The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism (2 Vol Set)

poisoned by the whisperings of her
maid Manthara. Manthara convinces
Kaikeyi that she and her son Bharata will
be mere slaves after Rama is crowned
the heir-apparent. This prompts Kaikeyi
to take drastic action. Many years
before, Dasharatha promised Kaikeyi
two blessings as reward for her help in
winning a great battle. She has never
asked for these, but she now requests
that Rama spend fourteen years in forest
exile, and that her own son, Bharata,
shall rule in his place. Dasharatha
pleads with Kaikeyi to change her mind,
but she is adamant that her wishes have
to be granted if Dasharatha will retain
the unbroken family honor. Dasharatha
later pleads with Rama to disobey him
and take over the kingdom by force, but
Rama refuses this as it is an unrighteous
action. Rama leaves for the forest, thus
upholding the family honor, but in his
sorrow at being separated from Rama,
Dasharatha dies of a broken heart.

Dashavatar

(“ten descents”) Collective name for the
ten avatars(incarnations on earth) of
the god Vishnu. In each case, Vishnu
takes form to restore the cosmic equilib-
rium when it has been thrown out of
balance by the action of a particular
demon. See also avatar.

Dashavatara Stotra

(“Hymn to the Ten Avatars”) The open-
ing canto of the Gitagovinda, a twelfth-
century lyric poem written by the poet
Jayadeva. The Gitagovindais an allegory
of the union of the human soul with the
divine, described through the story of
the god Krishnaand his human lover
Radha. At the narrative level, this tale
describes the couple’s initial passionate
lovemaking, followed by jealousy, anger,
and estrangement. It concludes with
their reconciliation and an even more
passionate reunion.
Although it is preceded by a short
introduction, the Dashavatara Stotra
is the text’s true beginning. The

Dashavatara Stotra is a hymn paying

homage to the ten avatars or earthly

incarnations of the god Krishna, each

of whom has been responsible for pre-

serving the cosmos in a time of crisis.

Jayadeva uses this opening hymn to

remind his readers that the Krishna of

his story is no mere mortal lover—

even though the story employs the

language and images commonly

found in Sanskrit love poetry—but

rather the lord and master of the uni-

verse, who has saved it from destruc-

tion again and again. The context

supplied by the images in this opening

hymn alert the reader that this text is

not merely a love story.

Jayadeva is unusual in describing the

god Krishna as the source of the ten

avatars, since Krishna is more commonly

considered an avatar of the god Vishnu.

This theological difference stems from

Jayadeva’s connection with the

Jagannathtemple in the city of Puri.

Jagannath is said to be a form of

Krishna, but it is generally accepted that

Dashavatara Stotra

The Dashavatara Stotra is the opening song

in the Gitagovinda, a twelfth-century

lyrical poem that tells the story of the god

Krishna and his human lover Radha.