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14. THE CONCEPT OF AVATARS
Fatherhood of God means a great deal more than we sometimes imagine. It is not merely a term of tenderness; it is also a term of law and discipline. But fatherhood means supremely that if the child has wandered away, the father will suffer everything to save and bring it home again. Within the realm of revealed religion this truth emerged, that the one God, mighty, holy, beneficent, is the Father who will sacrifice Himself to save the child. There man found the point of contact, in infinite love which never abandons him, never leaves him. That is the truth which, coming into revealed religion, saved it from being intellectual apprehension, minus moral dynamic, and sent running through all human life rivers of cleansing, renewal, regeneration.
THE PURPOSES OF THE INCARNATION, G. CAMPBELL MORGAN, http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/6528/fund62.htm
insight
BASIS OF AVATAR MYTH AS STRUGGLE BETWEEN
SURAS AND THE ASURAS
But every myth has some historic seed and it must be true of the myths of Vishnu Avatars too.
A myth is never a reality but is always true in its meaning. It is not history as such, but retells history in a more subtle powerful way to impress the meaning fully. Since these characters do not appear in any of the Pre-Christian documents, literature, history or archeological records the myth refers certainly to some history which is certainly related to Post Christian history.
Is there a common thread that runs through the whole ten avatars? We are neglecting the later expansion of infinite avatar and petty additions from the list of heroes and self proclaimed avatars whether leela or serious. One common factor is that in every case it was supposed to kill an Asura. Incarnation - Vasudeva - Vishnu
Asura - Prati-Vasudeva Matsya (Fish) Avatara
Killed Hayagriva The Shatpath Brahmana and the Bhagavata Purana relate it to Manu, the Padma Purana to Makara or Shankhasura , and the Matsya Purana to Asura Hayagriva.
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