I received the following comment on Lord Vishnu’s Dasavathars.
‘Sir lord Vishnu first avataram is matsya. He took this avataram at the end of satya yugam
Second avataram is kurma
This is during satya yugam
My doubt is the avatar which he took first during the yuga should be the first avatar right?
Why matsya considered as first avataram?
Second doubt
Why Hayagriva or horse considered as knowledge or wisdom? Is horse is genius
That is why he took horse face’
Interesting observation.
On checking up facts I have stumbled on some interesting information and I am sharing it with my interpretation.
On Hayagriva ,though I had written an article, I did not touch upon the referred issue in detail.
I shall do it in a couple of days.
‘The list of Dashavatara varies across sects and regions. The standard list is as follows: Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki. Sometimes, Krishna replaces Vishnu as the source of all avatars and Balarama takes Krishna’s place in the list. In other versions, Krishna may be dropped from the list and substituted by regional deities like Vithoba, Jagannath or Balarama.’
( https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashavatara )
The Four Yugas, The Hindu Time cycle are,
Satya (Krutha) Yuiga,
Treta Yuga,
Dwapara Yuga and
Kali Yuga.
The Avatars under each Yuga.
Satya Yuga.
Matsya,
Koorma,
Varaha,
Narasimha.
Treta Yuga.
Vamana.
Rama,
Parashurama,
Dwapara Yuga.
Krishna ,
Balarama .
Kali Yuga.
Kalki, Yet to manifest.
It may be noted that Matsya tops the list, followed by Koorma and then Varaha.
Matsya Avatar relates to the Great Flood spoken of by all world legends and religions.
Matsya avatar indicates the flood .
Puranas state that the Matsya saved Mankind, instructed Manu, the first Man to meditate.
He meditated Madagascar.
Please read my article on this.
Ikshvaku , the founder of Solar Dynasty, the ancestor of Rama lived in the south and he moved to Ayodhya to found the Ikshvaku Dynasty, to which Lord Rama belongs.
Please check my article on this.
It is curious to note that the Varaha avatar which deals with the recvovery of the Vedas from the earth does not immediately follow the Matsya Avatar.
If we take that that there was great flood , it should be followed by the recovery of Earth(Land) from the waters.
This recovery is indicated in the Varaha Avatar where it is said the Vedas were rolled in and hidden under the water; and Vishnu, as Varaha recovered it.
Yet this Avatar is not the immediate one after the Matsya Avatar.
But it the Koorma Avatar, when Vishnu took the form of a Tortoise to bear the weight of the Meru Mountain when the Devas and Asuras churned the Ocean.
I think this indictaes that the land mass was distributed among the Devas and Asuras, apart from getting some Divine Beings/Objects.
It stands to reason because,
There seems to have been the worship of Shiva in the South even before Sanatana Dharam while the Vedas make a passing refrence to Him in Sri Rudram ,
Ikshvaku Dynasty foulrished in the north,
Then the Avatars of Parashurama , Vamana and Narasimha are from the south.
Though Narasimha is reported in the north and there is a temple , the details are much more evident in the south indicatinn Narasimha Avatar was from the South, Ahobila,
Note that Narasimha avatar is listed in the Satya Yuga, while the Vamana Avatar is listed in Treta Yuga!
It is a fact that the Vamana Avatar took plave during the period of Mahabali , the grand son of Prahlada.
My guess is that the Narasimha and Varaha avatars should have taken place during the Yuga Sandhi, time when One Yuga changes into another.
Please read my article on Yuga Sandhi.
And Vamana and Mahabali legend is more prominent in the south.
This is repeatedly referred in Puranas and the Tamil Classics.
When studeid together these facts and the fact that Manu was from the south and except Rama and Balarama,Krishna Avatars , all the Avatars of Vishnu seem to have been in the south of Vindhyas,it is possible that the Sanatana Dharma was in place in the south before the Vedic period in the north.
This is reinforced by the finding of Tamil Brahmi Script and the mention of Dravidas in the Vedas, Puranas and Ithihasas,Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Reference.
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