A question for Hindus, or anyone with knowledge about Hinduism?

Question

Which Gods/Goddesses are true avatars (incarnations) of the Supreme Being? Someone told me the only true avatars were Krishna, Rama, and Buddha?

And by avatars/incarnations, does that mean they actually walked on Earth? I'm a bit confused...

Answer 1

There are the three ways in which God remains in this world:-

1)In Hinduism, Even you and I are the true avatar of God. Because Atman present inside our body is the reflection of God. Atman is not aware of its source due to the curtain of Maya.

When one get rid of Maya, he becomes God or Goddess himself in the human body.

2)For a special purpose he come on this earth to preach people or remove the excess negativity of this earth like Rama and Buddha.

3)Sakara(with form) manifestations of God that appears in front of us when we worship them. Like Demigods, demigoddesses, Shiva, Shakti, Ganesha, Paravathi etc.





Now to first of second points.

Simple body of humans and animals have 5 kalas. While incarnations come with extra kalas. Some Rama has 14 kalas. While Krishna is called Poorna avatara with 16 kalas. There are also anshavatars like Parshuram, Durwasa, Hanumans who have less than 14 kalas.



Description of 16 kalas are as followed:-



THE SIXTEEN KALAS



Five Kalas like 1) Anna Maya (with cereals), 2) Pranamaya (with breath), 3) Mano Maya (with mind), 4) Vigyanamaya (with knowledge) and 5) Anandamaya (with joy) are present in every human being. With little effort, humans can perfect in three more kalas - 6) Atishayini, 7) Viparinabhimi and 8) Sankramini. The other remaining eight Kalas are 9) Prabhvi. 10) Kunthini, 11) Vikasini, 12) Maryadini, 16) Sanhaladini, 14) Ahladini,1 5) Paripurna and 16) Swarupavasthit :



Anybody who has the ninth Kala besides the first five natural Kalas and next three perfected Kalas, becomes the god. As per scriptures, the ninth kalas Prabhvi means : KARTUM AKARTUM, that is able to do seemingly impossible tasks. Lord Narasinh is an example of this ninth Kala. Lord Narasinh has an altogether different appearance. He had a body of human and head of a lion. He appeared from a stone pillar that demon Hiranyakashipu had broken with a blow of his mace. It is not possible for an ordinary human being, only a God, having the ninth Kala Prabhvi, can do this. Among all these incarnations, only Lord Krishna is full of all the sixteen Kalas.



Very beautiful question in fact !

Answer 2

1. Matsya, the fish, appeared in the Satya Yuga.

2. Kurma, the tortoise, appeared in the Satya Yuga.

3. Varaha, the boar, appeared in the Satya Yuga.

4. Narasimha, the half-man/half-lion appeared in the Satya Yuga.

5. Vamana, the dwarf, appeared in the Treta Yuga.

6. Parashurama, Rama with the axe, appeared in the Treta Yuga.

7. Rama, Ramachandra, the prince and king of Ayodhya, appeared in the Treta Yuga.

8. Krishna appeared in the Dwapara Yuga along with his brother Balarama. According to the Bhagavata Purana, Balarama is said to have appeared in the Dwapara Yuga (along with Krishna) as a descent of Ananta Shesha. 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.

9. Gautama Buddha appeared in the Kali Yuga (specifically as Siddhartha Gautama).

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.



and yes, the avatars of Vishnu did walk the Earth, in earthly form, but with supernatural powers, preaching about the Vedas, punishing demons etc..



but there is some debate about the Buddha, as he spoke against the Vedas, so some Hindus don't consider him a true incarnation...

Answer 3

The ten avatars (Dasavatars) as described above. There are some fraud Godmen claiming to be Avatars stay away from them.



Avatars are story of evolution of Humanity



first avatar - matsya (fish) -- fish lives in water, life arose in water

second avatar - kurma (tortoise) -- tortoise lives both in land and water, life moves from water to land

third avatar - Varaha (boar) -- life evolves to higher animals

fourth avatar - Narasimha (half human) -- arrival of humanoids

fifth avatar - Vamana (dwarf man) -- stone age human

sixth avatar - Parasurama (axe man) -- Neolithic age, beginning of agriculture

Seventh avatar - Rama (Prince, King) -- beginning of civilization, foundation of kingdoms

Eighth avatar - Krishna -- philosophical human, gives wisdom in Gita

Ninth avatar - Buddha -- intellectual human

Tenth avatar -- Kalki -- ?????

Answer 4

The highest gods in Hinduism are Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma -- the Hindu Trinity. They have many incarnations:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar#Avatars_of_Vishnu

Answer 5

you are also avatar of GOD. Believe it but not feel ego of it.

Answer 6

None as there are no Gods/Goddesses but One True God Jehovah