Ten Avatars of Lord Vishnu

Yadaa Yadaa hi Dharmasya Glanirbhavati Bharata

Abhyuttanam Adharmasya Tadaatmaanam Srujamyaham

Paritranaya Sadhunaam Vinaashaya ch Dushkritaam

Dharmasansthapanarthaya Sambhavami Yuge Yuge .

Narrates Krishna to Arjuna 

Whenever Dharma, or the situation of law and order, is endangered on this world, I incarnate onto this world to re establish Dharma, law and order, and to protect the Sadhus or saints and to detroy the evil elements of the society.

Throughout ages, Lord Vishnu, has incarnated in various life forms through different yugas (ages or eons) in situations where Dharma was in danger, because of certain dushta (evil) elements in the world. In mythology, there ten documented instances of incarnation of Lord Vishnu. These incarnations are termed as the avatars of Lord Vishnu. Each avatar of Lord Vishnu shall be presented below with apporpriate deatils of the situation under which the lord was compelled to land on the earth.