The ten avatars of Vishnu, (Clockwise, from Left upper corner) Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Vamana, Krishna, Kalki, Buddha, Parshurama, Rama and Narasimha, (in centre) Krishna

Avatara (Sanskrit: अवतार, IAST Avatāra) in Hindu philosophy is the 'descent' or incarnation of a divine being (deva) or the Supreme Being (God) onto planet Earth. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific This article concerns the Hindu avatar For the ancient kingdom see Matsya Rajya. "Kurma" is also an alternative transliteration of Korma. In Hinduism, Varaha (वाराह is the third Avatar of Vishnu, in the form of a Boar. Vamana ( Devanagari: वामन IAST: Vāmana) is a personality described in the Puranic texts of Hinduism as the Fifth Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism In Hinduism, Kalki ( Devanagari: कल्कि also rendered by some as Kalkin and Kalaki) is the tenth and final Maha Avatara (great Gautama Buddha in Hinduism is viewed as an Avatar of Vishnu. In the Puranic text Bhagavata Purana, he is twenty fourth Parashurama a Brahman ( Sanskrit: परशुराम or Parasurama ( Axe-wielding Rama) the sixth Avatar of Vishnu, Rama ( IAST: rāma Devanāgarī: राम Khmer: Phreah Ream Thai: Phra Ram Lao: Phra Lam Tagalog: Narasimha ( IAST Narasiṃha Sanskrit नरसिंह (other spellings are Narasingh, Narasinga) is an Avatara of Vishnu Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration ( IAST) is a popular Transliteration scheme that allows a lossless Romanization of Indic Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Incarnation which literally means embodied in flesh, refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature (generally a human who is the Deva (देव in Devanagari script pronounced as /'d̪evə/ is the Sanskrit word for "god Deity " God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 The Sanskrit word avatāra literally means "descent" (avatarati) and usually implies a deliberate descent into lower realms of existence for special purposes. The term is used primarily in Hinduism for incarnations of Vishnu whom Vaishnava Hindus (one of the largest braches of Hinduism)^[1] worship as the supreme God and it is considered to be a distinctive feature of Vaishnavism. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or its associated avatars principally as Rama and Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or its associated avatars principally as Rama and While Shiva and Ganesha are also described as descending in the form of avatars, with the Ganesha Purana and the Mudgala Purana detailing Ganesha's avatars specifically, the avatars of Vishnu carry a greater theological weight than those of Shiva or Ganesha and upon examination relevant passages are directly imitative of the Vaishnava avatara lists. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Ganesha ( Sanskrit: sa गणेश Gaṇeśa) also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh and also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar The Ganesha Purana ( Sanskrit:sa गणेश पुराणम् gaṇeśa purāṇam) is a Hindu religious text dedicated to the Hindu deity The Mudgala Purana ( Sanskrit:sa मुद्गल पुराणम् mudgala purāṇam) is a Hindu religious text dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Ganesha ( Sanskrit: sa गणेश Gaṇeśa) also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh and also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar ^[2]

Avatars of Vishnu

Matsya, first avatar of Vishnu

The most traditional form of Avatar within Hinduism are the incarnations of Vishnu, the preserver or sustainer aspect of God within the Hindu Trinity or Trimurti. This article concerns the Hindu avatar For the ancient kingdom see Matsya Rajya. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific The Trimurti ( English: ‘three forms’ Sanskrit: trimūrti) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation

Dasavatara: Ten Avatars of Vishnu in the Garuda Purana

Main article: Dashavatara of Vishnu

The ten most famous incarnations of Vishnu are collectively known as the 'Dasavatara' ('dasa' in Sanskrit means ten). Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical This list is included in the Garuda Purana (1. Garuda Purana is one of the Puranas which are part of the Hindu body of texts known as Smriti. 86. 10-11) and denotes those avatars most prominent in terms of their influence on human society. ^[3]

The first four are said to have appeared in the Satya Yuga (the first of the four Yugas or ages in the time cycle described within Hinduism). The Satya Yuga ( Devanagari: सत्य युग also called Sat Yuga, Krta Yuga and Krita Yuga in Hinduism, is the " A Yuga ( Devanāgari: युग in Hindu philosophy is the name of an 'epoch' or 'era' within a cycle of four ages The next three avatars appeared in the Treta Yuga, the eighth incarnation in the Dwapara Yuga and the ninth in the Kali Yuga. The Treta Yuga ( Devanagari: त्रेता युगis the second out of four Yugas or ages of man in the religion of Hinduism, following the Dvapara Yuga ( Devanagari: द्वापर युग is the third out of four Yugas or ages described in the scriptures of Hinduism. Kali Yuga ( Devanāgarī: sa कलियुग lit "Age of Kali " "age of vice" is one of the four stages of development that the world goes The tenth is predicted to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga in some 427,000 years time. ^[4]

1. Matsya, the fish, appeared in the Satya Yuga. This article concerns the Hindu avatar For the ancient kingdom see Matsya Rajya. Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two The Satya Yuga ( Devanagari: सत्य युग also called Sat Yuga, Krta Yuga and Krita Yuga in Hinduism, is the "
2. Kurma, the tortoise, appeared in the Satya Yuga. "Kurma" is also an alternative transliteration of Korma. Tortoises or land Turtles are land-dwelling Reptiles of the family of Testudinidae', order Testudines. The Satya Yuga ( Devanagari: सत्य युग also called Sat Yuga, Krta Yuga and Krita Yuga in Hinduism, is the "
3. Varaha, the boar, appeared in the Satya Yuga. In Hinduism, Varaha (वाराह is the third Avatar of Vishnu, in the form of a Boar. The boar or wild boar ( Sus scrofa) is an Omnivorous, gregarious Mammal of the biological family Suidae. The Satya Yuga ( Devanagari: सत्य युग also called Sat Yuga, Krta Yuga and Krita Yuga in Hinduism, is the "
4. Narasimha, the half-man/half-lion appeared in the Satya Yuga. Narasimha ( IAST Narasiṃha Sanskrit नरसिंह (other spellings are Narasingh, Narasinga) is an Avatara of Vishnu The lion ( Panthera leo) is a member of the family Felidae and one of four Big cats in the Genus Panthera. The Satya Yuga ( Devanagari: सत्य युग also called Sat Yuga, Krta Yuga and Krita Yuga in Hinduism, is the "
5. Vamana, the dwarf, appeared in the Treta Yuga. Vamana ( Devanagari: वामन IAST: Vāmana) is a personality described in the Puranic texts of Hinduism as the Fifth DWARF is a widely used standardized Debugging data format. DWARF was originally designed along with ELF, although it is independent of Object file The Treta Yuga ( Devanagari: त्रेता युगis the second out of four Yugas or ages of man in the religion of Hinduism, following the
6. Parashurama, Rama with the axe, appeared in the Treta Yuga. Parashurama a Brahman ( Sanskrit: परशुराम or Parasurama ( Axe-wielding Rama) the sixth Avatar of Vishnu, The Treta Yuga ( Devanagari: त्रेता युगis the second out of four Yugas or ages of man in the religion of Hinduism, following the
7. Rama, Ramachandra, the prince and king of Ayodhya, appeared in the Treta Yuga. Rama ( IAST: rāma Devanāgarī: राम Khmer: Phreah Ream Thai: Phra Ram Lao: Phra Lam Tagalog: The Treta Yuga ( Devanagari: त्रेता युगis the second out of four Yugas or ages of man in the religion of Hinduism, following the
8. Krishna (meaning 'dark coloured' or 'all attractive') appeared in the Dwapara Yuga along with his brother Balarama. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Dvapara Yuga ( Devanagari: द्वापर युग is the third out of four Yugas or ages described in the scriptures of Hinduism. Balarama (बलराम Balarāma) also named Baladeva, Baldau, Balabhadra and Halayudha, is the elder brother of the divine According to the Bhagavata Purana Balarama is said to have appeared in the Dwapara Yuga (along with Krishna) as an incarnation of Ananta Shesha. The Bhagavata Purana (also known as Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, or simply Bhāgavatam) is one of the Puranic texts of Hindu literature Dvapara Yuga ( Devanagari: द्वापर युग is the third out of four Yugas or ages described in the scriptures of Hinduism. In Hindu ( Vedic) tradition Shesha (Śeṣa in IAST transliteration Devanagari: शेष is the king of all nagas, one of the primal He is also counted as an avatar of Vishnu by the majority of Vaishnava movements and is included as the ninth Dasavatara in some versions of the list which contain no reference to Buddha. Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or its associated avatars principally as Rama and
9. Gautama Buddha (meaning 'the enlightened one') appeared in the Kali Yuga (specifically as Siddhartha Gautama). Gautama Buddha in Hinduism is viewed as an Avatar of Vishnu. In the Puranic text Bhagavata Purana, he is twenty fourth Kali Yuga ( Devanāgarī: sa कलियुग lit "Age of Kali " "age of vice" is one of the four stages of development that the world goes Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder
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 428899 CE. In Hinduism, Kalki ( Devanagari: कल्कि also rendered by some as Kalkin and Kalaki) is the tenth and final Maha Avatara (great Kali Yuga ( Devanāgarī: sa कलियुग lit "Age of Kali " "age of vice" is one of the four stages of development that the world goes

In some versions the 9th avatar is Balarama (elder brother of Krishna). Balarama (बलराम Balarāma) also named Baladeva, Baldau, Balabhadra and Halayudha, is the elder brother of the divine

Avatars of Vishnu in the Bhagavata Purana

Deity form of Varaha from Khajuraho, 12th C AD

Dattatreya

Twenty-two avatars of Vishnu are listed numerically in the first Canto of the Bhagavata Purana as follows:^[5]

1. Catursana [SB 1. In Hinduism, Varaha (वाराह is the third Avatar of Vishnu, in the form of a Boar. Khajuraho (खजुराहो is a village in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about 385 miles (620 kilometres Dattatreya (दत्तात्रेय is considered by Hindus to be god who is an incarnation of the Divine Trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. The Bhagavata Purana (also known as Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, or simply Bhāgavatam) is one of the Puranic texts of Hindu literature The Four Kumaras or Catursana are the four sons of Brahma from the Puranic texts of Hinduism named Sanaka Sanatana, Sanandana and 3. 6] (The Four Sons of Brahma)
2. Varaha [SB 1. In Hinduism, Varaha (वाराह is the third Avatar of Vishnu, in the form of a Boar. 3. 7] (The boar)
3. Narada [SB 1. Narad redirects here for the village in Slovakia see Ňárad. 3. 8] (The Traveling Sage)
4. Nara-Narayana [SB 1. Nara-Narayana (Sanskrit नर-नारायण nara-nārāyaṇa is a Hindu deity 3. 9] (The Twins)
5. Kapila [SB 1. 3. 10] (The Philosopher)
6. Dattatreya [SB 1. Dattatreya (दत्तात्रेय is considered by Hindus to be god who is an incarnation of the Divine Trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. 3. 11] (Combined Avatar of The Trimurti)
7. Yajna [SB 1. The Trimurti ( English: ‘three forms’ Sanskrit: trimūrti) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation In Hinduism, Yajna ( Devanagari यज्ञ IAST yajña; also anglicized as Yagna, Yagya or Yadnya 3. 12] (Vishnu temporarily taking the role of Indra)
8. Rishabha [SB 1. Indra ( Sanskrit: इन्द्र or इंद्र Indra, Malay: Indera, Thai: พระอินทร์ Phra-Intra In Hinduism, Lord Rsabha was incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He appeared in the womb of Merudevi, the wife of King Nabhi. 3. 13] (Father of King Bharata)
9. Prithu [SB 1. Bharata is a legendary king in Hindu mythology He was the first to conquer all of Greater India, uniting it into a single entity which was named after him as According to Hindu mythology, Prithu ( Sanskrit: पृथु Pṛthu lit 3. 14] (King who made earth Beautiful and Attractive)
10. Matsya [SB 1. This article concerns the Hindu avatar For the ancient kingdom see Matsya Rajya. 3. 15] (The Fish)
11. Kurma [SB 1. "Kurma" is also an alternative transliteration of Korma. 3. 16] (The Tortoise)
12. Dhanvantari [SB 1. Dhanvantari (also Dhanwantari Dhanvanthari (धन्वंतरी is an Avatar of Vishnu from the Hindu tradition 3. 17] (Father of Ayurveda)
13. Mohini [SB 1. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other Mohini is one of the 25 Avatars of Vishnu found in the Puranas. 3. 17] (Beautiful/Charming Woman)
14. Narasimha [SB 1. Narasimha ( IAST Narasiṃha Sanskrit नरसिंह (other spellings are Narasingh, Narasinga) is an Avatara of Vishnu 3. 18] (The Man-Lion)
15. Vamana [SB 1. Vamana ( Devanagari: वामन IAST: Vāmana) is a personality described in the Puranic texts of Hinduism as the Fifth 3. 19] (The Dwarf)
16. Parasurama [SB 1. Parashurama a Brahman ( Sanskrit: परशुराम or Parasurama ( Axe-wielding Rama) the sixth Avatar of Vishnu, 3. 20] (The Rama with an Axe)
17. Vyasa [SB 1. Vyāsa ( Devanāgarī: व्यास is a central and revered figure in the majority of Hindu traditions 3. 21] (Compiler of the Vedas)
18. Ramachandra [SB 1. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. Rama ( IAST: rāma Devanāgarī: राम Khmer: Phreah Ream Thai: Phra Ram Lao: Phra Lam Tagalog: 3. 22] (The King of Ayodhya)
19. Balarama [SB 1. Ayodhya (अयोध्या IAST Ayodhyā) is an ancient city of India, the old capital of Awadh, in the Faizabad district Balarama (बलराम Balarāma) also named Baladeva, Baldau, Balabhadra and Halayudha, is the elder brother of the divine 3. 23] (Krishna's Elder Brother)
20. Krishna [SB 1. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism 3. 23] (The Cowherd)
21. Buddha [SB 1. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder 3. 24] (The Deluder)
22. Kalki [SB 1. In Hinduism, Kalki ( Devanagari: कल्कि also rendered by some as Kalkin and Kalaki) is the tenth and final Maha Avatara (great 3. 25] (The Destroyer)

Besides these, another three avatars are described later on in the text as follows:

1. Prshnigarbha [SB 10. Prsnigarbha is the Avatar who appeared before Dhruva.He created the planet known as Dhruvaloka for the habitation of Dhruva. 3. 41] (Born to Prshni)
2. Hayagriva [SB 2. Hayagriva (also Hayagreeva) is a horse-headed deity that appears in both Hinduism and Buddhism. 7. 11] (The Horse)
3. Hamsa [SB 11. The Hamsa (خمسة Khamsa, literally "five" חמסה Khamsa) is a symbol used in Amulets Charms and Jewelry to protect 13. 19] (The Swan)

After Kalki avatar is described in the Bhagavata Purana it is declared that the avatars of Vishnu are 'Innumerable. In Hinduism, Kalki ( Devanagari: कल्कि also rendered by some as Kalkin and Kalaki) is the tenth and final Maha Avatara (great '^[6] However the above list of twenty-five avatars are generally taken as those of greatest significance.

According to Gaudiya Vaishnava interpretation of a verse in the latter texts of the Bhagavata Purana,^[7] and a number of texts from the Mahabharata and other Puranic scriptures,^[8] Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is also listed as an avatar and is worshiped as such by followers of the tradition. Gaudiya Vaishnavism (also known as Chaitanya Vaishnavism) is a Vaishnava religious movement founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534 in India For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Caitanya, IAST caitanya mahāprabhu) ( Bengali চৈতন্য মহাপ্রভূ (1486 - In this connection Chaitanya is often referred to as the Golden Avatar.

Other kinds of Avatars within Vaishnavism

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Although it is usual to speak of Vishnu as the source of the avataras, within the Vaishnavism branch of Hinduism Vishnu is only one divine being that manifests in form. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is an umbrella term for a wide variety of related religious traditions native to India. Within Hinduism a large number of personalities or 'forms' are worshiped as Murtis. Hinduism comprises numerous Sects or denominations The main divisions in current Hinduism are Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism Hindu mythology is the large body of Mythology related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious Artha ( Devanagari: अर्थ is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose cause motive meaning notion" In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see A Hindu temple or Mandir ( Sanskrit: मंदिर is a house of worship for Hindus followers of Hinduism. Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The following is a bibliography of Hindu scriptures and texts. The percentage of Hindu population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006. These are some of the most noteworthy Gurus and Saints of Hinduism (in alphabetical order A Hinduism is going through a phase of regeneration and reform through the vehicle of several contemporary movements collectively termed as Hindu reform movements. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other The Hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization and today there are several regional Indian Calendars, as This article deals with social and cultural criticism of Hinduism The following is a glossary of terms and concepts in Hinduism. Jyotiṣa ( Sanskrit jyotiṣa, from jyótis- "light heavenly body" also spelled Jyotish and Jyotisha in English Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or its associated avatars principally as Rama and In that tradition Narayana, Vasudeva and Krishna are also seen as names denoting divine aspects which take avataric form. Narayana ( Sanskrit: नारायण nārāyaṇa) or Narayan is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu, and in many contemporary For the Kushan king see Vasudeva I. For the book by Narendra Kohli see Vasudeva (book. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism ^[9] In addition there are other senses and shades of meaning of the term avatar within Hinduism.

Purusha avatars

Purusha avatars are sometimes described as the original avatars of Vishnu or Krishna within the Universe:^[10][11]

• Vasudeva
• Sankarshan
• Pradyumna
• Aniruddha

Guna avatars

Main article: Trimurti

The personalities of the Trimurti (Hindu trinity) are also sometimes referred to as Guna avatars, because of their roles of controlling the three modes (gunas) of nature,^[12] even though they have not descended upon an earthly planet in the general sense of the term 'avatar'. For the Kushan king see Vasudeva I. For the book by Narendra Kohli see Vasudeva (book. In Hindu ( Vedic) tradition Shesha (Śeṣa in IAST transliteration Devanagari: शेष is the king of all nagas, one of the primal Pradyumna ( Sanskrit: प्रद्‍युम्‍न is lord Keshava (Vishnu himself Aniruddha (अनिरुद्ध means uncontrolled or "without obstacles" The Trimurti ( English: ‘three forms’ Sanskrit: trimūrti) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation The Trimurti ( English: ‘three forms’ Sanskrit: trimūrti) is a concept in Hinduism "in which the cosmic functions of creation The Sanskrit word guṇa has the basic meaning of "string" or "a single thread or strand of a cord or twine"

• Vishnu - As controller of the mode of goodness (sattva)
• Brahma - Controller of the mode of passion and desire (rajas)
• Shiva - Controller of the mode of ignorance (tamas)

Manvantara avatars

Manvantara avatars are beings responsible for creating progeny throughout the Universe, said to be unlimited in number. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific In Hindu philosophy, sattva ( Sanskrit sattva "purity" literally "existence reality" adjectival sāttvika "pure" Brahma is the Hindu god ( deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. In Samkhya philosophy one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy, rajas (Sanskrit rajas, or rajoguna) is the quality ( Guna) of activity Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva ^[13] They do not take birth.

Shaktyavesa and Avesa avatars

Avataric incarnations are classified as two kinds

• direct (sakshat)
• indirect (avesa).

When Vishnu himself descends, he is called sakshat or shaktyavesa-avatara, a direct incarnation of God. But when he does not incarnate directly, but indirectly empowers some living entity to represent him, that living entity is called an indirect or avesa avatar. ^[14]

There are said to be a great number of avesa avatars. Examples include Narada Muni, Shakyamuni Buddha and Parashurama. Narad redirects here for the village in Slovakia see Ňárad. Gautama Buddha in Hinduism is viewed as an Avatar of Vishnu. In the Puranic text Bhagavata Purana, he is twenty fourth Parashurama a Brahman ( Sanskrit: परशुराम or Parasurama ( Axe-wielding Rama) the sixth Avatar of Vishnu, Parashurama is the only one of the traditional ten avatars that is not a direct descent of Vishnu.

According to the Sri Vaishnavism sect of Hinduism, there are two types of primary or direct avatars, Purna avatars and Amsarupavatars:

1. Purna avatars are those in which Vishnu takes form directly and all the qualities and powers of God are expressed, (e. In Hinduism, Vishnu, the Lord of the Universe exists in sixteen expanding Kalas or digits of manifestation In Hinduism, Vishnu, the Lord of the Universe exists in sixteen expanding Kalas or digits of manifestation g. Narasimha, Rama and Krishna). Narasimha ( IAST Narasiṃha Sanskrit नरसिंह (other spellings are Narasingh, Narasinga) is an Avatara of Vishnu Rama ( IAST: rāma Devanāgarī: राम Khmer: Phreah Ream Thai: Phra Ram Lao: Phra Lam Tagalog: Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism ^[15]
2. Amsarupavatars are those in which Vishnu takes form directly but He is manifest in the person only partially. (e. g. First five avatars from Matsya to Vamana). This article concerns the Hindu avatar For the ancient kingdom see Matsya Rajya. Vamana ( Devanagari: वामन IAST: Vāmana) is a personality described in the Puranic texts of Hinduism as the Fifth

The avesa or indirect avatars are generally not worshiped as the Supreme being. Only the direct, primary avatars are worshiped in this way. In practice, the direct avatars that are worshiped today are the Purna avatars of Narasimha, Rama and Krishna. Among most Vaishnava traditions, Krishna is considered to be the highest kind of Purna avatar. However, followers of Chaitanya (including ISKCON), Nimbarka, and Vallabha Acharya differ philosophically from other Vaishnavites, such as Ramanujacharya and Madhva, and consider Krishna to be the ultimate Godhead, not simply an avatar. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Caitanya, IAST caitanya mahāprabhu) ( Bengali চৈতন্য মহাপ্রভূ (1486 - The International Society for Krishna Consciousness ( ISKCON) also known as 'the Hare Krishna ' movement is one of several Vaishnava groups Nimbarka ( Sanskrit: श्री निम्बार्काचार्य Śrī Nimbārkācārya) is known for propagating the Vaishnava Theology Sri Vallabhacharya (1479 &ndash 1531 was a devotional Philosopher, who founded the Pushti sect in India, following the philosophy of Shuddha Ramanuja ( traditionally 1017&ndash1137 also known as Ramanujacharya, was a Theologian, Philosopher, and Scriptural Exegete. In any event, all Hindus believe that there is no difference between worship of Vishnu and His avatars as it all leads to Him.

According to Madhvacharya (chief proponent of Dvaita or dualistic school of Hindu philosophy), all avatars of Vishnu are alike in potency and every other quality. For Madhavacharya the Advaita saint see Madhava Vidyaranya. Shri Madhvacharya (ಶ್ರೀ ಮಧ್ವಾಚಾರ್ಯರು Dvaita ( Kannada: ದ್ವೈತ Devanagari:द्बैत is a dualist school of Vedanta Hindu philosophy. There is no gradation among them, and perceiving or claiming any differences among avatars is a cause of eternal damnation. (See Madhva's commentary on the Katha Upanishad, or his Mahabharata-Tatparya-Nirnaya. )

People who have been considered avatars outside the orthodox tradition of Hinduism

For more details on this topic, see List of people who have been considered avatars. This is a list of figures of various faiths who are considered to be Avatars of a deity or higher being by either themselves their followers or by others

Besides the avatars of Hinduism listed in the Puranas and Vedas, some other Indian people are considered to be avatars by themselves or by others. Some of these include:

• Meher Baba (1894-1969) said he was the avatar of this age. Meher Baba ( Devanāgarī: मेहेर बाबा) (February 25 1894 Merwan Sheriar Irani – January 31 1969 was an Indian mystic and spiritual Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[16][17]
• Sathya Sai Baba (1926-present) claims and is believed by his devotees to be an avatar of Shiva, Shakti and Krishna. Sathya Sai Baba ( Telugu: సత్య సాయి బాబా was born as Sathyanarayana Raju on November 23 1926 &mdash or later than Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Shakti, meaning sacred force, power, or energy, is the Hindu concept or personification of the divine feminine aspect sometimes referred Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism ^[18]
• Mother Meera (1960-present) claims and is believed to be an Avatar of Adipara-Shakti. Mother Meera, born Kamala Reddy (b 26 December 1960 is believed by her devotees to be an embodiment ( Avatar) of the Divine Mother ( Shakti Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Shakti, meaning sacred force, power, or energy, is the Hindu concept or personification of the divine feminine aspect sometimes referred ^[19]

While many Hindus reject the idea of avatars outside of traditional Hinduism, some Hindus with a universalist outlook view the central figures of various non-Hindu religions as avatars. Some of these religious figures include:

• Gautama Buddha (563-483BC-543BC) the key figure in Buddhism. Gautama Buddha in Hinduism is viewed as an Avatar of Vishnu. In the Puranic text Bhagavata Purana, he is twenty fourth Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices ^[20][21]
• Jesus (4 BC-36) whose teachings inspired Christianity. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings ^[22]
• Zoroaster (Zarathustra) the prophet of Zoroastrianism. Zoroaster ( Latinized from Greek variants) or Zarathushtra (from Avestan Zaraθuštra) also referred to as Zartosht (زرتشت Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings ^[23]

See also

• Hindu deities
• Svayam bhagavan
• Gautama Buddha in Hinduism
• List of people who have been considered avatars

References

External links

• Vedic Knowledge Online - Avataras as categorized within Gaudiya Vaishnavism
• Diagram showing the 'family tree' of different Avatars
• Description of different Avatar types
• Dasavatara stotra and the ten avataras (salagram. net)
• Avatars with meanings (srivaishnavam. com)
• The divine incarnation in Hinduism and Christianity article by Ernest Valea
• Encyclopedia of Authentic Hinduism - Philosophy of the descension (avatar) of God
• Avatars (Incarnations or Descents) of Vishnu
• Krishna's avataras (krishna. com)
• Explores the claims made by various possible Avatars