Search using standard Sanskrit (without diacritics) spellings

0066/BG Avataras

This image is copyrighted. Do not use without clearance from BBTI's Rights and Permissions Department.

Painting title	Krsna's Ten Principal Avataras
Artists	assembly line
Keywords	Avataras Krsna Buddha Kalki Kurma Matsya Nrsimhadeva Parasurama Ramacandra Sita Varaha Balarama Vamana Incarnation Double
Keywords 2017	Avataras Ten Krsna Buddha Kalki Kurma Matsya Nrsimhadeva Parasurama Sita Rama Varaha Balarama Vamana Incarnations Descent Nrsimha
Used in books	BG 1972 EN SB 2.1 1970
Keywords status	Updated
Info status	In progress
Source catalog	Art Catalog updated

File info

Image height	6 392 px
Image width	4 875 px
Location	Art 0066
Filename	0066/BG Avataras
Colorspace	LAB
File size	89.20 MB

Physical painting info

Medium	oil
Substrate	canvas

Legal info

Copyright owner	BBTI
Year	1970
First publication year	1970

Picture section(s)

EN BG 1972 EN SB 2.1 1970

Captions

Language	Caption
English	4.7: “Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.” In the center Kṛṣṇa is shown holding a flute. Surrounding Him are ten of His incarnations, pictured in the order in which they appeared in this world, beginning clockwise from the lower left-hand corner: (1) Matsya, the fish incarnation, who saved the /Vedas;/ (2) Kūrma, the tortoise incarnation, holding Mandara Mountain on His back; (3) Varāha, the boar incarnation, fighting with the demon Hiraṇyākṣa; (4) Nṛsiṁha, the half-man, half-lion incarnation, killing the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu; (5) Vāmana, the dwarf incarnation, begging land from King Bali before reclaiming from him the entire universe and thereby restoring universal order; (6) Paraśurāma, killing the demonic kingly order; (7) Rāmacandra, who is going into exile with His wife, Sītā, and brother Lakṣmaṇa; (8) Kṛṣṇa, who is lifting Govardhana Hill. Beside Him stands His brother, Balarāma; (9) Buddha, sitting and teaching; (10) Kalki, who is riding a white horse and killing the demons at the end of this age, thereby liberating them.
English	EN SB 2.1 1970: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, incarnates Himself in various forms age after age to perform specific missions. Here we see His ten most prominent līlā-avatāras (pastime incarnations). Beginning in the lower left-hand corner and moving clockwise, we find (1) Lord Matsya, the fish incarnation, who protected Vaivasvata Manu by supporting the boat he was in during a complete inundation of the universe; (2) Lord Kūrma, the tortoise incarnation, whose shell served as a pivot for Mandara Mountain when it was being used as a churning rod by the theists and the atheists; (3) Lord Varāha, the boar incarnation, who lifted the earth up from the nether regions of the universe and slew the great demon Hiraṇyākṣa; (4) Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the half-man half-lion, who bifurcated the strong body of the atheist Hiraṇyakaśipu with His nails; (5) Lord Vāmanadeva, the dwarf-brāhmaṇa incarnation, who begged three steps of land from Bali Mahārāja; (6) Lord Paraśurāma, who annihilated the administrative class (kṣatriyas) twenty-one times; (7) Lord Rāmacandra, who accepted exile in the forest with His beloved consort, Sītādevī, and then exhibited superhuman powers by controlling the Indian Ocean and killing the atheist King Rāvaṇa; (8) Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself (seen here with Lord Balarāma, His first expansion), who performed such wonderful pastimes as holding Govardhana Hill aloft for seven days to protect His friends in Vṛndāvana from King Indra's inundation; (9) Lord Buddha, who appeared just to delude those who are envious of the faithful theists; and (10) Lord Kalki, who will appear at the end of the Kali-yuga to annihilate all the atheists.

Language

Caption

English

4.7: “Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.” In the center Kṛṣṇa is shown holding a flute. Surrounding Him are ten of His incarnations, pictured in the order in which they appeared in this world, beginning clockwise from the lower left-hand corner: (1) Matsya, the fish incarnation, who saved the /Vedas;/ (2) Kūrma, the tortoise incarnation, holding Mandara Mountain on His back; (3) Varāha, the boar incarnation, fighting with the demon Hiraṇyākṣa; (4) Nṛsiṁha, the half-man, half-lion incarnation, killing the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu; (5) Vāmana, the dwarf incarnation, begging land from King Bali before reclaiming from him the entire universe and thereby restoring universal order; (6) Paraśurāma, killing the demonic kingly order; (7) Rāmacandra, who is going into exile with His wife, Sītā, and brother Lakṣmaṇa; (8) Kṛṣṇa, who is lifting Govardhana Hill. Beside Him stands His brother, Balarāma; (9) Buddha, sitting and teaching; (10) Kalki, who is riding a white horse and killing the demons at the end of this age, thereby liberating them.

English

EN SB 2.1 1970: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, incarnates Himself in various forms age after age to perform specific missions. Here we see His ten most prominent līlā-avatāras (pastime incarnations). Beginning in the lower left-hand corner and moving clockwise, we find (1) Lord Matsya, the fish incarnation, who protected Vaivasvata Manu by supporting the boat he was in during a complete inundation of the universe; (2) Lord Kūrma, the tortoise incarnation, whose shell served as a pivot for Mandara Mountain when it was being used as a churning rod by the theists and the atheists; (3) Lord Varāha, the boar incarnation, who lifted the earth up from the nether regions of the universe and slew the great demon Hiraṇyākṣa; (4) Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva, the half-man half-lion, who bifurcated the strong body of the atheist Hiraṇyakaśipu with His nails; (5) Lord Vāmanadeva, the dwarf-brāhmaṇa incarnation, who begged three steps of land from Bali Mahārāja; (6) Lord Paraśurāma, who annihilated the administrative class (kṣatriyas) twenty-one times; (7) Lord Rāmacandra, who accepted exile in the forest with His beloved consort, Sītādevī, and then exhibited superhuman powers by controlling the Indian Ocean and killing the atheist King Rāvaṇa; (8) Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself (seen here with Lord Balarāma, His first expansion), who performed such wonderful pastimes as holding Govardhana Hill aloft for seven days to protect His friends in Vṛndāvana from King Indra's inundation; (9) Lord Buddha, who appeared just to delude those who are envious of the faithful theists; and (10) Lord Kalki, who will appear at the end of the Kali-yuga to annihilate all the atheists.