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14. THE CONCEPT OF AVATARS
NAME OF DAITYA Hiranyksha
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION no indication given in any Puranas
AVATAR Boar (Varaha) Narasimha (Man-Lion)
Indus Valley
Vamana (Dwarf)
Hiranya kasipu (Brother of Hiranyksha) Maha Bali (Great grand son of Hiranya Kasipu) Keralaputras (of the Kingdom of Maha Bali) Ravana (Grand Son of Maha Bali)
All of South India - Narmada River to Cape Comorin including Chola, Chera and Pandya
Kerala (Chera)
Parasu Rama (Rama with the Axe) Rama
Sri Lanka
Under the Gnostic influence, the basic avatar concepts were however extended to include a larger number almost including all mankind in one form or other. There are elaborate classifications and explanations, which are summarized, in the following table
Kinds of avataras Avataras
Karanodakasayi Vishnu, Garbhodakasayi Vishnu and Ksirodakasayi Vishnu "For material creation, Lord Krsna's plenary expansion assumes three Visnus. The
first one, Maha Visnu, creates the total material energy, known as mahat-tattva. Purusha-avatara
The second, Garbhodakasayi Visnu, enters into all the universes to create 1 Personal Emanation
diversities in each of them. The third, Ksirodakasayi Visnu, is diffused as the allIncarnations of Visnu
pervading Supersoul in all the universes and is known as Paramatma. He is present even within the atoms. Anyone who knows these three Visnus can be
liberated from material entanglement." (Satvata-tantra) Lila-avatara
Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, BalaPlayfull Incarnations Rama, Kalki. Guna-avatara
Brahma (Rajas), Vishnu (Satvic) and Siva (Tamas). Quality Incarnations The Trinity as three aspects of one God Manvantara-avatara Special incarnations of the Supreme Lord who
Innumerable manu avataras (504,000 Manus manifest in the life time of one appear in each
Brahma): Main 14 also called as vaibhava-avatars: Yajna, Vibhu, Satyasena, Hari, 4 manvantara to assist
Vaikuntha, Ajita, Vamana, Sarvabhauma, Rsabha, Visvaksena, Dharmasetu, Indra and the other
Sudhama, Yogesvara and Brhadbhanu. demigods in subduing demons and maintaining the principles of religion.
Kumaras, Narada, Varaha, Matsya, Yajna, Nara-narayana, Kardami Kalpa-avatara Kapila, Dattatreya, Hayasirsa, Hamsa, Dhruvapriya, Rsabha, Prthu, 5 Incarnation within the Narasimha, Kurma, Dhanvantari, Mohini, Vamana, Parasurama, Ages
Raghavendra, Vyasa, Balarama, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki. (All these 25 avatars happen every one day of Brahma)
Kapila, Rsabha, Ananta, Brahma, Catuhsana, Narada, Prthu, Parasurama, Saktyavesa-avatara
Buddha, ... 6 Spirit filled
These are not visnu-tattva but jiva-tattva; jivas, or living beings, Incarnation
empowered for a special mission.
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