Lord Vaikundar Avatar

Lord Vaikundar (c.1833–c.1851) is the 10th avatar of Lord Narayana, also popularly called as “Narayana Pantaram” alias “Ayya”. This avatar follows his Krishna avatar. In this avatar, Lord Narayana incarnated as “Trimurti” alias “Siva Narayana”.

Whenever Lord Narayana incarnates, he provides details in scriptures about his incarnation. The Akilattirattu is the divine scripture, which gives details of the tenth incarnation of Lord Narayana in the form of Vaikundar.

“This is the story of God’s incarnation in Kali Yuga - To make and rule the subsequent Dharma Yuga”

Akilattirattu presents the world's historical and mythological events. It also gives prophecies of the avatars of Lord Narayana and his coming, along with an extensive quantity of historical facts. This holy book focuses on the “supreme oneness” and narrates events starting from the creation of the Universe. It also explains what has happened so far and what is going to happen next. This holy book was compiled by his fifth citar, Hari Gopalan, in Kollam Year 1016 on the 27th day of the Tamil Month Karthikai (10 December 1841 CE, Friday). Hari Gopalan received a holy Apostle from the Lord in his dream, which commissioned him to write the Akilattirattu by giving him the first syllable - “The Kappu”.

Previous Avatars of God: Akilattirattu says that whenever the yuga ages and major injustice occurs, God appears as incarnations to establish dharma by destroying adharma. At the beginning of the Universe, devas gathered in Kailasa and had Amrutham. Afterwards, the devas asked Lord Shiva if they had any enemies. To answer this, Lord Shiva lit an agni kunda, entered it himself, and sang vedakandam with dance. After completion, when he returned from the agni kunda, a deadly monster called Kroni (Asura or evil force) was also born inside an agni kunda. After a few days, the evil force Kroni was trying to destroy Kailasa in order to kill the devas. To save the devas, Lord Narayana performed penance to receive the grace of Lord Shiva to destroy Kroni. Lord Shiva appeared and said to Narayana, "Kroni should be cut into six pieces”. In doing so, every piece of him would be born as a monster on the earth, and Narayana would have to incarnate to destroy the other demons. Lord Narayana consented and chopped Kroni into six pieces in Neetiya Yuga. Accordingly, Lord Narayana incarnated throughout the Yuga-Yugas in order to protect the Dharma. So, he appeared in the Chathur Yuga and the Netu Yuga, destroying asuras such as Gundomasali, Thillai Mallalan, and Mallossy Vaughan that emerged from Kroni's chunk. Later in the Kretha Yuga, the Lord incarnated as Muruga, and in the Thretha Yuga as Narasimha and Sri Rama to destroy asuras such as Singamukha Suran, Surapathman, Iranian, and Ravana. In the Dwapara Yuga, the Lord incarnated as Sri Krishna to destroy asuras such as Duryodhana, Takkan, and helped the Pandavas to establish the Dharma by establishing the Pandavas Kingdom again. Kroni refused to listen to Lord Narayana’s counsel whenever he was born and destroyed. Lord Narayana was angry and lastly said to Kroni, "You will die because of yourself”. Then, at the end of Dwapara Yuga, the Lord knew that Kaliyan would come; that is why he led the route of the forest. On the way, he took back the powers of the Pandavas, left his body on top of the hill, and left this world. While on the way to Kailayangiri, the Lord saw seven devaloga girls bathing in the Ganga to pray to Lord Shiva. The Lord decided to test their devoutness and took the form of fire near the Ganga. Then, the devaloga girls gathered around the fire, feeling the heat, forgot about worshipping Shiva, and got diverted. This diversion caused all the devaloga girls to lose their chastity to the Lord and lose their power. Then, Narayana went to the seven worlds, took seven seeds, and gave them as children to the devaloga girls. Finally, the Lord asked the seven girls to perform penance; he gave their children to Pathirakali to take care of and, with everyone's knowledge, moved to Srirangam to rest.

God's Incarnation in Kaliyuga: By this time, by the words of the devas, Lord Shiva gave birth to Kaliyan (Asura), who emerged from the last and sixth piece of Kroni’s chunk. The Kali Yuga began when Kaliyan was born. Kroni’s fifth chunk, Duryodhana in the previous yuga, was transmigrated as Kaliyan in Kali Yuga. After his birth, he received many boons from Lord Shiva, which gave him more powers compared to the powers of the Asuras of previous yugas. His powers included the reign of the King, various tricks, long life tricks, and the Lord's Chakrayuta. When Kaliyan was on his way to earth, Lord Narayana, in the form of Pantaram (Monk), stopped him and challenged him to a fight. Kaliyan ignored him, saying, “I have a lot of powers; if I fight with you, my wife will laugh!”. In response, Lord Narayana asked him to promise that going forward he would not fight or disrupt any Pantaram. Kaliyan agreed and gave the promise – “I will never fight or disrupt any Pantaram; if I do so, I will lose everything and go to hell”. Akilattirattu says this is the reason behind Lord Narayana’s tenth avatar in Kaliyuga as Narayana Pantaram.

It is said that this Kaliyan became the king of the earth in various places and tortured the lives of good people. He created various caste systems in order to divide and rule. He collected heavy taxes from the public, that is to say, from a feather to a Mangalasutra, and tortured people’s lives. Due to this, Lord Narayana got angry and advised Kaliyan to stop torturing innocent people. However, he did not agree and preferred death rather than giving up. As per the Vedas of sage Vyasa, in order to stop the rule of Kaliyan and bring an end to Kali Yuga, Lord Narayana planned to make Vaikundar incarnate as Pantaram.

When the day came, in Kali Yuga, Lord Narayana himself incarnated as Vaikundar during an encounter with the deity Goddess Lakshmi; he was begotten inside the sea and arose from the sea of Tiruchendur on Kollam Year 1008 on the 20th day of the Tamil Month Masi (1 March 1833 CE, Friday). He took human form as Pantaram at Tharuvaiyur near the seashore; this is considered a unique avatar. From the point of Vaikundar’s incarnation, it is said that he would destroy Kaliyan and the evil in Kali Yuga. It is also said that he would take all righteous people along with him in the succeeding eighth yuga called Dharma Yuga.

I (Hari Gopalan) am writing these words of Akilattirattu Ammanai with the grace of God!

“ ‘O’ Lord, you took avatar for the Pandavas and eliminated their enemies.

You attained the abode of Kailasa with anger due to the birth of Kaliyan.

Came again to the world to protect santror (good people) and dharma”

“On Masi 1008, I (Lord Narayana) myself appeared as Pantaram on the banks of the sea, have taken residence in Theksanapuri as Vaikundar” – Akilattirattu

Akilattirattu says Lord Narayana himself incarnated as Vaikundar and appeared as Pantaram on the banks of the sea. This place became a holy place for the devotees of Ayya vazhi, and they erected a temple there named Avathara pathi.

God says this prophecy,

"I (Lord Narayana) took the avatar for yuga trail and became the praise child for Sita.

As a king of Dharma Yuga, I am going to rule the world with a single command" – Akilattirattu

In the name of Vaikundar, the Lord came towards Swamithopu as Pantaram. Lord Vaikundar, as a Pantaram, wore squalid rags, smeared a white mark on his forehead, tied a turban on his head, and carried a cane. Upon reaching Swamithopu, he undertook penance for 6 years to receive the grace and power of Lord Shiva. He received the power to abolish the rule of the evil force Kaliyan from the world and for the subsequent end of Kali Yuga. The Lord performed many mighty miracles. These include curing all diseases for those who came to receive blessings from him. He brought eighteen-caste people together for peace and equality. Lord Vaikundar had five disciples (Citars). According to Akilattirattu, the Pandavas of the previous Dwapara Yuga were reborn in this Kali Yuga as Citars of Vaikundar. The holy book Akilattirattu was compiled by his fifth citar, Hari Gopalan alias Sahadeva.

The grace of Lord Vaikundar spread everywhere. People visited and listened to the Lord’s teachings and instructions. Vaikundar instructed devotees, “Dharma Vaikundam, just born now,” and guided 14 lokas to follow Dharma. He says - From now on, everyone will dedicate themselves to me, and everyone should unite with a single thought to live together. Never give offerings in the hundi; the man and the woman should get together and pray to me. I am Narayana, creator of the world; fear only me - no one else. In addition, the Lord also instructed dharma for birds, animals, and all living things in the world. In those days, lower-caste people were not allowed to wear a turban and a dhoti up to the toes. Vaikundar asked all the people who came to him to wear a turban and a dhoti up to the toes. He asked people to come together to take a ritual bath, irrespective of caste, religion, race, and creed. He also encouraged them to dine together (Samapanthi-bhojana) in his presence. In order to strip away the evil of untouchability, he applied the sacred clay (Thottu Namam) on the foreheads of the devotees by touching with his fingers. He advised the devotees to use their own local language to worship God.

Lord Vaikundar encouraged all his devotees to perform collective worship. ‘Uplifting the poor is Dharma’ was a constant refrain in his teachings. The Lord instructed devotees to follow dharma, since dharma bears a great deal.

Underscoring the importance of self-respect and social dignity, the Lord said, ‘If one lives with dignity and self-respect, Kali would destroy itself’.

He also said that in the forthcoming Dharma Yuga, there would be people ready to give charity but there would not be any takers. If you want to reach the Dharma Yuga, you must love all the creatures which I have created. You must abandon all superstitions on sacrificing animals while worshipping God. People were encouraged to serve as catalysts for the destruction of Kali by transforming themselves into ‘People of Dharma Yuga’ by loving each other. He advised devotees to live with self-respect, social dignity, and fearlessness. Thus, he developed equality, social justice, self-respect, fearlessness, and charity. This is how the oppressed people were liberated from slavery.

Upon the teachings, blessings, and guidance of Lord Vaikundar, all sections of people benefited. This caught the eye of Kali-dominated people. They complained to the king of Travancore that they were worried that a peaceful “dharma empire” was developing in Swamithopu in the name of Vaikundar and people were worshipping him as an avatar of Lord Narayana.

When the king heard this, he called his astrologer to look at the shastra. The astrologer said, “My dear king, Karma Kali-dosam spread all around, and so the Lord is coming to earth and destroys Kali with dharma and creates a peaceful world. Narayana is going to incarnate as a human in the name of Vaikundar. This is the day he comes to govern everything by selecting good people and giving them good boons.”

The Kaliyan king Swathi Thirunal said,

“Even if the great Narayana wanted to incarnate, would he be leaving aside the honorable castes, come into these untouchable Chanar people? It looks to be a cheating.”

Listening to the king, Poovandar, an elderly person from a shepherd caste who was in the assembly, advised the king, saying:

"If Narayana wants, he will take birth in any race and in any form. He may come as a Panan or a Pariyan. He took avatars in previous six yugas and made many illustrations. So better not to disturb this person.” He may come in any form or caste. He came in the clan of Kusvan, Kuravan, Masvan, Madena, Visuvana, Vedna, and more. He will be available everywhere.

The Kaliyan king Swathi Thirunal was infuriated and was not ready to listen to anyone’s counsel. Since he was influenced by Kali domination, he imprisoned Vaikundar in Singarathoppu jail in Travancore and practiced evil. The Kaliyan king wanted to test Vaikundar’s powers. Once, five kinds of poison were mixed in arrack and given to him to drink. Vaikundar drank it as if he were drinking milk and remained unaffected. They set fire to pieces of wood and asked him to walk through it, and he remained unaffected. Finally, the king ordered the Lord to be thrown to a starving tiger. The starving tiger bowed to the divinity, since the tiger knew this was God. He is the God of Creation, Sustaining, and Destruction.

Vaikundar said,

“I’m Narayana, I am the one who created Ekam, the birds, animals, and others. I am the one guru of the Universe and the one who measured the 14 worlds in two steps. I am the Creator, I am omnipresent everywhere, I am the one who is sleeping upon the Sheshanaga in the middle of the Milky Ocean. I am the soul of every life being. Even if these guys don’t know me, that doesn’t mean that the animal doesn’t know me.”

Upon seeing these miracles, the king and the king’s forces, who were watching all these events, felt that he was not a human being but a perfect god’s incarnation to end this yuga. After 110 days of imprisonment and testifying to the genuineness of Vaikundar, he was released from prison on Kollam Year 1014 on the 14th day of the Tamil Month Panguni (26th March 1839 CE, Tuesday). Akilattirattu states that Kaliyan’s boons would be seized as per his promise, since he had disrupted and tortured the Pantaram.

Lord Vaikundar, who succeeded all the trials and had a plan to return to Swamithopu, at that time, thought of the “Panchadevas”, who are known as guardian deities by many names in the world. Immediately, the five gods - Garudan, Similan, Kathikaran, Sippai, Muradan - came to Vaikundar. Vaikundar gave them boons and took them along with him. Since then, they have been called as "Sivayee’s”. Vaikundar, surrounded by devotees, the Sivayees, and the disciples, came back to Swamithopu and then instructed devotees of several hundred families to undertake penance. This was also called Thuvayal Thavasu, an act of ritual singing, the praises of Narayana.

After spiritual awakening, the Lord ordered the disciples and devotees to preach and carry the message, saying,

“I (Lord Narayana) am the one who created the Ekam, I am the Trimurthy, I’m the one who measured the world in two feet, I am the one who has taken ten avatars”. Through them, thousands of pathis (temples) were set up throughout the world. So the Lord was happy and became Siva Narayana and united all powers.

The Lord also prophesied his coming again to establish the rule as the everlasting king over the Dharma Yuga in place of Kali Yuga. At that time, Kroni, along with wrongdoing people, would be sentenced to hell by a final judgment from the Lion-throne of Dwaraka Pathi. This is the rising mythical landmass, which was sunken at the end of Dwapara Yuga by Krishna, located southeast of present-day Kanyakumari. Good people would be raised by the Lord, and he would give them good boons. These people are going to live long, under a single dharma kingdom with a single flag under the rule of the Lord as Dharmarasa. Having accomplished whatever he intended to do, Vaikundar thought of attaining Vaikundam, i.e., leaving this world and going to the world of Vaikundam. He returned to Vaikundam on Monday, the Kollam Year 1026 on the 21st day of the Tamil Month Vaikasi (2 June 1851 CE, Monday).

Sooner, at the end of Kaliyuga to safeguard us, Shiva and Parvathi, Narayana and Lakshmi, Brahma and Saraswati, and the devas are going to appear on earth as per the Vedas. Whoever came to this Kaliyuga, as per the assurance given by God, the old one is going to be destroyed, and good things are going to appear. Lord Narayana is going to think of ways for a new yuga which will have a new earth, new moon, new sky, and new air. The Dwaraka temple is going to reappear again. As per God’s thought, all the wrongdoing people will die, and good people will reappear. The Lord is going to call the ocean to clean up the earth. After cleaning, the ocean is going to bow before the Lord.

At that time, Lord Narayana is going to perform the final judgment. During the final judgment, the Lord will ask Kroni, “Hey sinner, say your words; seven times I have given you a chance, along with boons, to be reborn and live in this world”. In this Kaliyuga, I took avatar as Vaikundar and burned all the ghosts, cured the diseases of people with water; I have been very grateful to all whoever followed dharma. I have stopped kanikai and bribes. I have given advice by calling everybody to a single place. You were double-minded; instead of believing me, you had arrested and tortured me. Since I was as Pantaram, I didn’t oppose you.

Just like Pantaram, I have lived and cured the diseases of people. Why did you come and disrupt me? Also, you gave me the assurance that “whoever comes as Pantaram, I will not disrupt them; if I do so, I will lose everything and go to hell.” Then why did you torture me? Did you honor what you said? You have taken seven births; have you done any good thing?

As I said earlier, “You will die because of yourself,” I said in the previous Dwapara Yuga, “You will be self-born and self-destructive”. As per my words, you were born as Kaliyan and lived so long. As per your fate, your life is over. Whatever boons I have given, please return them and go to hell. Kaliyan will not have any further words and has to return all the boons. Once the boon is returned, he will be thrown to hell.

Lord's Kingdom in coming Dharmayuga: Narayana is a connoisseur of ideas for the new world; the triumphant Sanghu rhythm is going to spread across the world. Good people and good creatures are going to come. All are going to praise Lord Narayana with love; they will say Dharma Vaikundaswamy came. Good natures, good birds and animals, Vedas, Sastras, goodness of the sea, the Ganga, the kamala bhuvani, dharmam will bow to the Lord. Narayana is going to give boons to the good people, whoever reappears. The Lord is going to bless all creatures and human beings with a message saying, “Everyone live in Dharmabhumi as sixteen-year-young and be united,” also instructing birds and animals that they should not be afraid, and all of them are united and depend on the Dharma. Thus, the prophecy was fulfilled; on the lion’s throne of the great Dwarka Pathi, without any enemies, Lord Vaikundar is going to rule the world as per the Vedas.

"Our King Vaikundar will come and is going to rule the 14 worlds under one umbrella SivaSiva SivaSivaa Arakara Arakara"- Arul Nool

In today’s world, it is very difficult to grasp the different manifestations of the almighty God. We see pundits discriminate between one God and another. Lord Vaikundar, as Siva Narayana, has united all the powers into himself as a supreme god. Since the Lord insisted on worshipping the one and only God and nothing else and praying in the local language with a simple chant ‘Ayya Siva-Siva Siva-Siva Aragara Aragara’, that is the reason the Ayya pathis are growing across the world to worship God by strictly maintaining equality without distinction of color, race, or caste. There is also a view that Swami Vivekananda was influenced by Ayya vazhi teachings. When he came to Kanyakumari in December 1892, he heard of the “Vaikundar” incarnation of Lord Narayana and visited the Swamithope Pathi. He was impressed by the principles behind rituals, such as wearing a headgear during worship in the temple, worshipping one God, etc., and started wearing a turban from then on throughout his life. Therefore, we walk in the way of the Lord; get success in life and Dharma Yuga life.

Lord Vaikundar Avatar

See also