Chapter Describing the Sequence of the Avatāras — Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra, Adhyāya 2

अथ अवतारक्रमवर्णनाध्यायः

The complete Chapter Describing the Sequence of the Avatāras chapter of the Bṛhat-Pārāśara-Horāśāstra — all 13 verses, each in the original Sanskrit with VedicSpace's clean-room English translation, cited by śloka. Translated from the Chaukhamba (Devachandra Jha) edition and audited against the printed plates.

Śloka 1 — Maitreya's question — are the avatāras of Viṣṇu also jīvāṃśa?

मैत्रेय उवाच— रामकृष्णादयो ये ये ह्यवतारा रमापतेः । तेऽपि जीवांशसंयुक्ताः किंवा ब्रूहि मुनीश्वर ! ॥ १ ॥

Maitreya said: Those avatāras of the Lord of Ramā (Viṣṇu) — Rāma, Kṛṣṇa and the rest, each and every one of them — are they too joined with a portion of the jīva? Tell me, O lord among sages!

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 1

Śloka 2 — The four pūrṇa (full) avatāras; the rest are jīvāṃśa

पराशर उवाच— रामः कृष्णश्च भो विप्र ! नृसिंहः सूकरस्तथा । एते पूर्णावताराश्च ह्यन्ये जीवांशकान्विताः ॥ २ ॥

Parāśara said: Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, O vipra, and likewise Nṛsiṃha and Sūkara (the Boar) — these are the full (pūrṇa) avatāras; the others are endowed with a portion of the jīva.

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 2

Śloka 3 — The unborn Paramātman's many avatāras; the grahas as dispensers of karma-phala

अवताराण्यनेकानि ह्यजस्य परमात्मनः । जीवानां कर्मफलदो ग्रहरूपी जनार्दनः ॥ ३ ॥

Many indeed are the avatāras of the unborn Paramātman. Janārdana, taking the form of the grahas, is the giver of the fruits of the karma of living beings.

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 3

Śloka 4 — Purpose of the graha-avatāras

दैत्यानां बलनाशाय देवानां बलवृद्धये । धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय ग्रहाज्जाताः शुभाः क्रमात् ॥ ४ ॥

For the destruction of the strength of the daityas, for the increase of the strength of the devas, and for the establishing of dharma, the auspicious ones (the avatāras) were born from the graha(s), in due order.

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 4

Śloka 5 — Avatāra–graha correspondence (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury)

तद्यथा— रामोऽवतारः सूर्यस्य चन्द्रस्य यदुनायकः । नृसिंहो भूमिपुत्रस्य बुद्धः सोमसुतस्य च ॥ ५ ॥

Namely: Rāma is the avatāra of Sūrya; the leader of the Yadus (Kṛṣṇa) of Candra; Nṛsiṃha of the son of the Earth (Maṅgala); and Buddha of the son of Soma (Budha).

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 5

Śloka 6 — Avatāra–graha correspondence (Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rāhu)

वामनो विबुधेज्यस्य भार्गवो भार्गवस्य च । कूर्मो भास्करपुत्रस्य सैंहिकेयस्य सूकराः ॥ ६ ॥

Vāmana is of him whom the gods worship (Bṛhaspati); Bhārgava (Paraśurāma) of Bhārgava (Śukra); Kūrma of the son of the Sun (Śani); and the Boar of the son of Siṃhikā (Rāhu).

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 6

Śloka 7 — Ketu's avatāra; those with more Paramātmāṃśa are called khecara

केतोर्मीनावतारश्च ये चान्ये तेऽपि खेटजाः । परात्मांशोऽधिको येषु ते सर्वे खेचराभिधाः ॥ ७ ॥

And the Fish (Matsya) avatāra is of Ketu; and whatever others there are, they too are born of the grahas. Those in whom the portion of the Supreme Self is predominant are all called khecaras (sky-goers).

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 7

Śloka 8 — Those with predominant jīvāṃśa are jīvas; Paramātmāṃśa issues from the grahas

जीवांशकता येषु जीवास्ते वै प्रकीर्तिताः । सूर्यादिभ्यो ग्रहेभ्यश्च परमात्मांशनिःसृताः ॥ ८ ॥

Those in whom the state of being a portion of the jīva prevails are declared to be jīvas. And from the grahas beginning with Sūrya there issue forth the portions of the Supreme Self.

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 8

Śloka 9 — The avatāras arise from and dissolve back into the grahas

राम-कृष्णादयः सर्वे ह्यवतारा भवन्ति वै । तत्रैव ते विलीयन्ते पुनः कार्योत्तरे सदा ॥ ९ ॥

All the avatāras — Rāma, Kṛṣṇa and the rest — indeed come to be [from those portions]; and there, in those very [grahas], they dissolve again, always once their work is over.

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 9

Śloka 10 — Men and other beings arise from the jīvāṃśa and merge back; grahas merge into the Unmanifest

जीवांशनिःसृतास्तेषां तेभ्यो जाता नरादयः । तेऽपि तत्रैव लीयन्ते तेऽव्यक्ते समयन्ति हि ॥ १० ॥

The portions of the jīva issue forth from them, and from those are born men and the other creatures. They too dissolve in those very [grahas]; and those [grahas] in turn come to rest in the Unmanifest.

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 10

Śloka 11 — Fruit of this knowledge — omniscience

इदं ते कथितं विप्र सर्वं यस्मिन् भवेदिति । भूतान्यपि भविष्यन्ति वेत्ति सर्वज्ञतामियात् ॥ ११ ॥

All this has been told to you, O vipra. He in whom this [knowledge] comes to reside knows both what has been and what will be, and attains omniscience.

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 11

Śloka 12 — Jyotiṣa is indispensable, especially for brāhmaṇas

विना तज्ज्यौतिषं नान्यो ज्ञातुं शक्नोति कर्हिचित् । तस्मादवश्यमध्येयं ब्राह्मणैश्च विशेषतः ॥ १२ ॥

Without that science of jyotiṣa no one else can ever come to know [these things]. Therefore it must without fail be studied, and by brāhmaṇas especially.

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 12

Śloka 13 — Consequence of reviling jyotiṣa

यो नरः शास्त्रमज्ञात्वा ज्यौतिषं खलु निन्दति । रौरवं नरकं भुक्त्वा चान्धत्वं चान्यजन्मनि ॥ १३ ॥

That man who, without having understood the śāstra, reviles jyotiṣa — he undergoes the Raurava hell, and [obtains] blindness in another birth.

BPHS Adhyāya 2, śloka 13