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----- bhagap432.html
Vritra, though an Asura was a votary of Sankarshana, the
Shankara aspect of Vishnu. Vritra was great in all respects and
his wisdom extracted the admiration of Indra. But he represented
the idea of personal self in Jiva, which is so strong-rooted, and which
is the hardest thing to over come. Vritra was killed by a weapon,
which is no other than the most willing and ready sacrifice of personal
self by Dadhichi.
Bali, the Asura king, ungrudgingly gave all that he had to
Vamana. The Asura had become so great both in intellect and in
spirituality, that there was no question of killing him or of his being
overpowered by the Devas. The Asuras and Devas both combined
to make Svafga, the store-house of spiritual life. The Asuras by
their willing surrender permitted the Devas to have entire hold of
Svarga. By this sacrifice, they established their indisputable right
to Svarga, in the broad dispensation of providence and in the suc-
ceeding Manvantara, Bali is to become the Indra of the Devas.
Vamana was the same as Lord Sri Krishna on our earth. If dip-
lomacy had succeeded so easily below as above, if the Asura chiefs on
earth had behaved as splendidly as Bali in Svarga, the horrors and heart-
rending scenes of Kurukshetra could have been avoided. The same
result was however brought about in Svarga as it was subsequently
brought about on the Earth. The actor was the same, the diplomacy
was the same, only the result of diplomacy was different on the
different planes. The deposition of Bali was bloodless while the
deposition of Duryoclhana^was'a bloody one.
Coming down to Earth let us see how events in Svarga were
followed up on the terrestrial plane.
Two great human Avataras came, one the ideal and the other
the apostle of unselfishness. But we must take a running survey of the
Avataras as a whole.
Vishnu appeared on Earth Himself, through His direct mani-
festations called Avataras. Ten of them have been specially picked
out as Great Avataras, though no specification has been made in the
Bhagavata Purana.
There were three great Asuric movements in this Kalpa,
caused by the three successive incarnations of Jaya and Vijaya. And
these gave our four great Avataras.
Hiranyaksha was killed by Varaha, Hiranyakasipu was killed
by Nrisinha. Ravana and Kumbhakarna were killed by Rama. Sisu-
pala and Dantavakra were killed by Sri Krishna. Kurma was a great
Avatara as He prepared the way for the spiritual regeneration of the
universe, by the^Churning of the ocean of Milk.
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