DECIPHERING THE DASAVATAR OF HINDU MYTHOLOGY

Prof Biswajit Satpathy

Most scientists agree that the atmosphere and the oceans accumulated gradually over millions and millions of years with the continual 'degassing' of the Earth's interior. According to this theory, the ocean formed from the escape of water vapor and other gases from the molten rocks of the Earth to the atmosphere surrounding the cooling planet. After the Earth's surface had cooled to a temperature below the boiling point of water, rain began to fall—and continued to fall for centuries. As the water drained into the great hollows in the Earth's surface, the primeval ocean came into existence. The forces of gravity prevented the water from leaving the planet. This perhaps is the great flood  that finds mention in Hindu mythology texts like the Satapatha Brahmana , where in the MATSYA Avatar takes place to save the pious and the first man, Manu and advices him to build a giant boat. This symbolic story tells us about the formation of different elements and starting of primordial life in earth. MATSYA Avatar is the first avatar mentioned in Hindu texts.

In fact all known forces (or interactions) in the universe can be grouped into four basic types. 1. The Strong Force, this force is responsible for binding of nuclei. It is the dominant one in reactions and decays of most of the fundamental particles. This force is so strong that it binds and stabilizes the protons of similar charges within a nucleus. 2. The Electromagnetic Force, this is the force which exists between all particles which have an electric charge. For example, electrons (negative charge) bind with nucleus of an atom, due to the presence of protons (positive charge). This is also the resistant force that we feel, for example, when pressing our palm against a wall. This is originated from the fact that no two atoms can occupy the same space. 3. The Weak Force, this force is responsible for nuclear beta decay and other similar decay processes involving fundamental particles. 4. The Gravitational Force, this is the force that holds us onto the Earth. You will notice that of all the 4 basic forces two of them can be experienced in our daily life. They are also called the familiar forces which are the electromagnetic and gravitational forces. Similarly, the strong force and the weak force are called the unfamiliar forces. Probably the four fundamental forces came from one unified force when the universe cooled from the Big Bang. This process of balancing the fundamental forces of the nature during the creation of earth has been told in the form of KURMA avatar where Lord Vishnu took the form of the tortoise KURMA and kept the mountain afloat during the churning of the ocean. Churning is nothing but a symbol of unstabilized state of opposite forces like Asura, the dark energy and Devatas, the right energy.  According to the mythology Lord stabilized the earth and created a state for evolution life in this planet.     

In the VARAHA Avatar the third avatar, the earth was place in the right orbit. If the earth had settled into orbit only slightly closer to the sun, the planet would have been so hot that all the water would have evaporated into the atmosphere. With an orbit only slightly farther from the sun, all the water would be perpetually frozen. Fortunately for us, our planet orbits the sun in a narrow zone in which liquid water can exist. Without liquid water, there would be no life on earth. For this accurate placing of earth from the sun we believe that Lord Vishnu incarnated himself as a boar. In VARAHA avatar as per the mythology the Lord slewed the demon and retrieved the Earth from the ocean, lifting it on his tusks, and restored Bhudevi to her place in the universe. Story resembles the scientific event of settling the earth to its exact orbit of rotation.

These three above avatar are related to the chemical changes, physical changes, formation of earth crust, atmosphere and primordial chemicals that resulted for evolution of life in this planet. The next six avatars are symbolization of a chronological development of life from aquatic form to a multicellular complex form of life. The forth avatar NARASIMHA is the symbol of transition state of life from less intellect creature to a more intelligent creature. In the next avatar i.e VAMANA we see a full grown human form symbolizing the limited capacity of both physical and mental growth. The development of physical strength and development of brain power has been shown in the PARSURAMA avatar. In RAMA avatar the life has fully developed and evolution of spiritual and emotional capabilities has been depicted. In BALARAMA avatar the mechanization, use of tools and the existence of an agrarian society has been symbolized. BUDDHA avatar is the symbol of bringing social order and the last avatar KALKI would approach because of excessive greed of human being and mindless exploitation of mother earth and ultimate end of the life in this planet.