Avatar (also known as Incarnation) in Sanskrit means – descent. It is the “appearance” or “manifestation” of God, Deity, or Supreme Self in an earthly embodiment. The concept of an avatar is most often associated with Lord Vishnu though Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma, and Goddess Parvati or Adi Shakti also have many Avatars or Incarnations.

Let us understand the different types of Avatar Lord Vishnu has taken,

Avatars are broadly classified into two kinds. When Lord Vishnu Himself descends on earth, He is called Sakshaty-Avatara. When He indirectly empowers some living entity to represent Him, then that living entity is called an Avesa-Avatara.

Anshavatars and Purna Avatar are sub-categories of Sakshaty-Avatara,

Purna Avatar: All qualities of Vishnu are expressed – Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, Lord Narasimha

Amsarup Avatars: Lord Vishnu takes form directly, but He is manifest partially – Matsya, Kurma, Varaha

1. Matsya Avatar

Matsya is the half fish, a half-human form of Vishnu. According to Matsya Puran, Matsya informs Manu, the leader of the humans, of the great flood and helps him save all the motile living beings, the Vedas, and the seeds of all plants.

2. Kurma Avatar

Kurma is the half tortoise half-man form of Vishnu. During the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan), he balances Mount Mandara on his shell to assist the gods and the demons in the churning process. He is also believed to have supported the weight of the cosmos on his back.

3. Varaha Avatar

Varaha is the half man and half boar avatar of Vishnu. In Hindu dharma, he slays the demon Hiranyaksha to save Bhudevi, the personification of the earth and restores her back to the surface from a sinking state using his tusks.

4. Narsimha

Narsimha is the half lion and a half-human avatar of Vishnu. He was born to end the reign of the demonic king Hiranya Kashyap and establish peace, order, righteousness, and other elements of dharma on earth.

5. Vamana

The 5th avatar of Vishnu, Vamana, was a dwarf Brahmin. This avatar of Lord Vishnu comes to check the growing power of the demonic king Mahabali, which he does by tricking him during a sacrificing ceremony and sending him to the underworld.

6. Parashurama

Parshurama is a Brahmin Kshatriya avatar of Lord Vishnu. He is depicted as a sage with an axe in his hand. He was born to end the tyranny of the evil Kshatriyas, who misused their powers and made others’ lives miserable, and bring them to justice.

7. Rama

Lord Rama is one of the most significant and powerful deities of Hindu dharma and the lead character of the epic Ramayana. He kills the evil king Ravana to end his terrorizing rule and free his wife Sita, whom Ravana had kidnapped.

8. Krishna

Lord Krishna is yet another major form of Lord Vishnu. He is known to end the reign of his tyrannical maternal uncle Kansa and his role as the advisor or the Pandavas and the charioteer and guide of Arjuna in Mahabharata. Lord Krishna is a well known motivator than anyother in the ancient Mahabharat era.

Lord Vishnu in krishna form have devotees worldwide as ISCKON

9. Buddha

Siddhartha Gautam, later known as Gautam Buddha, left his family and all material possession in search of enlightenment. He founded Buddhism and taught people ways to end all kinds of suffering through the Noble Eightfold Paths.

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.24 talks about Buddha avatar of Lord Vishnu. 

तत: कलौ सम्प्रवृत्ते सम्मोहाय सुरद्विषाम् ।

बुद्धो नाम्नाञ्जनसुत: कीकटेषु भविष्यति ॥ २४ ॥

tataḥ kalau sampravṛtte sammohāya sura-dviṣām

buddho nāmnāñjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati

Translation: Then, at the beginning of Kali-yuga, the Lord will appear as Lord Buddha, the son of Añjanā, in the province of Gayā, just to delude those who are envious of the faithful theist.

Some scholars also think Buddha avatar of Vishnu being – Adi Buddha, not Siddhartha Gautam.  

10. Kalki

Kalki is the only avatar of Vishnu that is yet to be born. He will end all evil by defeating the demon Kali and start a new Satyayuga or Kalkiyuga. Kali is all the negative emotions and elements personified into one. Kalki is depicted as a warrior riding a white horse and holding a shining sword.

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