Why does Vishnu manifest in non-human forms like a fish or a lion-man instead of appearing only in a human likeness?

 Bhagwan Vishnu does not incarnate only to resemble humans because he assumes that form which is appropriate to the purpose of the avatāra.

We need to understand that what we call God, it’s not a human being but the Supreme Energy depicted in various forms.

So that divine energy which is pervasive and known as “Vishnu”, it can manifest itself in any form as and when needed. There is no such rule that the divine shall be in the form only a human.

He manifested in the form of Matsya, the fish since he had to save the creation from the massive cosmic flood. Since flood is related to water 🌊, he manifested as the divine fish.

Then when the Asura Hiranyakshyap attained the boon from Brahma that he neither by any human/man nor by any animal/beast, Neither during the day nor at night (specifically circumvented at twilight/dusk), Neither indoors nor outdoors (circumvented on a threshold/porch step). Neither on earth/ground nor in the sky/space. By no weapon forged or any living/non-living object. Since these all conditions were the part of boon, the asura was immune to death from all those factors. So upon identifying the loophole in the asura’s boon from Brahma, Vishnu assumes the form of Narasimha which was half man half lion and he picked those minute conditions which Hiranyakshipu couldn't mention in his boon and then slayed the evil asura and saved his devotee Prahlad.

So him taking the form of an animal isn't something unusual as the divine is pervasive not just present only in humans.

Then of course, Narayan as Shri Ram the ideal man (Maryada Purushottam) is one of the most worshipped forms of him.

And Shri Krishna, a very very popular form of Narayan.

So the human like forms of him are the most popular ones, but the animal like forms too had a lot of significance in his aim of sustaining the creation, restoring the balance of nature and protecting the world.

नमो नारायण 🙏

Why did Vishnu take the Kurma avatar?

 

Kurma avatar in Shatapatha brahmana and Taittariya aranyaka is referred to as Sacrifice and yonder Aditya which are both ephithet for Vishnu.

Kurma avatar and Vishnu are both mentioned as the Yonder Aditya :

1:

स यः कूर्मोऽसौ स आदित्यः । अमुमेवैतदादित्यमुपदधाति ।

“That which is Kūrma—that is yonder Āditya [the Sun]. It is yonder Āditya that he thereby places down.”

7.5.1.6

स यः स विष्णुः स यः स यज्ञः ।

असौ स आदित्यः ॥

2:

“That which is Viṣṇu is that which is Yajña; that [yonder] is Āditya.”

14.1.1.6

As well as sacrifice :

1:SB 1.6.2.3

ते पुरोडाशं कूर्मं भूत्वा चरन्तमपश्यन् ।

ते ह ब्रुवन् — एष वै यज्ञ इति ॥

“They saw the puroḍāśa having become a tortoise and moving about.

They said: ‘This indeed is the sacrifice.’”

2:

यज्ञो वै विष्णुः ।

yajño vai viṣṇuḥ

“Yajña indeed is Viṣṇu.”

In Taittariya aranyaka it is directly mentioned that Kurma which is the embodiment of sacrifice is the purusha who created Prajapati

• There after from the waters , kurma or tortoise crawled therein. Prajapati addressed the kurma: have you emerged from my skin and flesh. Kurma replied in the negative and corrrected Brahma by saying that he existed earlier as he was the that Purusa with the Purusatvam; the tortoise then assumed form of Purusa with thousand heads and thousand feet and the thousand eyes flashing from the waters. Then the Creator Prajapati exclaimed indeed, you existed well before I was born; since you were the first , you created the universe well before me!

And also Kurma also shares similar characteristics of Vishnu who prevaded the three worlds with three steps

तस्य यदधरं कपालम् । अयं स लोकः । तत्प्रतिष्ठितमिव भवति प्रतिष्ठित इव ह्ययं लोकः । अथ यदुत्तरं सा द्यौः । तद्व्यवगृहीतान्तमिव भवति व्यावगृहीतान्तेव हि द्यौः । अथ यदन्तरा तदन्तरिक्षम् । स एष इमे एव लोकाः । इमान् एवैतल्लोकानुपदधाति ॥

7.5.1.2

pra tad viṣṇuḥ stavate vīryeṇa

mṛgo na bhīmaḥ kucaro giriṣṭhāḥ |

yasyoruṣu triṣu vikramaṇeṣv

adhikṣiyanti bhuvanāni viśvā ||

“That Viṣṇu is praised for his might,

like a fearsome roaming beast dwelling upon the mountains,

in whose three wide strides all the worlds dwell

In Mahabharata and Ramayana. He appeared to support the gods during samudra manthan

How was Lord Surya an avatar of Lord Vishnu?

Lord Sri Vishnu and Lord Surya Narayan are one and the same.

Gita : In Srimad Bhagad Gita, Lord Sri Krishna declares that I am Vishnu among 12 Adityas.

These are Mitr, Ravi, Surya, Bhanu, Khag, Pushan, Hiranyagarbha, Marichi, Aditya, Savitra, Ark, Bhaskar

Vishnu Sahasranam : Sri Vishnu Sahasranama adores Sri Vishnu as Surya, Ravi, Aditya, Marichi, Savitra.

Sri Vishnu Sahasranama adores Sri Surya as Eka (one who is the foremost)

Vedic Astrology : Sri Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra declares Rama as an incarnation of Lord Surya.

Worshipping Rama is one of the potent remedies against debilitated Surya.

Bhagavatam : Shrimad Bhagavatam addresses Lord Surya as Surya Narayan.

Fact : Lord Surya incarnated as Sri Rama to vanquish evil.

Prayer : Sri Ganeshaya Namah Jai Sri Suryanarayan Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram Namo Parvatipataye Har Har Mahadev Jai Jai Hanuman Gosai Kripa Karo Gurudev Ki Nai

Pic Credits : Google Images / Web

Is Laxmi, the wife of Vishnu, a powerless goddess?

 Bhagavatī Lakṣmī is far from powerless. The Purāṇas, Tantras, and Āgamas describe Bhagavatī Lakṣmī, the eternal consort of Bhagavān Viṣṇu, as the supreme force of the cosmos, the Mūla Prakṛti, the creator of the universe, and a warrior who defeats mighty demons. The scriptures say she possesses boundless strength, and without her power, even the Supreme Lord would be unable to sustain creation.

🌷Ahirbudhnya Samhita, Chapter 6 -

That Lord Narayana is the eternal Supreme Soul. His power (Shakti) consists of the nature of "I-ness" and shares His attributes.

Without power (Shakti), no powerful being is the cause of anything. And power does not exist without the powerful being.

Raja Ravi Varma (public domain)

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🪷 MahaLakshmi Ashtakam -

Salutations to you, seated on Garuda, cause of fear for Lord
Saturn, remover of all sin, Goddess LakShmi, salutations to you (2)

The great terror of gross and subtle (wicked
beings), supreme power, engulfing all, redemptress of the universe,
remover of the great sins, Goddess LakShmi, salutations to you. (6)

Seated on a lotus, the Goddess, whose nature is the transcendent
infinite, transcendent ruler, mother of the world, Goddess LakShmi,
salutations to you. (7)

🪷Kamala Stotram -

Oh, Pretty one, who is complete. who is always wealthy, who defends those who seek her protection, You are primeval of the universe, you are the creator of the universe, please become pleased with me. (5)

Oh Pretty one, you have the form of Brahma and the sun and the world shines because of you, You are the form of the universe, you are the chosen one, please become pleased with me. (6)

Oh, pretty one, The earth, the water, the fire, the wind and the sky, which are the five elements are your form, And you are the reason for the properties of these elements, please become pleased with me. (7)

Oh pretty one, you are the mother of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, you order the Brahma, You Make Brahma act and oh queen of devas, you are clear as well as not clear, please become pleased with me. (19)

🪷MahaLakshmi Hrudaya Stotram -

Oh primeval illusion, you are the egg of the universe, You are the one with form as well as one without form, You are the one, who supports Shiva, Brahma and others, And your story is great, Oh Goddess, who is with Vishnu (67)

🪷Lakshmi Stotra [Indra] -

You are the real form of Lord Vishnu, And you are the all carrying mother earth, You are the form of the purest essence, And you are the one who chants the name of Narayana. (9)

You the divine mother for every one, And the one who is friend and relation of all, You are the formed personification of all Dharma, Wealth, desire and the ultimate salvation. (11)

Image credits - @anujra0_

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According to the scriptures, Vaiṣṇavī Lakṣmī is the dynamic force that sustains and nurtures all of creation.

🌺Lakṣmīnārāyaṇa Saṃhitā, Khaṇḍa 1, Chapter 4, Verses 22-25 -

The creator is said to be Rājasa, Rudra emerged from his brow. The destroyer is Tāmasa, Viṣṇu became that from the heart. The nourisher is Sattva, they are endowed with their own powers. The woman who is situated in the body of Brahmā is called Brāhmī, his consort. She is called Sṛṣṭi, and she is the half of Brahmā, indeed. Rudra's power is his Rudrāṇī (Raudrī), Śivā is called Hara's consort, the chaste one. Vaiṣṇavī is Viṣṇu's power and is also known as Lakṣmī. These three, nourish, destroy, and maintain creation.

🌺Varāha Purāṇa, Chapter 89, Verse 28 -

The Goddess who is beautiful due to her red color and slim waist, holding a conch and disc, is known to be Vaiṣṇavī Kalā. She protects the entire world and is known as Viṣṇumāyā

🌺Mahābhāgavata Purāṇa, Chapter 23, Verses 44b-45 -

...You are Vaisnavi, the nourisher, and Mahalaksmi the beloved of Hari. (44) You are the Sakti of Visnu, the wielder of conch and wheel and identified with Visnu. You are Visnupriya, the beloved of Visnu, the Maya of Visnu and the only darling of his heart.

Image credits - @anuran_basu_

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Other pramāṇāni -

🪻Skanda Purana, Brāhma-khaṇḍa, Setu-māhātmya, Chapter 50, Verses 66-74a -

Obeisance to you, O mother of the universe, O goddess with Viṣṇu's broad chest for your abode. Obeisance to you, O Daughter of the Ocean, O Mahālakṣmī, O beloved of Hari. Perpetual obeisance to Siddhi, Puṣṭi, Svadhā and Svāhā. Repeated obeisance to Sandhyā, to Prabhā, to Dhātrī, to Bhūti. Obeisance, Obeisance to Śraddhā, to Medhā and to Sarasvatī. O Yajñavidyā ('science of sacrifice'), O Mahāvidyā, O Guhyavidyā ('science of the secret things'), O highly splendid one, O Ātmavidyā ('science of Atman'). O goddess of Devas, O bestower of salvation on all the embodied beings, O mother of the universe, O goddess, the embodiment of three Vedas, O protectress of the universe! Save me by your benign glance, O goddess, the cause of creation, sustenance and annihilation. Again and again, obeisance to you, O mother of Brahmā, O great goddess

🪻Skanda Purana, Vaiṣṇava-khaṇḍa, Veṅkaṭācala-māhātmya, Chapter 9, Verses 99-105 -

Obeisance to Śrī, the mother of the worlds. Obeisance, obeisance to the mother of Brahmā... Obeisance, obeisance to you, the (Vedic) lore in the form of Ṛk, Yajus and Sāma. Be pleased, O daughter of the Ocean; look at us with your benign glances. Those who are seen by you shall attain the status of Brahmā, Rudra and Indra.

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So no, she isn’t powerless. In fact, the scriptures say the opposite: without her, even Vishnu cannot act.

Image credits - pinterest

How powerful is Lord Vishnu?

 Is that even a question? Power itself is subordinate to the Supreme Lord Hari!

The Supreme Lord Narayan is always being massaged at His lotus feet by the Supreme Goddess Lakshmi(who is also present in His heart), who is the representation of ALL of Reality itself, meaning, He is literally massaged by REALITY! Thus, Reality is subordinate to Him:

The Supreme Lord Vasudev sleeps on Adi Shesha, the primordial serpent that represents infinity, meaning He literally sleeps on INFINITY! Thus infinity is subordinate to Him:

The Supreme Lord Achyuta’s weapon is Sudarshan Chakra that represents Time, meaning He has literally made TIME itself His weapon! Thus time is subordinate to Him:

The Supreme Lord Govinda’s another weapon is Kaumodaki Gada which represents Power, so, He literally has POWER also as His weapon! Thus power is subordinate to Him.(No question of HOW powerful He is when Power itself is His weapon!):

HE TRANSCENDS SPACE, TIME, INFINITY AND EVEN REALITY!! Hence He is known as Sarvottam (The one ‘better than’ or ‘transcending’ anything and everything) and since He rules over ALL, He is known as Sarveshwar!

HE CREATES, PRESERVES AND DESTROYS INFINITE UNIVERSES WITH A MERE THOUGHT! HE IS ALSO THE ONE WHO RESIDES IN EVERY ATOM OF HIS CREATIONS AND DOES EVERYTHING!!

His power is not something that can described in words, not in pictures, not even in THOUGHTS!!

JAI SAKALESHWAR SACHCHIDANAND PARA BRAHMA PARAMATMA PARAMESHWAR PARAM PURUSH SRI HARI!!!!!

Is Lord Balaji the same as Lord Krishna, or is he Vishnu?

 Yes , Lord Balaji was Lord Vishnu. Tirupati balaji temple located in chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the richest temple of india.

Story of lord Balaji :

once there was a debate among the sages as to who among the trinity should get the fruit of their sacrifice.

For this work, sage Bhrigu was appointed. sage Bhrigu went to lord Brahma but Brahma was busy with his wife Saraswati so he didn't notice Bhrigu. in fit of anger, Bhrigu cursed Brahma that he would not be worshipped on the earth.

Then Bhrigu went to lord shiva but shiva also busy with his wife Parvati. When Bhrigu disturbed shiva then shiva got angry. Seeing this, Bhrigu cursed shiva that he would be worshipped in form of ling.

After visiting shiva and Brahma, Bhrigu visited to vaikuntha the abode of Vishnu where lord vishnu was sleeping and didn't notice Bhrigu. In fit of anger , Bhrigu kicked on the chest of lord vishnu in front of goddess Lakshmi the wife of Vishnu.

Vishnu waked up and hold the foot of Bhrigu and asked that is he in pain by kick. Happy with Vishnu’s humble, Bhrigu said you deserve the fruit of yagya.

But goddess Lakshmi got angry with Vishnu and leave vaikuntha because Vishnu didn't punish Bhrigu for his action.

Goddess Lakshmi hide on earth and started penance. Lord vishnu searched everywhere but he cannot find her. So in grief and solitude he took shelter in an ant hill.

Seeing this incident, lord Shiva and Brahma took form of cow and calf and took shelter on the kingdom of king yadav naresh. When cowherd used to take cow to graze then cow used to gave milk to Vishnu.

Once the cowherd saw the incident then he throwed an axe toward cow. to save cow Vishnu appeared but axe hit on vishnu's head.

In fit of anger, Vishnu killed the cowherd. Vishnu cursed the king that he would become the danav in next birth but when king ask sorry to Vishnu then Vishnu gave boon to king that he would marry his daughter that’swhy he took incarnation of lord srinivas or Balaji. It is said that lord Balaji took loan from kubera for marriage and promised that he would pay in the end of kaliyug.

Who is the daughter of Lord Vishnu?

Lakshmi and MahaVishnu's daughters were Amritavalli and Sundaravalli born out of the tears of joy of Narayana during his incarnation as Trivikrama.Once they went to their father Lord Vishnu. They desired to marry Lord Kartikeya. Lord Vishnu told them to do penance to please Lord Kartikeya . They did penance and Lord Kartikeya was pleased with them. He said that Amritavalli would be born as Tevayanai or Devasena who would be the daughter of Lord Indra and Sundaravalli would be reborn to Veddas as Valli and then he would marry them both. When they reincarnated as Tevyanai and Devasena Lord Kartikeya married them.

Princess Charumati was the daughter of Lord Krishna and Rukmini(Lord Vishnu and Mahalakshmi).

Lord Krishna had 1 daughter from each of his 8 principal wives.

Lord Krishna has 8 daughters.

Lord Vishnu has two daughters who are married to Lord Kartikeya.

Uravashi was also the daughter of Lord Narayana who was born from his thigh.

Why did Vishnu take the Kurma avatar?

 Long ago, it so happened that once Sage Durvasa arrived in the heavens and saw Indra sitting on Airavata, the elephant vehicle of Indra, going with his pomp and glory. Seeing this, Sage Durvasa was immensely happy, and in this happiness, he gave Indra a garland which was offered to Lord Srihari. Indra kept that garland on Airavata, and it crushed that garland with its feet. Seeing this, Sage Durvasa was highly enraged and hence cursed Indra to lose his kingdom of the heavens and aishvarya.

Thus, cursed by Sage Durvasa, Indra lost all the wealth, kingship of the heavens, his Airavata, Kalpavriksha, Kaamadhenu, Amrita, etc., and all this got dissolved in the Milky Ocean. Lakshmidevi entered the Milky ocean, but with one form She was always present in the vakshasthala of Lord Vishnu, thus being eternally united with Lord Vishnu. All the devatas headed by Indra approached Lord Brahma, who was the guru to the whole universe after Lord Narayana Himself. Lord Brahma told them that this problem can only be solved by Lord Vishnu. So, all the devatas led by Lord Brahma approached Lord Vishnu in Vaikuntha and praised Him. Pleased by their praises, Lord Vishnu said, “We need to churn the milk ocean (which is Ksheerasagara) to get the lost wealth again. But for this, we need to include the demons too, by the ahi mooshaka nyaaya. For churning the ocean, we need Mount Mandara as the churning stick and Serpent king Vasuki as the churning rope.” (In simple words, Ahi mooshaka nyaya, also known as the Snake and the Mouse Logic, means two bitter enemies are forced to team up just to survive a crisis, until the work is done.)

So, all the devatas following the instructions of Lord Narayana approached the demons and asked them to also accompany them in the churning of the Milky Ocean. The devatas proposed a pact that everything that will be obtained via the churning of the Milky Ocean will be divided equally. The demons, too, agreed. Now, all of these people approached the Mandara parvata. But this Mount Mandara had a boon from Lord Shiva that nobody could lift it. The devatas tried to lift that mountain, but couldn’t lift it. They finally took refuge in Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu easily lifted Mount Mandara, as if it were a toy, and placed it on Garuda. Since Garuda is equal to Lord Shiva, he could lift it easily. Lord Vishnu, being the supreme God Himself, lifted the mountain easily. These devatas led by Indra were lesser than Lord Shiva; therefore, they couldn’t lift it.

Now these devatas and asuras became arrogant about Garuda being able to lift the mountain, and argued that they could also lift the mountain. To this, Lord Vishnu placed that mountain on the devatas, saying, “Now lift it.” The devatas and asuras got crushed under Mount Mandara and broke their bones. Lord Vishnu lifted Mount Mandara and again placed it on Garuda. After that, He looked at the devatas compassionately. Immediately, the devatas were normal, fine, healthy, and recovered. Now, this Mount Mandara was placed on the Milky Ocean as the churning stick, and Vasuki was made the churning rope. The demons argued that they didn’t want to be at Vasuki’s tail’s end and claimed the spot where Vasuki’s head was. The devatas smilingly agreed.

The churning of the ocean started. The Mount Mandara was going down and was drowning. The devatas remembered Lord Vishnu. Immediately, Lord Vishnu took the form of a tortoise, which was one hundred thousand yojanas (eight hundred thousand miles) long, and lifted the Mandara Mountain on His back (shell of the tortoise). This is known as Kurma roopa of Lord Narayana. Srimad Bhagavatam says that when these devatas and demons were churning the Milky Ocean, it was like a soothing scratching sensation. This rhythmic, massaging motion made Kurma Bhagavan feel so relaxed that He peacefully drifted off to sleep while effortlessly balancing the entire weight of the cosmic operation on His back.

But then, this Mandara mountain was coming up; therefore, Lord Vishnu Himself in His Ajita form came and sat on the Mandara Mountain and balanced the whole mountain, enabling the devatas and demons to do the churning of the Milky Ocean easily. Here, Vasuki was very tired and fatigued by the continuous stretching. From one side, the devatas pulled, and from the other side, the demons pulled. It started emitting poison from its mouth, where the demons were standing. The poisonous air was suffocating for them, and clouds came near the devatas and provided them with cool air. Therefore, seeing this Lord Vishnu, Himself entered Vasuki and provided the strength to endure this pulling.

Thus, after that, the story is known as how Halahala poison came; all the devatas took refuge in Lord Shiva; SriMukhyaprana Vayudeva and Lord Shiva together drank it with the blessings of Lord Vishnu, as per Rigveda’s Keshi Sukta and Padma Purana; then different things like Airavata, Kalpavriksha, and Uchhaishravas horse came, and finally Mahalakshmidevi emerged from the ocean, holding vara and abhaya poses in both Her hands and lotus flowers in both Her hands, like the sun rising luminously from behind the mountains. She had a mangalasutra already tied around her conch-shell-shaped neck, which showed she was eternally married to Lord Vishnu. She had four braids and a hair bun, which was decorated with fragrant flowers. She appeared draped in pure, unblemished yellow silk, traditionally referred to as Pītāmbara or Kauseya.

She, with a garland or varamaala, went there. There, She found faults in each devata and finally chose Lord Narayana, since He was the only one who was flawless, was full of all auspicious attributes, and was the Supreme Being Himself. Therefore, She married Lord Vishnu. Already She had a mangalasutra in Her neck, which showed that She was eternally wedded to Lord Narayana, but then they got wedded again just for the welfare of all. After this, Bhagavan Vishnu Himself emerged from the Milky Ocean as Dhanvantari holding the Amrita kalasha in His hand. From His eyes came tears of joy. These tears came from Tulasi. This Tulasi is also a form of Mahalakshmidevi.

These demons took away the Amrit kalash from Dhanvantari’s hands. Lord Dhanvantari, too, kept quiet just to show how cruel and selfish the demons were. Therefore, to take back Amrita from them, He assumed the form of Mohini, an enchanting stree roopa of Lord Vishnu, which was even more beautiful than Mahalakshmidevi Herself. By that roopa, He bewildered the demons, took Amrita from them and distributed it among the devatas and then cut Rahu’s head when he came in between Surya and Chandra to deceitfully have the Amrita. After that, a great war happened between the devatas and demons, wherein finally Lord Vishnu appeared there and defeated all the demons, and the war ended, plus the devatas gained their wealth, and Indra too gained his kingdom in heaven, and all lived peacefully.

Hope this helps!
Jay SriRam!
ShriKrishnarpanamastu!