‘Vishnupuranam’ is a highly popular mythological  mega serial from the house of B.R. Chopra that depicts  the Dashavataras or ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu as well as other stories from the tale-laden chapters of the ancient treatise, the Vishnupurana. 

The oldest and the best of the 18 main Hindu Puranas, ‘Vishnupurana’ is said to have been composed by Ved Vyas in the 1st century A.D . Presented  in the form  of a  dialogue between Sage Parashara and his disciple Maitreya, it begins with an introduction to the 4 Yugas, and goes on to narrate the story of Creation of the Universe, the Pralaya, finally concluding with the destruction  of the Earth.  

The serial starts with the Legend of Dhruv, the 5-year old prince who, denied the paternal affection that was his birthright, undertook severe penances so that  he would be granted “his right , the strength to be just and the power to be righteous” . The Lord was so impressed by his piety, he granted him his wish and transformed him into Dhruv the Pole Star, eternal symbol of  Rights, Equality and Justice.  

This is followed by the Dashavatara  the ten incarnations of Maha Vishnu, when the Lord appears on earth assuming different forms and shapes to deliver humanity  from evil and to maintain the eternal  cosmic balance between Good and Bad. The ten avatars are Matsya (the horned fish) , Kurma (the tutle) Varaha ( the fierce boar) Narasimha (halfman-half lion) Vamana (the dwarf) Parashurama (the angry sage ) Rama (the distinguished prince) Krishna ( the righteous cowherd) Buddha (the compassionate sage) and Kakhi( The Saviour).

The underlying idea of the incarnations is that, whenever Dharma is under threat Vishnu the Preserver  of Life assumes an earthly form  and descends from Vaikunta to save Earth ; thus the Avatars or manifestations of the Supreme Being  are divine interventions  into human life to restore order and re-establish Dharma or righteousness.  

“Vishnupuranam” is a magnificent visual depiction of the awesome incarnations of Lord  Vishnu  and little known legends from the lives of Kings and Saints that unfold into a feast for the senses, on a scale that has never before been seen on the small screen.