Buddha Avatāra and the Asuras

Chapter 16 of the Agni Purāṇa tells of the Buddha avatāra of Bhagavān Vishṇu. The daityas (asuras of the line of Diti) had again become stronger than the devas. To weaken them, Parameśvara was born as the son of Śuddhodana, took the name of the Enlightened One, and led the asuras away from Veda-dharma. The chapter then lists the signs of Kali-yuga and tells of the coming of the Kalki avatāra, who will set dharma in order and bring a new Kṛta-yuga.

The asuras’ victory and Vishṇu’s plan

In an earlier age a great war between devas and asuras (devāsura-yuddha) took place, and the devas were beaten. They were shamed and had no help. They came to Parameśvara, lamented and cried, “Protect us! Console us!” They gave themselves up at the feet of the Supreme.

Parameśvara is Vishṇu, the essence of māyā (illusion) and moha (delusion). He heard their prayer. He made a plan to weaken the asuras from within, not by force but by guile. He would take birth among them in a form they would honour, teach them a path that turned away from the Vedas, and so take from them their Vedic power.

The Buddha avatāra: leading the asuras astray

Parameśvara took the form of Māyā-Moha, illusion and delusion made visible, and was born in the world as the son of Śuddhodana. He took the name of the Enlightened One, the Buddha, and moved among the daityas, leading them astray step by step. He taught them a teaching that led them away from Veda-dharma. He made them give up the sacred rules, rites and duties of the Vedas. The daityas were charmed by his teaching and became Bauddhas.

The same Parameśvara who was the Buddha then became the Arhata, the Jain teacher, and turned the remaining asuras who still kept faith with the Vedas into arhatas, followers of the Jain way. In this way the daityas became pāshaṇḍas, those who have strayed wholly from Veda-dharma and from the Vedic order of varṇa and āśrama.

The fall into adharma

The asuras who became pāshaṇḍas had lost the Vedic frame that had protected them. They began to do deeds that lead to naraka (hell). Without a base in dharma, they could take gifts even from the lowest (adhama) people. This broke the rules of pratigraha (the taking of gifts) that mark a Vedic life.

The chapter says that as Kali-yuga goes on, these pāshaṇḍas will mix fully with the world. At the end of the yuga they will bring confusion (saṃkara).

Signs of Kali-yuga

The Agni Purāṇa lists the signs of the Kali age:

• People who are śīla-rahita, without good character and conduct, become thieves.
• Mlecchas will become kings. They will wear the outer dress of dharma as a cover. They will love adharma and will oppress and torment people.
• Only the Vājasaneya Veda, with its fifteen branches (śākhā), will remain as the standard (pramāṇa).
• Rulers will be corrupt and adharmic, and people will live in fear of those who should protect them.

The coming of Kalki

At the close of Kali-yuga, Vishṇu will come down once more to set the order of the world right. He will be born as Kalki, the son of Vishṇuyaśa, and Yājñavalkya will be his purohita (priest). He will be most skilled in all weapons and will carry divine astras. He will destroy the mleccha rulers who have spoiled the world.

Kalki will set the four varṇas in order again and fix the duties (kaṭṭubāṭu) that belong to each. He will bring people back to the four āśramas and to the sad-dharma-mārga, the path of right conduct. When his task is done, Vishṇu will leave the form of Kalki and rise to svarga. Then, as at the beginning, the Kṛta-yuga will begin again.

Agni’s closing words

Agni-deva ends the account of the avatāras. He says: “Śrī Mahāvishṇu comes down in countless avatāras in every kalpa and every manvantara. The avatāras that have passed and those still to come are beyond counting. Whoever reads or hears the Vishṇu-daśāvatāra, all their pāpa (sin) is destroyed. They gain all that they wish for. Together with their family line they reach svarga. In this way Vishṇu governs the order (vyavasthā) of dharma and adharma. That Hari, the cause of creation and of all else, comes down into the world in this way and then returns.”

Sources

• Agni Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 16