Kartik is in Full Swing

Hare Krishna,

Kartik is in full swing here in Bhaktiville. We now have teleports (TPs) starting at the landing spot to the different Dashavatar Temples.

Kartik is in full swing here in Bhaktiville. We now have teleports (TPs) starting at the landing spot to the different Dashavatar Temples.

Also, on the deck of the Nectar of Devotion Building, you’ll find a full set of tp’s to them all.

Come check it out!

Haribol,
The Bhaktiville Team

Nectar of Devotion Deck

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Archers/200/249/25

The Nectar of Devotion Building includes teleport cards and a map that also provides teleports in chat

Kartik Headquarters! Discover the layout of the pilgramage at Bhaktiville

Landing spot Start

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Archers/221/187/26

Use the Mushroom Teleport to visit each Dashavatar conveniently in order —

this is the ideal choice for phone app users.

Understanding Our Pilgrimage

As we embark on this path, it is wonderful to reflect on the significance of Kartik and the Dashavatar cycle.

In a Vaishnava context, the Kartik pilgrimage (often referred to as Kartik Yatra or Damodara Yatra) is a month-long spiritual journey undertaken during Kartik—the holiest month of the Hindu lunar calendar (typically October–November). For Vaishnavas (devotees of Lord Vishnu or Lord Krishna), this pilgrimage is not merely about visiting geographic locations; it is an intensive period of increased spiritual vows, austerity, and concentrated devotion meant to cultivate pure love for the Divine.

By connecting with these sacred places, we not only complete a spiritual pilgrimage but also deepen our understanding of the eternal cycle of creation and devotion. May this journey bring peace and profound joy to all who embark upon it.

Dasāvatāra-stotra Purport (exerpts)

https://vedabase.io/en/library/transcripts/700218va-los-angeles/#bb494473

So these prayers were offered by Jayadeva Gosvāmī. One Vaiṣṇava poet advented about seven hundred years before Lord Caitanya’s appearance. He was a great devotee, and his specific poetry, Gīta-govinda, is very famous all over the world. Gīta-govinda. Gīta-govinda is the subject matter of Kṛṣṇa playing on flute about Rādhārāṇī. That is the subject matter of Gīta-govinda.

So the same poet, Jayadeva Gosvāmī, has offered this prayer, pralaya-payodhi-jale-dhṛtavān asi vedam **. He says, “My dear Lord, when there was devastation within this universe, everything was filled with water. At that time You saved the Vedas, stacked in a boat. And You held the boat from being drowned in the water, in the shape of a big fish.”

This fish first of all was caught in the waterpot just like a small fish. Then it enlarged, and the fish was kept in a bigger water reservoir. In this way the fish was increasing. Then the fish informed that “Devastation is coming. You just save all the Vedas on a boat, and I shall protect it.” So Jayadeva Gosvāmī is offering prayer, “My Lord, You saved the Vedas when there was devastation in the shape of fish.”

The next is Kūrmāvatāra. There was churning of the ocean. One side all the demigods and one side all the demons. And the churning rod was a great hill called Mandara-pārvata. And the resting place was on the back of the Lord appeared as a tortoise. So he’s offering his prayer, that “You appeared as a tortoise just to become the resting place. And this happened because You were feeling some itching sensation on Your back. So You accepted this big rod, Mandara Hill, to itch, as the itching instrument.”

Then the next incarnation is this Varāha, boar, or hog. He delivered this earthly planet by the tusk, and He kept the whole world on His tusk. We can just imagine how big He appeared. And the world at that time appeared just like the moon disc with some marks on it. So keśava dhṛta-varāha-śarīra. He says, “My dear Lord, You have appeared as the great boar. So let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You.”

The fourth incarnation is Nṛsiṁha-deva. Nṛsiṁha-deva appeared to save Prahlāda Mahārāja, who was five-years-old boy, and he was being tortured by his atheistic father. So He appeared from the pillar of the palace as a half-man, half-lion. Because this Hiraṇyakaśipu took benediction from Brahmā that he’ll not be killed by any man or any animal. So the Lord appeared neither man nor animal.

…

Then next incarnation is Vāmana, the dwarf. Lord Vāmana appeared before Bali Mahārāja. That was also another cheating. Bali Mahārāja conquered all the universal planets, and the demigods were too much disturbed. So Vāmana Mahārāja… Vāmanadeva went to Bali Mahārāja that “You give me some alms. I am brāhmaṇa. I have come to beg from you.”

So Bali Mahārāja said, “Yes. I’ll give You.” So He wanted three feet land only. So by one feet the whole universe was covered, upside, and the another feet the other half was covered. Then the third feet Bali Mahārāja said, “Yes, now there is no place. Please keep Your feet on my head. Still my head is there.” …

And next is Paraśurāma. Paraśurāma, twenty-one times he made a massacre propaganda for killing all the kṣatriya kings. The kṣatriya kings were very much dishonest at that time, so he killed them for twenty-one times. They fled from here and there…

Then next incarnation is Lord Rāma. So He fought with Rāvaṇa, who had ten heads. So… And the next incarnation is Balarāma. Balarāma is the elder brother of Kṛṣṇa. He is incarnation of Saṅkarṣaṇa, next expansion of Kṛṣṇa. So He was very white in complexion, and He was wearing blue garments, and with His plow He was…, sometimes He was angry with Yamunā River, and He tried to dry up the Yamunā River. That description is given here. And Yamunā, out of His fear, she agreed to the proposal of Balarāma.

And the next incarnation is Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha, he decried the Vedic principles… So Lord Buddha, although incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, he said that “I do not believe in Vedas.” What was the reason? The reason was to save the poor animals.

At that time people were sacrificing the poor animals under the plea of Vedic sacrifice. So demonic persons, they want to do something under the protection of authority. Just like a big lawyer takes the protection of the law book and he makes the law unlawful. Similarly, the demons are so intelligent that they take advantage of scriptural injunction and do all nonsense. So these things were going on. In the name of Vedic sacrifice, they were killing animals like anything.

So Lord became very much compassionate with these poor animals, and He appeared as Lord Buddha, and his philosophy was nonviolence. His philosophy was atheist because he said that “There is no God. This combination of matter is a manifestation, and you dismantle the material elements, there will be void and there will be no sense of pleasure and pain. That is the nirvāṇa, ultimate goal of life.” That was his philosophy. But actually his mission was to stop animal killing, to stop the men from so much sinful activities. So Lord Buddha is also prayed herewith.

So people will be surprised that Lord Buddha is designated as atheist and still the Vaiṣṇavas, they are offering their respectful prayers to Lord Viṣṇu [Buddha]. Why? Because the Vaiṣṇava knows how the God is acting for His different purposes. Others, they do not know.

The next avatāra incarnation is Kalki. That is yet to take place. Kalki avatāra will appear at the end of this age, Kali-yuga. The age of Kali-yuga, duration of this age, is still to be, I mean to say, fulfilled in 400,000’s of years. So at the end of Kali, that means at the last stage, after about 400,000’s of years, the incarnation of Kali will appear…

Prabhupāda: Lord Varāha’s Appearance Day Lecture Dasāvatāra-stotra Purport: February 18th 1970, Los Angeles