In Hinduism, an avatar is the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of an Immortal Being, or of the Ultimate Supreme Being. It derives from the Sanskrit word Avatāra which means "descent" and usually implies a deliberate descent into mortal realms for special purposes. The term is used primarily in Hinduism, for incarnations of Vishnu the preserver, whom many Hindus worship as God. The Dasavatara (see below) are ten particular "Great" incarnations of Vishnu. This article is about the Hindu religion OM, the most sacred syllable and quintessential symbol of Hinduism, represents the first manifestation of the unmanifest Brahman. ... Incarnation, which literally means enfleshment, refers to the conception, and live birth of a sentient creature (generally human) who is the material manifestation of an entity or force whose original nature is immaterial. ... This article focuses on the concept of singular, monotheistic God. ... The Sanskrit language ( संस्कृता वाक्) is one of the earliest attested members of the Indo-European language family and is not only a classical language, but also an official language of India. ... This article is about the Hindu religion OM, the most sacred syllable and quintessential symbol of Hinduism, represents the first manifestation of the unmanifest Brahman. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... The term God is ordinarily used to designate a singular, universal Supreme Being. ...

Unlike Christianity, and Shaivism, Vaishnavism believes that God incarnates many times whenever there is a decline of righteousness and rise of evil (from the Bhagavad Gita). Lord Krishna, avatar of Vishnu, famously said in the Gita: “For the protection of the good, for destruction of evil, and for the establishment of righteousness, I come into being from age to age.” (Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, verse 8.) Besides destruction of evil, it is important to note that an avatar also emerges in order to guide people towards the right path as the Lord easily can destroy evil from afar. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ... Shaivism, also Saivism, is a branch of Hinduism that worships Siva as the Supreme God. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... Lord Krishna Krishna (kṛṣṇa, Sanskrit for black), is, according to common Hindu tradition, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ... Bhagavad Gīta भगवद्गीता, composed ca the fifth - second centuries BC, is part of the epic poem Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva chapters 23–40. ...

The word has also been used by extension by non-Hindus to refer to the incarnations of God in other religions, notably Christianity, for example Jesus. The term God is ordinarily used to designate a singular, universal Supreme Being. ... Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ... The neutrality and accuracy of this article are disputed. ...

Beliefs and significance

The philosophy reflected in the Hindu epics is the doctrine of the avatar (incarnation of Vishnu or God as a human being). The two main avatars of Vishnu that appear in the epics are Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, and Krishna, the friend of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata. Unlike the superhuman devas (gods) of the Vedic Samhitas and the abstract Upanishadic concept of the all-pervading and formless Brahman, the avatars in these epics are the human intermediaries between the Supreme Being represented as Saguna Brahman and mere mortals. For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... The term God is ordinarily used to designate a singular, universal Supreme Being. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... This article is about a Hindu incarnation of God (i. ... Lord Ram, Laxman, Sita and Hanuman(crouching) The Ramayana (Sanskrit: vehicle of Rama) is part of the Hindu smriti, written by Valmiki (c. ... Lord Krishna Krishna (kṛṣṇa, Sanskrit for black), is, according to common Hindu tradition, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. ... In Hinduism, the Pandavas are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu. ... The Mahabharata (Devanagari: महाभारत, phonetically Mahābhārata - see note), sometimes just called Bharata, is the great religious and philosophical epic of India. ... Alternate meanings: see Deva (disambiguation) Deva (Hungarian: Déva, German: Diemrich) is a Romanian city situated on the left bank of the middle course of the Mureş river. ... The Upanishads (उपनिषद्, Upanişad) are part of the Hindu Shruti scriptures which primarily discuss meditation and philosophy and are seen as religious instructions by most schools of Hinduism. ... Saguna Brahman, also called Iswara, in Hinduism, is God with personal characteristics or attributes. ...

This doctrine has had a great impact on Hindu religious life, for to many it means that God has manifested Himself in a form that could be appreciated even by the least sophisticated. Rama and Krishna have remained prominent as beloved and adored manifestations of the Divine for thousands of years among Hindus. The Upanishadic concept of the underlying unity Brahman is revered by many to be the pinnacle of Hindu thought, and the concept of the avatars has purveyed this concept to the average Hindu as an expression of the manifestation of the Hindu's highest single divinity as an aid to humanity in dark times. The Hindu cycle of creation and destruction contains the essence of the idea of "avatars" and indeed relies on a final avatar of Vishnu, that of Kalki, as the final destructive force at the end of the world. A Kalki Avatara statue In Hindu traditions, Kalki (also rendered by some as Kalkin and Kalaki) is the name of the tenth and final Maha Avatara (Great Avatar) of Vishnu the Preserver, who will come to end the current Kali Yuga, (The Age of Darkness and Destruction). ...

Rama and Krishna are not the only divine avatars in Hindu traditions. Hinduism includes the belief that the divine has taken human (and prior to the emergence of humankind, animal) forms here on earth many times. Little is known of any appearance as an avatar by Brahma or Shiva, but emanations of Vishnu have appeared a number of times. Some Hindus, based on the Ramayana, aver that Shiva incarnated once as the monkey-god Hanuman, who was a devotee of Vishnu. This article concerns the Hindu creator god, Brahma. ... For the Jewish ritual of mourning, see Shivah. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... Lord Ram, Laxman, Sita and Hanuman(crouching) The Ramayana (Sanskrit: vehicle of Rama) is part of the Hindu smriti, written by Valmiki (c. ... Lord Hanuman There is also a character in Larry Nivens Known Space universe called Hanuman. ...

The ten Avatars or Dasavatara

Ten Avatars of Vishnu

The Maha Avatara (Great Avatars) of Vishnu are usually said to be ten and this is popularly known as the Dasavatara (dasa (dasha) in Sanskrit means ten): Ten Avatars of Vishnu File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Ten Avatars of Vishnu File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... The Sanskrit language ( संस्कृता वाक्) is one of the earliest attested members of the Indo-European language family and is not only a classical language, but also an official language of India. ...

1. Matsya, the fish
2. Kurma, the tortoise
3. Varaha, the boar
4. Narasimha, the Man-Lion (Nara = man, simha = lion)
5. Vamana, the Dwarf
6. Parashurama, Rama with the axe
7. Rama, Sri Ramachandra, the prince and king of Ayodhya
8. Krishna (meaning dark or black; see also other meanings in the article about him.)
9. Balarama (meaning one who holds a plough) or Buddha (see below)
10. Kalki ("Eternity", or "time", or "The Destroyer of foulness"), who is expected to appear at the end of Kali Yuga, the time period in which we currently exist, which will end in the year AD 428899.

• Some Hindu scriptures list as many as 23 avatars.

In Hindu mythology, Matsya (Sanskrit for fish) was the first avatar of Vishnu. ... Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus, the most abundant fish species in the world. ... In Hinduism, Kurma was the second avatar of Vishnu. ... Genera Chersina Dipsochelys Furculachelys Geochelone Gopherus Homopus Indotestudo Kinixys Malacochersus Manouria Psammobates Pyxis Testudo Tortoise is the name given to the land-dwelling reptiles most of whose body is shielded by a special shell. ... Varaha retrieves the Earth In Hinduism, Varaha is the third avatar of Vishnu, a boar sent to defeat Hiranyaksha, a horrible demon who had taken the Earth (prthivi) and carried it to the bottom of the ocean. ... Binomial name Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 The Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) is the wild ancestor of the domesticated pig. ... In Hinduism, Narasimha (man-lion), also known as Narasingh is one of the avatars of Vishnu. ... In Hinduism, Vamana is the fifth avatar of Vishnu, a dwarf. ... In Norse mythology, fairy tales, and sword and sorcery fiction and role-playing games, a dwarf is a sprite, a member of a humanoid race, much like humans, but generally living underground or in mountainous areas. ... In Hinduism, Parashurama (axe-wielding Rama) is the sixth avatar of Vishnu, and a son of Jamadagni. ... This article is about a Hindu incarnation of God (i. ... Lord Krishna Krishna (kṛṣṇa, Sanskrit for black), is, according to common Hindu tradition, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. ... Balarama (left) with his brother Krishna Krishna-Balarama Mandir, Vrindavan, India In Hindu Vaishnavism, Balarama (or Bala-rama) is considered to be the ninth avatar of Vishnu. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ... A Kalki Avatara statue In Hindu traditions, Kalki (also rendered by some as Kalkin and Kalaki) is the name of the tenth and final Maha Avatara (Great Avatar) of Vishnu the Preserver, who will come to end the current Kali Yuga, (The Age of Darkness and Destruction). ... Kali Yuga is also the title of a book by Roland Charles Wagner. ...

Types of avatars

• There are two type of avatars, primary avatars and secondary avatars. The most common type of primary avatars are called Svarupavatars, in which He manifests Himself in His Sat-cid-ananda form. In the primary avatars, such as Narasimha, Rama and Krishna, Vishnu directly descends. The Svarupavatars are subdivided into Amsarupavatars and Purna avatars. In Amsarupavatars, Vishnu is fully present in the person of the organism but He is manifest in the person only partially. Such avatars include the first five avatars from Matsya to Vamana except for Narasimha. Narasimha, Rama and Krishna, on the other hand, are types of Purna avatars, in which all the qualities and powers of the Lord are expressed. Narasimha and Rama are also additionally considered to be Lila avatars.
• Other avatars are secondary avatars, such as Parashurama in which Vishnu does not directly descend. Parashurama is the only one of the traditional ten avatars that is not a direct descent of Vishnu. There are two types of secondary avatars: 1) Vishnu enters a soul with His form. (e.g., Parashurama) or 2) Vishnu does not enter a soul with His own form, but gives him extraordinary divine powers. (e.g., Veda Vyasa.) The secondary avatar class is sometimes called Saktyamsavatara.
• Note that the secondary avatars are not worshipped. Only the direct, primary avatars are worshipped. However, in practice, the direct avatars that are worshipped today are the Purna avatars of Narasimha, Rama and Krishna. Rama, among most Vaishnavites, is considered to be the highest kind of Purna avatar. However, followers of Chaitanya, in particular, ISKCON, and followers of Vallabhacharya differ philosophically from other Vaishnavite schools and consider Krishna to be the ultimate Godhead, and not simply an avatar. In any event, all Hindus believe that there is no difference between worship of Vishnu and His avatars as it all leads to Him.
• References are cited and given below.
• A number of people in more recent times have claimed to be an avatar, for example Meher Baba. See list of avatar claimants.

In Hinduism, Narasimha (man-lion), also known as Narasingh is one of the avatars of Vishnu. ... This article is about a Hindu incarnation of God (i. ... Lord Krishna Krishna (kṛṣṇa, Sanskrit for black), is, according to common Hindu tradition, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. ... For other uses of the name Vishnu, see Vishnu (disambiguation). ... In Hinduism, Vishnu, the Lord of the Universe exists in sixteen expanding Kalas or digits of manifestation. ... In Hindu mythology, Matsya (Sanskrit for fish) was the first avatar of Vishnu. ... In Hinduism, Vamana is the fifth avatar of Vishnu, a dwarf. ... In Hinduism, Vishnu, the Lord of the Universe exists in sixteen expanding Kalas or digits of manifestation. ... In Hinduism, Parashurama (axe-wielding Rama) is the sixth avatar of Vishnu, and a son of Jamadagni. ... In Hinduism, Parashurama (axe-wielding Rama) is the sixth avatar of Vishnu, and a son of Jamadagni. ... Rishi Veda Vyasa is a Hindu figure of yore, a divine guru, a luminary of spirituality whose status in Hinduism is equal to that of the gods and goddesses. ... In Hinduism, Vishnu, the Lord of the Universe exists in sixteen expanding Kalas or digits of manifestation. ... In Hinduism, Narasimha (man-lion), also known as Narasingh is one of the avatars of Vishnu. ... This article is about a Hindu incarnation of God (i. ... Lord Krishna Krishna (kṛṣṇa, Sanskrit for black), is, according to common Hindu tradition, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. ... Deities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu (right) and Sri Nityananda (left) at Radha-Krishna temple in Radhadesh, Belgium Caitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Chaitanya) (1486 - 1534), was an ascetic Hindu monk and social reformer in 16th century Bengal, India (present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh). ... The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is a new religious movement based on Bengali, or more specifically Gaudiya, Vaishnavism founded by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, referred to by followers as His Divine Grace, in New York in 1966. ... Vallabhacharya (1479 - 1531) called his system of thought Shuddhadvaita (pure monism). ... Meher Baba was born Merwan Sheriar Irani, February 25, 1894 in Poona (now Pune), Maharashtra, India, and died January 31st, 1969, in Pimplegaon, Maharashtra, India, a small town not far from Ahmednagar, where his samadhi (tomb-shrine) has become a place of pilgrimage. ... People said by themselves or by their followers to be an avatar. ...

The Ninth Avatar: Balarama or Buddha?

Balarama is the ninth avatar according to Puranic tradition. However, with the increase in popularity of Buddhism in India, some time in the latter half of the first millennium A.D, a belief that Buddha is the ninth avatar gained prominence. (This is an example of the remarkable ability of Hinduism to assimilate other ideas and cultures; it ultimately contributed to the decline of Buddhism in India.) Buddha is therefore often referred to as Buddhadev ("Divine Buddha") by many Hindus. Buddhists, however, do not consider Buddha to be an avatar. A prominent contemporary Hindu thinker who considered Buddha an avatar was Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. On the other hand, followers of Dvaita, in particular, do not consider Buddha to be an avatar as he preached heterorthodox views (i.e., rejecting the Vedas, etc.) but instead accord Balarama the designation. Balarama, among the ten avatars, is different from other avatars as he is an incarnation of Vishnu's serpent Adi Sesha rather than of Vishnu himself. The Puranas are part of Hindu Smriti; these religious scriptures discuss devotion and mythology. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (September 5, 1888 - April 17, 1975) is best known as the man who introduced the thinking of western idealist philosophers into Indian thought. ... Dvaita, a school of Vedanta (the most widespread Hindu theology), founded by Shri Madhvacharya, stresses strict distinction between God (expressed as Vishnu) and souls. ... Balarama (left) with his brother Krishna Krishna-Balarama Mandir, Vrindavan, India In Hindu Vaishnavism, Balarama (or Bala-rama) is considered to be the ninth avatar of Vishnu. ... In Indian and Hindu mythology, Sesha is a naga (serpent). ...

Symbolism

Many claim that the ten avatars represent the development of life and of mankind. Matsya, the fish, represents life in water. Kurma, the tortoise, represents the next stage, amphibianism. The third animal, the boar Varaha, symbolizes life on land. Narasimha, the Man-Lion, symbolizes the commencement development of man. Vamana, the dwarf, symbolizes this incomplete development. Then, Parashurama, the forest-dweller, connotes completion of the basic development of humankind. The King Rama signals man's ability to govern nations. Krishna, an expert in the sixty-four fields of science and art according to Hinduism, indicates man's advancement to cultural concerns. Buddha, the Enlightened one, symbolizes the enlightenment and spiritual advancement of man. Note that the time of the avatars does not necessarily indicate much; kings ruled long before Rama and science was pursued long before Krishna. The avatars represent the order, and not the time, of these occurrences, according to certain Hindus. The animal development connotations bear striking resemblances to the theory of Evolution.

See also

• List of avatar claimants

People said by themselves or by their followers to be an avatar. ...

Also

In the internet community, an avatar is a graphical representation of oneself.

External links

• The Avatar site (http://www.avatara.org/)
• Avatars (Incarnations or Descents) of Vishnu (http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Religions/Avatars/Vishnu.html)
• Avatar of Lord Vishnu (http://www.hindunet.org/avatars/index.htm)
• The Ten Avatars (http://www.public.iastate.edu/~wsanford/darshan/hindu_deities/ten_avatars.html)
• Dasavatar discussion with meanings (http://www.srivaishnavam.com/stotras/dasavatharam_meaning.htm)
• Gaudiya Vaishnava types of avatar chart; similar beliefs with some modifications with Krishna as the Supreme Person. (http://www.gaudiya.com/image/manifestations.gif)

References

• Meaning of Parushama, an Avesha avatar. (http://www.srivaishnavam.com/stotras/dasavatharam_meaning.htm#PARASURAMA)
• Types of Avatars; answers to questions #67-70. (http://www.srivaishnavan.com/ans_iswara.html#67)
• Bhakti Schools of Vedanta, pg. 94, by Swami Tapasyananda, available at Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. available at India web site: http://www.sriramakrishnamath.org and US site: http://www.vedanta.com.