People think “Dasavatar” (10 avataars-though actually there are more), are that of Mahavishnu. When I tell people that Dasavatar are avatars of Lord Krishna, people are confused. They say, “Is it not Vishnu?” Then I reply, “Which Vishnu?” I ask “What do you mean, ‘Which Vishnu’? Only one Vishnu – they reply. (There are millions of Vishnu Lokas, each headed by one Vishnu. More of it, later)
There are three Vishnus: Karanodakashayee, Garbhodakashayee & Ksheerodakashayee Vishnus. Karanodakashayee Vishnu is, ‘Maha Vishnu’, and He is actually the eleventh expansion of Krishna. The chain is like this:
Krishna (1) Balarama (2) Chaturvyuha (4 expansions: Vasudeva, Pradyumna, Aniruddha & Sankarshana) (6) another chaturvyuha (same 4 expansions): (10) Karanodakashayee Vishnu (11)
Karanodaka Shayee Vishnu is lying in the Causal Ocean. From His pores, universes come out. But they are lifeless. Next, Garbodhakashayee Vishnu goes inside all of them and gives life. Inside each living being, the Kshirodaka Shayee Vishnu, the third Vishnu is the 4-handed Narayana or the Paramatma, the SUPER-SOUL.
Bhagavatam, 1st Canto, 3rd Chapter, 28th Sloka says, “Krishnastu bhagavan swayam”. These are avatars but Krishna is the original avatari, who gives avatars. We will give 10 avatars of Krishna from tomorrow.