The Esoteric Meaning of the Ten Avataras : - 4.
Kurma (Tortoise), Varaha (Boar), and Nrisimha (the Man-lion) :-
The next Avatara is the Kurma (Tortoise) Avatara.
The tortoise lives in water; but is able, to an extent, to live on the shore, too.
This corresponds to the first-stages of man’s career from bestiality to humanity and from humanity to divinity.
He likes to live sunk in ignorance, but does not seriously mind the light of truth.
Then comes the Varaha (Boar) Avatara.
Here the evolution has taken the Jiva completely away from this worse-than-beast stage, away from the aquatic prison, and the boar, though considered as the lowest among the animals, is yet an animal and lives on mother earth, basking in sunshine and breathing fresh air.
The Nrisimha (the Man-lion) Avatara represents the crown of animal-creation; the lion is the king among animals.
And, the composite personality of Nrisimha (the man-lion) is suggestive of the beast in man.
What is the great characteristic of this Avatara?
It was taken with the only purpose of killing; it was a great violent Avatara.
Here we have the man who is trying to transcend the bestiality; but who is yet so gross in his nature that violence and the spirit of destruction characterise him.
Sri Swami Chidananda
To be continued ...
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