Chaubis Avtar

[1] The Chaubis Avtar is part of all five known major historical variants of Dasam Granth, but they are sequenced differently in these editions.

[2] The text is notable for naming Jaina Arihanta as an avatar of Vishnu who practiced asceticism, forbade Yajna and Himsa.

[1] The composition itself states on verse no.861 that it was "completed on the bank of the Sutlej River on the base of Naina Devi".

[1] Various quotations from the text reject the religions of Hindus and Muslims:[1] Since I grabbed hold of your feet, I lower my eyes before no one else.

O Revered Sword-Bearing Lord [asipāni], it was through your grace that this story was told.The text further states:[1] I will not first honor Ganesha [Ganesa], nor do I ever meditate upon Krishna or Vishnu (kisan bisan).

Mahakal is my protector....Guru Gobind Singh gives the life account of following Avatars in the composition:[1] Per internal references of Dasam Granth, Krishna Avtar was composed in Vikram Samvat 1745/ 1688 AD at Paonta Sahib when Guru Gobind Singh was residing there[4][1] where Rama Avtar was finished at Anandpur Sahib in 1755 VS/1698 AD.

[3] Krishna Avtar was written on the basis of the Dasam Skand of Srimad Bhagwat Puran, with many sanctifications and comments by poet.

[14] The theological import, states Oberoi, is not about deity reincarnation, but accepting the masculine and feminine dimension of Ultimate Reality.

Page from a Dasam Granth manuscript showing Krishna and Vasnudev
Chaubis Avtar in the Hand of Guru Gobind Singh - the 'Mach Avatar' Section
Illustrated folio of an 18th century Bhagavata Purana manuscript written in Gurmukhi .
Illustrated page from an old Dasam Granth codex