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Posted

I think that Avatars are named so because it is an image that you associate with an anonymous entity.

Say for example you are scrolling down through posts;

You see a boy and a dog sitting on a weird running table- must be Crusnik.

I thought it was a pig.. with its face covered by the dog..

:s

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Posted

yeah me too :S

and your explanation seems plausible, ty=D

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Posted

Nah thats just from the cartoon show, 'Avatar; The Last Airbender'. Soem random guy just decided to create the word Avatar and place it alongside icon for the same meaning. I see no point to it really, but meh.

The term 'Avatar' predates that show... although that is a brilliantly put together show, and is FAR better than any of the anime crap that I see TV flooded with nowadays (Naruto, Bleach, One Piece)

The term Avatar goes back a LOOOOOONG way

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Posted

Avatar is a real name. As arcanelord said, it's some kind of an repesentation of a god, very much like for example Jesus.

ah ha, here's the thing, not necessarily a god, that's why in your avatar you normally put a representation of yourself, like something that you like, a chibi thing (like most people are doing at the moment :embarrassed: ) or even a personal picture.

So to sum up briefly, an avatar is a representation of someone, not necessarily a god.

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Posted

yep.

and dream avys rock

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Posted

yes they do.

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Posted

In Hindu philosophy, an avatar (also spelled as avatara) (Sanskrit: अवतार, avatāra), most commonly refers to the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of a higher being (deva), or the Supreme Being (God) onto planet Earth. The Sanskrit word avatāra- literally means "descent" (avatarati) and usually implies a deliberate descent into lower realms of existence for special purposes. The term is used primarily in Hinduism, for incarnations of Vishnu whom many Hindus worship as God. Shiva and Ganesha are also described as descending in the form of avatars, with the Ganesha Purana and the Mudgala Purana detailing Ganesha's avatars specifically.

The word has also been used by extension to refer to the incarnations of God or highly influential teachers in other religions, especially by adherents to dharmic traditions when explaining figures such as Jesus.

According to the Puranas countless numbers of avatars descend into our universe. Theologically within Vaishnavism the many avatars have been categorised into a number of different types depending on their specific personality and role as described in scripture. Not all are recognised as 'full' or 'direct' incarnations of Vishnu. Some avatars are believed to be souls blessed with certain abilities of 'divine origin', although being a jiva themselves.

Purusha avatars are described as the original avatars of Vishnu within the universe:

Vasudeva

Sankarshan

Pradyumna

Aniruddha

The personalities of the Trimurti are also sometimes referred to as Guna avatars, because of their roles of controlling the three modes (gunas) of nature, even though they have not descended upon an earthly planet in the general sense of the term 'avatar'.

Vishnu - As controller of the mode of goodness (sattva)

Brahma - Controller of the mode of passion and desire (rajas)

Shiva - Controller of the mode of ignorance (tamas)

Manvantara avatars are beings responsible for creating progeny throughout the universe, said to be unlimited in number.

The Shaktyavesa incarnations are classified as two kinds

direct (sakshat) and

indirect (avesa).

When Vishnu himself descends, he is called sakshat, or a direct shaktyavesa-avatara, and when he empowers some living entity to represent him, that living entity is called an indirect or avesa incarnation.

There are said to be a great number of avatars of this second type in particular. An example would be Narada Muni or Buddha. The secondary avatar class is sometimes called Saktyamsavatar, Saktyaveshavatar or avesha avatar.

Other secondary avatars, include Parashurama in which Vishnu does not directly descend. Parashurama is the only one of the traditional ten avatars that is not a direct descent of Vishnu.

According to Srivaishnavism, there are two types of secondary avatars:

Vishnu enters a soul with His form. (e.g.,Rama) or

Vishnu does not enter a soul with His own form, but gives him extraordinary divine powers (e.g., Veda Vyasa.) The secondary avatar class besides being called shaktyavesa avatar is also called Saktyamsavatar, or avesha avatar.

Worship of Shaktyavesa avatars

The secondary avatars are generally not worshiped as the Supreme being. Only the direct, primary avatars are worshiped in this way. In practice, the direct avatars that are worshiped today are the Purna avatars of Narasimha, Rama and Krishna. Among most Vaishnava traditions, Krishna is considered to be the highest kind of Purna avatar. However, followers of Chaitanya (including ISKCON), Nimbarka, Vallabhacharya differ philosophically from other Vaishnavites, such as Ramanujacharya and Madhva, and consider Krishna to be the ultimate Godhead, not simply an avatar. In any event, all Hindus believe that there is no difference between worship of Vishnu and His avatars as it all leads to Him.

According to Madhvacharya, all avatars of Vishnu are alike in potency and every other quality. There is no gradation among them, and perceiving or claiming any differences among avatars is a cause of eternal damnation. (See Madhva's commentary on the Katha Upanishad, or his Mahabharata-Tatparya-Nirnaya.)

According to Srivaishnavite doctrine, there are two types of avatars, primary avatars and secondary avatars. The most common type of primary avatars are called Svarupavatars, in which He manifests Himself in His Sat-cid-ananda form. In the primary avatars, such as Narasimha, Rama, Krishna], Vishnu directly descends. The Svarupavatars are subdivided into Amsarupavatars and Purna avatars. In Amsarupavatars, Vishnu is fully present in the body but He is manifest in the person only partially. Such avatars include the first five avatars from Matsya to Vamana except for Narasimha. Narasimha, Rama and Krishna, on the other hand, are types of Purna avatars, in which all the qualities and powers of the Lord are expressed. Narasimha and Rama are also additionally considered to be Lila avatars.

Dasavatara: Ten Avatars of Vishnu in the Garuda Purana

The ten most famous incarnations of Vishnu are collectively known as the 'Dasavatara' ('dasa' in Sanskrit means ten). This list is included in the Garuda Purana (1.86.10-11) and denotes those avatars most prominent in terms of their influence on human society.

The majority of avatars in this list of ten are categorised as 'lila-avatars' as will be discussed below. The first four are said to have appeared in the Satya Yuga (the first of the four Yugas or ages in the time cycle described within Hinduism). The next three avatars appeared in the Treta Yuga, the eighth incarnation in the Dwapara Yuga and the ninth in the Kali Yuga. The tenth is predicted to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga in some 427,000 years time.

Matsya, the fish, appeared in the Satya Yuga.

Kurma, the tortoise, appeared in the Satya Yuga.

Varaha, the boar, appeared in the Satya Yuga.

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

Vamana, the dwarf, appeared in the Treta Yuga.

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

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

Krishna (meaning 'dark coloured' or 'all attractive') 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 an incarnation 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.

Buddha (meaning 'the enlightened one') appeared in the Kali Yuga (specifically as Siddhartha Gautama).

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.

Avatars of Vishnu in the Bhagavata Purana

Twenty-two avatars of Vishnu are listed numerically in the first Canto of the Bhagavata Purana as follows:

Catursana [sB 1.3.6] (The Four Sons of Brahma)

Varaha [sB 1.3.7] (The boar)

Narada [sB 1.3.8] (The Traveling Sage)

Nara-Narayana [sB 1.3.9] (The Twins)

Kapila [sB 1.3.10] (The Philosopher)

Dattatreya [sB 1.3.11] (Combined Avatar of The Trimurti)

Yajna [sB 1.3.12] (Vishnu temporarily taking the role of Indra)

Rishabha [sB 1.3.13] (Father of King Bharata)

Prithu [sB 1.3.14] (King who made earth Beautiful and Attractive)

Matsya [sB 1.3.15] (The Fish)

Kurma [sB 1.3.16] (The Tortoise)

Dhanvantari [sB 1.3.17] (Father of Ayurveda)

Mohini [sB 1.3.17] (Beautiful/Charming Woman)

Narasimha [sB 1.3.18] (The Man-Lion)

Vamana [sB 1.3.19] (The Dwarf)

Parasurama [sB 1.3.20] (The Rama with an Axe)

Vyasa [sB 1.3.21] (Compiler of the Vedas)

Ramachandra [sB 1.3.22] (The King of Ayodhya)

Balarama [sB 1.3.23] (Krishna's Elder Brother)

Krishna [sB 1.3.23] (The Cowherd)

Buddha [sB 1.3.24] (The Deluder)

Kalki [sB 1.3.25] (The Destroyer)

Besides these, another three avatars are described later on in the text as follows:

Prshnigarbha [sB 10.3.41] (Born to Prshni)

Hayagriva [sB 2.7.11] (The Horse)

Hamsa [sB 11.13.19] (The Swan)

After Kalki avatara is described in the Bhagavata Purana it is declared that the avatars of Vishnu are 'Innumerable', however in that context the above list of twenty-five Avataras are generally taken as those of greater general significance.

According to Gaudiya Vaishnava interpretation of a verse in the latter texts of the Bhagavata Purana, and a number of texts from the Mahabharata and other Puranic scriptures, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is also listed as an avatar and is worshiped as such by followers of the tradition. In this connection Chaitanya is often referred to as the Golden Avatar.

Some groups claim that the ten avatars represent the evolution of life and of mankind on earth. Within this theory Matsya, the fish, represents life in water. Kurma, the tortoise, represents the next stage, amphibian. The third animal, the boar Varaha, symbolizes life on land. Narasimha, the Man-Lion, symbolizes the commencement development of mammals. Vamana, the dwarf, symbolizes this incomplete development of human. Then, Parashurama, the forest-dwelling hermit armed with an axe, connotes completion of the basic development of humankind. The King Rama signals man's ability to govern nations. Krishna, an expert in the sixty-four fields of science and art according to Hinduism, indicates man's advancement in culture and civilization. Balarama, whose weapon was a plough, could stand for the development of agriculture. Buddha, the enlightened one, symbolizes the social evolution of man.

Note that the time of the avatars also has some significance: Monarchy reached its ideal state in the Treta Yuga with the incarnation of Rama; social justice and Dharma were refined and protected in the Dwapar Yuga with the avatar of Krishna. Thus the avatars represent the evolution of life and society against the backdrop of changing epochs from Krita Yuga to Kali yuga. The animal evolution and development connotations also bear striking resemblances to the modern scientific theory of Evolution.

The avatars described above are of Vishnu, which in a sense a symbol of the "current state" of the society. The wife of Vishnu is "Laxmi" the goddess of Wealth. The Wealth is generated by the society, and is required to keep it going. This is symbolized by keeping Laxmi at the feet of Vishnu and basically taking care of him. Brahma, the "Creator" god, is the god of Knowledge. He is supposed have created knowledge.

The four Yugas are again the symbolically represented. The description of each Yuga is given as follows:

Satya Yuga is represented by a man carrying a small piece of pot (kamandalu).

Treta Yuga is represented by a man carrying a Cow and an Anchor.

Dvapara Yuga is represented by a man carrying a Bow and Parashu (Axe).

Kali Yuga is represented by a man who is ugly, without clothes and making offensive gestures holding in his hand his genitals (sex organ).

If the above descriptions are seen carefully, one realizes that this also represents several technological advancements of the human society. In the first yuga there is a development of pottery, language and yagna (yadnya) rituals etc. The second yuga shows the mastering of agricultural techniques. The third yuga tells the development of weapons technology whereby the agricultural society (now staying in groups) and their generated wealth needs to be protected. The last yuga represents the complete anarchy of the values developed so far and is basically the last phase in the development of any society.

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Posted

:( i'm going to find it difficult to read all that. :tired:

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