Chapter Six

Avotar (Incarnation)

Ishwara is Almighty and Merciful. Sometimes Ishwara comes down
to the earth for the well-being of the world. This coming down of
Ishwara is called descending. He descends in any earthly
appearance. This is called Avotar.
Ishwara appears on the earth hiding his riches by dint of his illusion.
So, common people cannot recognize him. He looks like exactly as
he appears. For example, when he appears as a human being, he is
seen to behave like a common person. Like a man he takes birth
from a mother's womb. Like a man he possesses hunger, thirst,
infirmity and diseases. But in spite of these characteristics, he has
some distinction. He owns some special qualities. He becomes a
great man. Avotar (Incarnation) can be classified mainly into three
categories:
These are 1) Angsha Avotar (Part Incarnation)
2) Shaktyabesh Avotar (Power Incarnation)
3) Gunavotar (Virtue Incarnation)
Anghsha Avotar: Avotar with the partial (incomplete) figure of
Ishwara is called Angsho Avotar. For example Matsya, Kurma,
Baraha, Nrishingha, Bamana, Parshurama, Rama, Balarama, Buddha
and Kalki.
Shoktyabesh Avotar: The Avotar in which the power of Ishwara is
expressed, is called Shaktyabesh Avotar, such as Sanak, Prithu,
Vyasa etc.
Gunavotar: When Ishwara appears with the special qualities of
creativity, nourishment and destruction, then he is called Gunovotar,
such as - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.