The Iconic Incarnations - The Dashavatar

The ten avatars of Vishnu or the Dashavatars are - 

Matsya(the fish),Kurma(the turtle),Varaha(the boar), Narasima(the lion man), Vamana(the dwarf), Parashurama(the Kshatriya - Brahmin), Rama(the complete man), Krishna/Balarama, Buddha/Krishna and Kalki(who is yet to incarnate). These avatars are incarnated in a chronological series during the Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapar Yuga and Kali Yuga, which are the 4 ages in Hindu cosmology. 

    Matsya, Kurma, Varaha and Narasimha in Satya Yuga.

 

   Vamana, Parashurama and Rama in the Treta Yuga.

        

    

    Krishna and Buddha or Balaram and Krishna in Dwapar Yuga.

    

   

   Kalki at the end of Kali Yuga.

  

So, why did Vishnu have to take all the 10 incarnations? Couldn't the other gods do it?

Well, here's the answer...

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are the Trimoorthis or the holy trinity. Brahma is the creator - his job being to create the world and its components. Shiva is the destroyer - when things(adharma) go out of hand, it's his job to destroy the world and its components, and Vishnu is the protector or saviour - its his job to protect the world and its components from evil. So, being the protector, it automatically becomes Vishnu's duty to take the incarnations and protect the world.

• In Matsya avatar, Vishnu in the form of a giant fish saves the Vedas from the demon Hayagriva and protects the mankind from destruction with the help of Manu - the first man and king. 

• In Kurma avatar, Vishnu in the form of a huge turtle rests the Mandara mountain on his back and holds it from sinking into the ocean of milk so that the devas and asuras can churn(samudra manthan) it to obtain nectar or the amrit for immortality.

• In the Varaha avatar, Vishnu holds and saves the world with his tusks from being drowned by the Asura Hiranyaksha.

• In Narasimha and Vamana avatar, he tears down the arrogance(ahankar) of Hiranyakashyipu and Bali Maharaja respectively.

• He incarnates as Parashurama to avenge kshatriyas supressing the brahmins.

• In Rama avatar, Vishnu wants to show the world how an ideal man or the mahapurush or mariyadhapurushothham should live. 

• In the Krishna avatar, he shows that people can be god and gives us the knowledge of the holy Bhagawat Gita.