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VISHNU-INCARNATIONS AND MINOR AVATARAS
KAPILA
KALKI
KRISHNA Conch, wheel (ST)
DHANVANTARI Pitcher of ambrosia
Symbols
DATTATREYA Dharmachakra hand pose, lotus and lotus on knee
Conch, wheel
Four or eight
Two or four
Two
Two or four
Two or four
Hands Objects in hands
Sword, conch, wheel and mace (AGP)
Two in yoga, with pitcher on them. Two hold conch and wheel (VID) Padmāsana
Two hold lotus, one in vyākhyāna pose, one on knee
Lotus, protection pose, pitcher of ambrosia and Sastra-Yantra (SR)
A sana
? Horse
Vehicle
?
Misc.
Jaţă crown, beard and sacred thread
Horse-head and human body. When riding a horse, carries a bow and an arrow
P lays on lute. Rukmini carrying blue lotus on one. side, and Satyabhama on Eagle on the other side
Goose, Eagle. Bull portrayed on seat
Variations
Eight hands: protection pose, wheel, sword, plough, one on waist, conch, noose and staff. Red garments. Accompanied by Savitri
One of the 14 precious objects which came out of the churning of the ocean, Divine physician came out carrying pitcher of ambrosia Two-handed: pitcher of ambrosia and jalu (leech) Four-handed: conch, wheel, leech and ambrosia pitcher. Yellow garments (SR)
VISHNU AS VARAHA
Vajnavarāha
Bhuvaraha
Pralaya-Varaha
Hands
Four
Four
Four
Objects in hands
Two carry conch and wheel
Two hold conch and wheel. One left hand supports Goddess Earth, seated on his bent right leg. One right hand round the waist of the goddess
Two hold conch and wheel, one in protection pose, other on thigh
Asana
Right leg bent and rests upon serpent Adisesha, who is accompanied by his wife
Sits on lion-seat, with right leg pendant
Sits on lion-seat with right leg pendant
Misc.
Face of boar with body of man. Boar face lifted up to touch the bosom of the Earth Goddess. Goddess Earth-heavily ornamented, seated on right leg on her Lord, with both legs pendant
Decked in ornaments. Goddess Earth (Prithvi) on left, seated with her left foot pendant, carry- ing a lotus in her left hand while the right rests on the seat (pitha)
Goddess Earth sits on the same seat as Varäha, with the right leg pendant. L.H.-blue lotus; R.h.-on seat
* Also see page 92.