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14. THE CONCEPT OF AVATARS
Kurma (Tortoise) Avatara
Varaha (Boar) Avatara Nara Simha (Man-Lion) Avatara Vamana (Dwarf) Avatara Parasu Rama (Rama with the Axe)
Rama
Bala Rama Krishna
Associated with the Churning of the Milky Way to get the Amrit Killed Hiranyaksha Killed Hiranyakasipu (brother of Hiranyaksha) Defeated Mahabali (Grandson of Hiranyakasipu) To reclaim Kerala (An Asura Kingdom?) Killed Asura Ravana (Grandson of Mahabali) Killed Asura Dhenuka Killed Kamsa son of an Asura, taken to be the son of Ugrasen Killed Sisupala, the son of Damaghosha, king of Chedi (the rebirth of Hiranyakasipu.) Killed Narakasura son of Hiranyksha with Bhumi Devi in the Varaha Avatar. (Or was he the son of Varahaavatara Vishnu?)
If there is a historical germ in these stories, then we must look at it from the historical period essentially after the development of Sanskrit literature. This post dates the beginning of Christian Era. What is given below is the most probable historical explanation. The myths essentially speaks about an on going war between the Vaishnavism (referred as Suras, Devas,gods) and the Asuras (referred in internet sites as daitya, danava, titans, demons, demigods, rakshasa, cannibals, devil).
Nagendra Kumar Singh in the Encyclopaedia of Hinduism states:
"some are of opinion that the use of the words like daitya, danava, etc, is in accordance with the Puranic character of narrating events of past ages. (Buddha lived long before the authors of the current Puranas.) These words refer to those persons who, in ancient times, followed anti-Vedic religions and consequently found the teachings of Buddha as valid and useful. A similar use of words is found in the legends concerning the destruction or the loss of Vedas. The Puranas say that the Vedas were destroyed or stolen by the asuras namely Hayagriva, Sankha and others. There is no doubt that in these legends the world asura refers to those persons who were against Vedic discipline and who created obstacles to the propagation of Vedic culture. It must be borne in mind that no mythical tale can spring through pure imagination, such tales must have their bases in some for of reality?"
It would be worthwhile to trace the etymology and history of the Asuras.
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