to list down avatara of SriHari
•One in All, All in One.
•SriKrishna in All. All avatara in SriNarayana
•No difference between Avatara
•No difference between Avyavah-Padha, Kara(hands), Karna(Ears), Chaksu(Eyes)