2. Great Incarnations of the Lord

रामकृष्णादयो ये ये ह्यवतारा रमापतेः ।
तेऽपि जीवांशसंयुक्ताः किं वा ब्रूहि मुनीश्वर ! ॥ १ ॥

1. Maitreya asks : O Sage, Kindly, tell me whether the incarnations of Vishnu viz. Shri Rama, Shri Krishna etc. are also endowed with jeevamsa (जीवांश)

राम: कृष्णश्च भो विप्र ! नृसिंह सूकरस्तथा ।
एते पूर्णावताराश्च ह्यन्ये जीवांशकान्विताः ॥ २ ॥

2. Sage Parasara replies: O Brahmin, the four incarnations viz. Rama, Krishna, Nara Simha and Varaha are wholly endowed with Paramatmamsa while the other incarnations have in them jeevamsa too.

अवताराण्यनेकानि ह्यजस्य परमात्मनः ।
जीवानां कर्मफलदो ग्रहरूपी जनार्दनः ॥ ३ ॥

दैत्यानां बलनाशाय देवानां बलवृद्धये ।
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय ग्रहाज्जाता: शुभा: क्रमात् ॥ ४ ॥

3-4 There are many incarnations of the unborn Lord. Janardana or Vishnu has incarnated as the navagrahas or planets to bestow on the living beings the results of their Karmas or actions. He assumed the auspicious form of grahas to destroy the strength of the demons (evil forces), to sustain the strength of the devas (the divine beings) and to establish dharma (religion or faith).

रामोऽवतारः सूर्यस्य चन्द्रस्य यदुनायकः ।
नृसिंहो भूमिपुत्रस्य बुद्धः सोमसुतस्य च ॥ ५ ॥

वामनो विबुधेज्यस्य भार्गवो भार्गवस्य च ।
कूर्मा भास्करपुत्रस्य सैहिकेयस्य सूकरः ॥ ६ ॥

केतोमनावतारश्च ये चान्ये तेऽपि खेटजाः ।
परात्पांशोऽधिको येषु ते सर्वे खेचराभिधाः ॥ ७ ॥

5-7 Rama is the incarnation of the Sun, Krishna of the moon, Narasimha that of Mars, Buddha that of Mercury, Vamana that of Jupiter, Parashurama that of Venus, Koorma that of Saturn, Varaha that of Rahu and Meena (fish) that of Ketu. The other incarnations are also from the planets or stars. The beings with more of Paramatmamsa are called heavenly beings or divine beings.

जीवांशोह्यधिको येषु जीवास्ते वै प्रकीर्तिताः ।
सूर्यादिभ्यो ग्रहेभ्यश्च परमात्यांशनिःसृताः ॥ ८ ॥

रामकृष्णादयः सर्व ह्यवतारा भवन्ति वै।
तत्रैव ते विलीयन्ते पुनः कार्योत्तरे सदा ॥ ९ ॥

जीवांशनिःसृतास्तेषां तेभ्यो जाता नरादयः ।
तेऽपि तत्रैव लीयन्ते तेऽव्यक्ते समयन्ति हि ॥ १० ॥

इदं ते कथितं विप्र ! सर्वं यस्मिन् भवेदिति ।
भूतान्यपि भविष्यन्ति तत्तज्जानन्ति तद्विदः ॥ ११ ॥

विना तज्ज्यौतिषं नान्यो ज्ञातुं शक्नोति कर्हिचित् ।
तस्मादवश्यमध्येयं ब्राह्मणैशच विशेषत: ॥ १२ ॥

यो नरः शास्त्रमज्ञात्वा ज्यौतिष खलु निन्दति ।
रौरवं नरकं भुक्त्वा चान्धत्वं चान्यजन्मनि ॥ १३ ॥

8-13 The beings with more jeavatmamsa are called mortal beings, while the beings having high degree of Paramatmamsa did incarnate from the grahas like the Sun etc. After completing their mission on the earth the incarnations: Rama, Krishna etc merge in their respective 'grahas' again. The jeevatma portions from the grahas take births as human beings etc and live their lives according to their karmas and again merge in the grahas. O Brahmin, I told you of this. At the time of the Great Destruction the grahas as well merge in Lord Vishnu. One who knows of all these will become versed in the knowledge of the past, present and future. No one can know these things without the knowledge of astrology. Hence every one must study this science, and particularly the Brahmins. One who, devoid of the knowledge of this science, blames it will go to the hell called Raurva, and will be reborn blind.