Daśāvatāra Vrata

Daśāvatāra Vrata · daśa-avatāra vrata, “the vow of the ten avatāras”

The Daśāvatāra Vrata is the vrata of the ten avatāras of Bhagavān Vishṇu, kept on the daśamī (tenth tithi) of the bright fortnight of Bhādrapada, every year for ten years. Bhagavān Śrī Kṛshṇa tells its account and rite to Mahārāja Yudhishṭhira in the Uttara Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa, Chapter 63.

The account begins with the śāpa of Bhṛgu Maharshi. When Bhagavān Vishṇu had destroyed the daityas who took refuge with Bhṛgu, and had cut down Bhṛgu’s wife Divyā as she rose to pronounce a śāpa, Bhṛgu declared that Bhagavān Vishṇu would be born ten times in the world of men. For the protection of the world, Śrī Kṛshṇa says, he takes avatāra again and again, and those who worship him with bhakti surely go to svarga. In the rite the keeper cooks grain flour in ghee, makes a different preparation each year, gives ten cows to ten brāhmaṇas, and worships the ten avatāras. By the grace of Bhagavān Vishṇu the keeper is released from birth and death and dwells always in Vishṇuloka.

The account of Bhṛgu’s śāpa

At the beginning of the Satya Yuga there was a ṛshi named Bhṛgu. His wife Divyā was a great pativratā (a wife devoted to her husband). She was the grace of the āśrama, always busy with the work of the house, and obeyed Maharshi Bhṛgu, and he was very pleased with her.

Once, in a war of the devas and asuras, great fear came upon the asuras from Bhagavān Vishṇu, and they all came to Maharshi Bhṛgu for refuge. Bhṛgu handed his agnihotra (the daily fire rite) and other duties to his wife and went to the northern part of the Himālaya to perform tapas. His purpose was to worship Bhagavān Śaṅkara, gain the Sañjīvanī Vidyā, and make the daitya king Bali victorious always.

At this very time Bhagavān Vishṇu came to the āśrama, riding Garuḍa, and began slaying the daityas. In a moment he destroyed them. Divyā rose to pronounce a śāpa on him. Just as the śāpa was about to leave her mouth, Bhagavān Vishṇu severed her head with the Sudarśana cakra.

Just then Bhṛgu Muni arrived, having gained the Sañjīvanī Vidyā. He saw that all the daityas were slain, and that the brāhmaṇī also had been slain. Blind with anger, he pronounced a śāpa on Bhagavān Vishṇu: “You will take birth ten times in the world of men.”

Śrī Kṛshṇa said: “Mahārāja, by Bhṛgu’s śāpa, for the protection of the world, I take avatāra again and again. Those who worship me with bhakti surely go to svarga.” Then Mahārāja Yudhishṭhira asked him for the rule of the vrata.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 63

The vidhi

The vrata is kept on the daśamī of the śukla paksha (bright fortnight) of Bhādrapada, by one with restrained senses.

  1. Bathe in a river or the like, and perform tarpaṇa (offering of water).
  2. Come home, take three añjalis (handfuls) of grain flour, and cook it in ghee.
  3. Make from that flour the preparation of the year, and offer it to Bhagavān Vishṇu as naivedya (food offering).
  4. On each Daśaharā, give ten cows to ten brāhmaṇas.
  5. Divide the naivedya: place half before Bhagavān Vishṇu, give a quarter to a brāhmaṇa, take a quarter to a sacred lake, and afterwards eat of it oneself.
  6. Worship the ten avatāras with mantras and with gandha (fragrant paste), flowers, dhūpa (incense), dīpa (lamp) and the other upacāras (services of pūjā).
  7. Then pray with the verses below.

This is done every year for ten years.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 63

The ten preparations

One for each year, in order:

  1. pūrī
  2. ghevara
  3. kasāra
  4. modaka
  5. sohālaka
  6. khaṇḍaveshṭaka
  7. kokarasa
  8. apūpa
  9. karṇaveshṭa
  10. khaṇḍaka

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 63

The ten avatāras

As the chapter numbers them:

  1. Matsya
  2. Kūrma
  3. Varāha
  4. Nṛsiṃha
  5. Trivikrama (Vāmana)
  6. Paraśurāma
  7. Śrī Rāma
  8. Śrī Kṛshṇa
  9. Buddha
  10. Kalki

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 63

The prayer

गतोऽस्मि शरणं देवं हरि नारायणं प्रभुम्।
प्रणतोऽस्मि जगन्नाथं स मे विष्णुः प्रसीदतु॥
छिनत्तु वैष्णवीं मायां भक्त्या प्रीतो जनार्दनः ।
श्वेतद्वीपं नयत्वस्मान्मयात्मा विनिवेदितः ।।

gato’smi śaraṇaṃ devaṃ hari nārāyaṇaṃ prabhum |
praṇato’smi jagannāthaṃ sa me vishṇuḥ prasīdatu ||
chinattu vaishṇavīṃ māyāṃ bhaktyā prīto janārdanaḥ |
śvetadvīpaṃ nayatvasmānmayātmā viniveditaḥ ||

I have gone for refuge to Nārāyaṇa Hari, the master of the whole world; I bow to Jagannātha. May Vishṇu be gracious to me. O Janārdana, you are pleased by bhakti: remove your Vaishṇavī māyā and take me to Śvetadvīpa. I have given myself to you.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 63

The phala

One who keeps the vrata in this way is, by the grace of Bhagavān Vishṇu, released from birth and death and dwells always in Vishṇuloka.

Source: Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 63

Sources

  • Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapters 63, 208