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Gitagovinda
by Jayadeva
Found At:  http://home.att.net/~s-prasad/dasavatara.htm

Dasavatara Stotra Lyrics, Translation and Purport:

1)                "Pralaya-payodhijale dhrtavanasi
                vihitavahitra-caritra-makhedam
                   Kesava dhrta minasarira
                      jaya jagadisa hare

O Kesava!, in the form of Fish (minasarira), In the waters of deluge, You held the Vedas like a vessel undeflected from its course. To preserve the knowledge of Vedas, You took the incornation of Fish! Hail Hari, Lord of the universe!

Purport: The first avatara signifies the restoration of true knowledge (Vedas), recovered from the deluge of egoism, which has to be destroyed in the process.

2)                              "Ksitirati-vipulatare tava tisthati prsthe
                                dharani-dharanakina-cakragaristhe
                                   Kesava dhrta kacchaparupa
                                     jaya jagagadisa hare!"

O Kesava!, in the form of Tortoise (kacchaparupa), On the ample expanse of your back rests the world, creating circular marks. Hail Hari ! Lord of the universe!

Purport: The incarnation of God in the Tortoise form during the churning of the Ocean, signifies that the churning of the ocean of experience with the churn of knowledge, towards the Absolute can rest only on the immovable, all-sufficient, all-sustaining basis of self-evident truth, symbolized by the Tortoise avatara.

3)             "vasati dasanasikhare dharani tava lagna
                 sasini kalankakaleva nimagna
                   Kesava dhrta sukararupa
                     jaya jagadisa hare"

O Kesava!, in the form of the Boar (sukarupa)! The earth rests in peace on the tip of your tusk, like the dary marking on the disk of the moon. Hail Hari ! Lord of the universe!.

Purport: The Boar avatara is identified with sacrifice both in the Vishnupurana and Bhagavata. As sacrifice (of worldly affairs) is essential for the stability of mind for contemplation on God, it is symbolized by the Boar form of the Lord.

4)                   "tava kara kamalavare nakhamadbhutasrngam
                        dalita hiranyakasipu varabhrngam
                           Kesava dhrta naraharirupa
                              jaya jagadisa hare"

O Kesava!, in the form of Man-Lion (naraharirupa)! The sharp nails on your hands became wonderful claws that tore up the body of demon Hiranyakasipu (To protect Prahlada). Hail Hari!  Lord of the universe!

Purport: This avatara illustrates that a true devotee is fearless (as Prahlada) and God comes to his rescue even in the midst of terror.

5)                    "chalayasi vikramane balim adbhutavamana
                        padanakhanira-janita-janapavana
                            kesava dhrta vamanarupa
                              jaya jagadisa hare"

O Kesava!, in the form of the Dwarf, Vamana ! You artfully defeated Bali, the mighty  king of the world. Ganga, the purifier of the world has come out from your toe-nails. Hail Hari! Lord of the universe!

Purport: The Dwarf avatara shows that valour (as exemplified by King Bali) can find its fulfilment only in complete surrender to God.

6)                             "ksatriyarudhiramaye jagadapagata papam
                                snapayasi payasi samitabhavatapam
                                    kesava dhrta bhrgupatirupa
                                      jaya jagadisa hare."

O Kesava!, in the form of the Lord of Bhrigus (Parasurama), You have gotten rid of the tyrannous rulers, thus cleansing it of the sin and destroying the anguish of the world. Hail Hari! Lord of the universe!

Purport: When the rulers, endowed with power for protection of the subjects, had however degenerated into an oppressive tyranny, it had to be crushed ruthlessly. This is illustrated by the Parasurama avatara.

7)                      "vitarasi diksu rane dikpathiamaniyam
                        dasamukha-mauli-balim ramaniyam
                            kesava dhrta ramasarira
                              jaya jagadisa hare"

O Kesava!, in the form of Lord Sri Rama! To uphold dharma, You scattered the ten heads of demon Ravana splendidly in the four directions, rendering the guardians there of resplendent! O Kesava! You assumed the form of Rama! Hail Hari! Lord of the universe!

Purport: The Sri Rama avatara is an ideal demonstration of how a man can rise to divinity, by unswerving adherence to dharma, in all its details.

8)                            "vahasi vapusi visade vasanamjaladabham
                                  hala-hati-milita-yamunabham
                                  kesava dhrta-haladhararupa
                                     jaya jagadisa hare"

               O Kesava!, in the form of Balarama, the bearer of the plough! You wear on
your radiant body a garment of the color of the cloud, blue like the Yamuna river, flowing as if in fear of your plough! O Kesava! You assumed the form of Balarama. Hail Hari! Lord of the universe.

9)                      "nindasi yajnavidhe-rahaha srutijatam
                        sadaya-hrdaya darsitapasughatam
                           kesava dhrta buddhasarira
                              jaya jagadisa hare."
 

O Kesava!, in the form of Buddha, the enlightened! Out of compassion of Your heart you have condemned the ritualistic portion of the Vedas ordaining the killing of animals. Hail Hari! Lord of the universe!

Purport: At a time, when the people were steeped in ignorance and scriptures where inaccessible to them, and the ones who had access to the scriptures were more concerned with the form and rituals than with the spirit of the teachings, God incarnated as Buddha, the embodiment of compassion.

10)                   "mleeccha-nivaha-nidhane kalayasi karavalam
                         dhumaketumiva kimapi karalam
                            kesava dhrta kalkisarira
                              jaya jagadisa hare"

O Kesava!, in the form of the fierce Kalki! For the destruction of the wicked, You carry a comet like sword in hand, trailing a train of disaster to them. Hail Hari! Lord of the universe!

Purport: The yet to be avatara is Kalki, the mighty warrior, born in a pious family, to rid the world of the oppression of its unrighteous rulers.

REFERENCE and Quotes from:

1. "Sacred Songs of India", V.K. Subramanian, Abhinav Publications, New Delhi, 1996.

2.. "Dasavatara Stotra", Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India, 1994.

3. "Dasavatharam", K.V. Krishnamachari, Chennai, 1997.

4. Article from The Hindu: "Glory of God's Incarnations"
 
 

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