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Bhaktimandākinī
The whole body
Wandering again and again for many many crores of years inside the ocean
of the body of the Lord, the creator Brahma, progenitor of the three worlds,
was not able to reach its shore, like a bee (caged inside a lotus). Finally
coming out of it through the stalk of the lotus, Brahma, with increased
vigour, was able to create the Universe again on the same model (as the
earlier creation inside the body of Visnu). May this ocean of the body of
Vişnu, destroyer of the demons, give us unlimited nectar.[48]88
2.2.2 The different forms of Viṣṇu, the formless Supreme
Being
The ten incarnations of Visnu
The partial incarnations of Viṣṇu are Matsya (fish), Kūrma (tortoise), Varaha
(boar), Narasimha (human-lion), Parasurama (the son of Jamadagni), Rāma
(the descendant of Kakutstha), Krsna (the killer of Kamsa), Buddha (the
conquerer of Kāma [lust]) and Kalki who is yet to come. Let these in-
carnations, making the welfare of the world and establishing righteousness
(dharma), protect me with their hearts suffering under the weight of their
immense pity. [49]89
88 This verse also continues the imagery of the ocean as applied to the whole cosmic body.
In the earlier verse, it was described in relation to the crown. The episode referred to here
is from the Bhagavata and is also alluded to by Murari in his Anargharaghava: Brahma
enters into Vișnu's body to see the model of the Universe he had created in the earlier
Kalpas (now dissolved inside the body of Visnu) for his new creation after the Pralaya.
The imagery is completed by the power of the ocean to produce unlimited quantities of
nectar for the devotees.
89 In this verse, the manifestation in different forms of the formless Supreme Being, as
partial incarnations of Vișnu is described. In the enumeration of the ten incarnations here,
Buddha is included among them as the ninth incarnation. This is not approved by some
and they replace Buddha with Balarama. Both of these enumerations are considered by
the commentator. The inclusion of Balarama as an incarnation is supported by quoting
some verses; but it could not be counted among the ten incarnations on the logic that if
the simultaneous partial incarnations of Balarama and Kṛṣṇa are accepted, then the same
logic would apply to Rama and Lakṣmaṇa, making the number of incarnations exceed ten.
The consideration of Balarama as an incarnation can only be accepted on the assumption
of innumerable possibilities of incarnations, and could not be counted among the ten
incarnations. In his Gitagovinda, Jayadeva had accepted Balarama instead of Buddha,
keeping the number ten intact.
The whole body
Wandering again and again for many many crores of years inside the ocean
of the body of the Lord, the creator Brahma, progenitor of the three worlds,
was not able to reach its shore, like a bee (caged inside a lotus). Finally
coming out of it through the stalk of the lotus, Brahma, with increased
vigour, was able to create the Universe again on the same model (as the
earlier creation inside the body of Visnu). May this ocean of the body of
Vişnu, destroyer of the demons, give us unlimited nectar.[48]88
2.2.2 The different forms of Viṣṇu, the formless Supreme
Being
The ten incarnations of Visnu
The partial incarnations of Viṣṇu are Matsya (fish), Kūrma (tortoise), Varaha
(boar), Narasimha (human-lion), Parasurama (the son of Jamadagni), Rāma
(the descendant of Kakutstha), Krsna (the killer of Kamsa), Buddha (the
conquerer of Kāma [lust]) and Kalki who is yet to come. Let these in-
carnations, making the welfare of the world and establishing righteousness
(dharma), protect me with their hearts suffering under the weight of their
immense pity. [49]89
88 This verse also continues the imagery of the ocean as applied to the whole cosmic body.
In the earlier verse, it was described in relation to the crown. The episode referred to here
is from the Bhagavata and is also alluded to by Murari in his Anargharaghava: Brahma
enters into Vișnu's body to see the model of the Universe he had created in the earlier
Kalpas (now dissolved inside the body of Visnu) for his new creation after the Pralaya.
The imagery is completed by the power of the ocean to produce unlimited quantities of
nectar for the devotees.
89 In this verse, the manifestation in different forms of the formless Supreme Being, as
partial incarnations of Vișnu is described. In the enumeration of the ten incarnations here,
Buddha is included among them as the ninth incarnation. This is not approved by some
and they replace Buddha with Balarama. Both of these enumerations are considered by
the commentator. The inclusion of Balarama as an incarnation is supported by quoting
some verses; but it could not be counted among the ten incarnations on the logic that if
the simultaneous partial incarnations of Balarama and Kṛṣṇa are accepted, then the same
logic would apply to Rama and Lakṣmaṇa, making the number of incarnations exceed ten.
The consideration of Balarama as an incarnation can only be accepted on the assumption
of innumerable possibilities of incarnations, and could not be counted among the ten
incarnations. In his Gitagovinda, Jayadeva had accepted Balarama instead of Buddha,
keeping the number ten intact.