Dasavathara Stotram

Dasavathara Stotram
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander

(Lord Vishnu took several incarnations in the world. Of them the most important are ten incarnations(Dasavathara).This prayer addresses the ten avatharas. It is written in a way that complains to god that he does not show the same haste in solving the devotee’s problems, as he did when he took these incarnations.)

Yaa thwara jala sanchare,
Yaa thwara Veda Rakshane,
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 1

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed in your travel through the water,
And which you showed in your Protection of Vedas,
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(The asura called Hayagreeva stole the four Vedas from Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu took the incarnation of fish(Mathsyavathara) to chase and kill that Asura and bring back the Vedas.)

Yaa thwara mandharodhare
Yaa thwara deva rakshane
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 2

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed in lifting mandhaara mountain
And which you showed in taking care of devas,
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(To retrieve the lost vigour of the devas, it was decided to churn the ocean of milk with the Mandhara mountain , with snake Vasuki as the rope. The mountain was not standing in a stable manner. Lord Vishnu took the form of Tortoise (Koormavathara) and lent stability to the mountain under the sea)

Yaa thwara kroda veshasya,
Vidhruthou bhoo samudhyathou,
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 3

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed when you took the shape of boar,
And bring back and save the earth,
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(The rakshasa called Hiranyaksha took away the earth and hid himself under the sea. Lord Vishnu took the form of a boar (Varahavathara) followed and killed him and brought back the earth.)

Yaa thwara Chandra maalaya,
Dharane potha rakshane,
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 4

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed in wearing the garland of guts
And in saving the young boy,
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(The Rakshasa Hiranya Kasipu who was the brother of Hiranyaksha tormented the universe. He could not be killed either by a man or animal. So Lord Vishnu took the form of man-lion(Narasimhavathara) , killed Hiranya Kasipu and wore his guts as garland and also protected his so Prahladha.)

Yaa thwara vatu veshasya,
Darane bala bandhane
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 5

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed in assuming the form of a boy,
And which you showed in catching hold of Bali
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(The King Mahabali by his great strength ruled over the entire universe. Lord Vishnu took the form of a young dwarfish boy(Vamanavathara) and requested King Mahabali for three feet of land. Once given he measured the entire earth by two feet and Pushed Mahabali in to the Patala.)

Yaa thwara raja hanane,
Yaa thwara vakhya rakshane
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 6

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed in killing of kings
And which you showed in keeping your word,
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(The kings and emperors of the earth became powerful and started to torment the earth. At that time Lord Vishnu was born as Parasurama(Parasuramavathara) .When the kings killed his parents he took the vow of exterminating the earth of its kings and killed several generations of all kings)

Yaa thwara raksho hanane,
Yaa thwara brathru palane,
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 7

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed in killing of Rakshasas
And which you showed in protection of brother,
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(Several Asuras lead by the great Ravana , because of their boons defeated several devas and killed many sages. Lord Vishnu was born as Lord Rama(Ramavathara) and killed all as auras including Ravana. He was helped in this job by his brother Lakshmana)

Yaa thwara kapi rajasya poshane,
Sethu bandhane,
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 8

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed in protecting kingdom,
Of monkeys and building of a bridge,
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(Lord Rama took the help of monkeys, crossed the ocean between India and Lanka by constructing a bridge and killed Ravana.)

Yaa thwara gopa kanyanam,
Rakshane, kamsa hanane,
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 9

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed in protecting gopis
And in killing of Kamsa,
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(Evil kings with bad qualities again grew up in this earth. Lord Vishnu was born as Lord Krishna(Krishnavathara) killed Kamsa. He also befriended Gopis in his childhood, possibly to show the myth of caste superiority.)

Yaa thwara baishmi harane
Yaa thwara rugmi bhandane
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 10

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed when stealing Rugmani
And which you showed in tying Rugmi
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(As Lord Krishna he waged war and made Rukhmani as his wife and in the process killed her brother Rugmi.)

Yaa thwara budha sidhantha
Kadhane budha mohane,
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 11

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed in telling principles of Budha
And attracting the wise ones,
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(The religion of Sanathana dharma was corrupted by fanatics. Lord Vishnu took birth as Lord Budha and reformed the great religion. Many people do not agree that Budha is an incarnation. They believe that Balarama (the brother of Rama) was an incarnation.)

Yaa thwara thuraga rohe
Yaa thwara mlecha marane
Mayyarthe karunamurthe ,
Saa thwara kwa gatha hare. 12

Why did you not show the same haste
Which you showed in riding the horse
And which you showed in killing the foreigners
When it did concern with solving my sorrow, Hey Vishnu.

(It is predicted that Lord Vishnu will be born as Kalki (Kalkiavathata), who will ride on a horse and kill all foreigners who would be corrupting the Hindu religion.)

Sathya avatharya puthrena
Bhakthiko niraneridham,
Dasavathara sthavakam,
Vadan Mokshamapunyath. 13

He who recites with devotion,
And deep interest,
This prayer of the ten incarnations,
Would himself attain salvation at the end.