1) Matsya Avatar (Fish)
In Matsya Avatar, Lord Vishnu appeared as a one-horned fish and warned about the Mahapralaya (cosmic deluge) and also rescued the Vedas from Demon Damanaka
2) Kurma Avatar (The Tortoise)
Vishnu took the form of a tortoise in order to retrieve amritha from the cosmic flood. This amritha was essential for the gods to preserve their youth. On the back of Kurma the gods placed Mount Mandara and tied the divine snake Vasuki around the mountain. With snake acting as the rope to twirl the mountain, the ocean was churned, when the amritha appeared.
3) Varaha Avatar (The Boar)
The asura
Hiranyaksh's drastic growth was becoming a cause of worry for the Devas. He had received a boon from
Brahma, and was now busy proving his dominance over the 3 worlds.
While Brahma was asleep, the asura took Mother Earth (
Bhoodevi) along with all the Vedas and sacred texts, and pushed them to the bottom of the ocean. All the devas went to Lord Vishnu to request his help in getting the earth back. It was then that the Lord assumed the form of a boar, to lift
Bhoodevi out of the seas.
4) Narasimha Avatar (Man Lion)
Narasimha, emerging after tearing the pillar into two. He puts Hiranyakasipu on his lap and kills him by his bare claws. As the story goes, Prahlad, son of an evil and powerful king, is a pious boy devoted to Vishnu. His father tried to discourage his pious inclination and inflicted on his cruel punishments. Finally, he decided to kill him. Hiranyakasipu himself was invincible, having received a boon that he could not be killed by day or night, by man or beast, inside nor outside, or by any weapon. Hence Vishnu as Narasimha, appear as neither man nor beast, kills him with his claws at the hour of twilight, within a pillar. Not flaying any of the conditions of the boon Vishnu kills him and saves Prahlad, his devotee.
5) Vamana Avatar (Dwarf Priest)
BALI, the grandson of Prahlada was a very valorous and mighty asura. By his penance and might, he conquered the whole world. Indra and other gods fearing that he and asuras would conquer all the three worlds, went to Lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu was then born as a dwarf Vamana in the household of a brahmana(priest). He went to Bali on growing up and asked for alms. Bali was delighted to offer him anything he requested even though his priest warned him that it was Lord Vishnu.
Vamana then requested for the amount of land that could come under his three feet. Bali gracefully agreed. Lord Vishnu then grew in size and covered the earth and heaven in two strides. And due to lack of space, he put his third leg on Bali himself and crushed Bali to the nether or the Patala loka(underground world), thus helping the Gods out.
6) Parasurama Avatar ( Rama with Axe)
Parasurama was the great-grandson of
Maharishi Bhragu. He was a Brahmin who was blessed to be born with Kshatriya qualities. He learnt all the arts of warfare directly from Lord Shiva after performing tough penance.
7) Sri Rama Avatar( Perfect Man)
Lord Rama (the perfect man, king of Ayodha): King who uploads old rules at the cost of personal life.
8) Sri BalaRama Avatar(Shesha)
Balarama is acknowledged as being a manifestation of Shesha, the divine serpent on whom Vishnu rests
9) Sri Krishna Avatar ( Uphold Dharma)
10) Sri Kalki Avatar ( Dark Age)
Kalki Avatar, the last of the Maha Avatars of
Vishnu, is yet to appear towards the end of the Kali Yuga or the Dark Age. The Kali Yuga is the Iron Age. So Kalki will be the Avatar or the Incarnation in the age of machines.
He is described in the Vishudharmottara Purana as a robust young man, riding on his white horse, Devadutta and with a shiny sword raised in his hand. While some sketch him as being four-armed, most of the records focuss on him as a two-armed. The scriptures picturize Kalki`s emergence "as a blazing Light" when He descends from heaven.
