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God, Guru and Avatar are no different from each other. They all are one and the same. Avatar
and Guru both remain in a state of eternal bliss (Divine or God), they both are omnipotent,
omniscient and omnipresent. At the same time there is a basic difference between Avatar and
Guru. The difference lies in how that state of cosmic consciousness (state of eternal bliss) is
attained.
Generally Guru is one who has walked the path of material world and eventually attained union
with the divine (cosmic consciousness). He has attained Self-Realization. That is his victory
over the Maya (grand illusion of mind) after sustained efforts of several lives. Avatar on the
other hand is a direct descent of divine to Earth, or descent of the Supreme Being. Lord
Absolute himself in the form of Avatar, comes down to be in the creation to guide and protect
Bhaktas and to re-establish Sanatana Dharma (Law of Eternal or Universal Righteousness) in
this world. The Avatar, or incarnation, descends from the kingdom of God for material
manifestation. Such incarnations are situated in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. When
they descend to the material creation, they assume the name Avatar. There are various kinds of
Avatars, such as Purusavatar, Lilavatar, Gunavatar, Shakty Avatar, Manvantara-Avatar and
Yugavatar. Lord Krishna says that he incarnates himself in every millennium.
Gurus, Sages and Saints are quite distinct from Avatars, being pure human souls aspiring to
God. The difference between an Avatar and a Guru, Sage or Saint is this: the full Avatar is
enlightened and completely aware of his own Divinity even at the time of birth. The Avatar is
never overcome by the maya (illusion) of the world, and is always aware of His mission and
the Divine powers at His command. In contrast a Guru, sage or saint is a human who has
attained spiritual progress and is reborn in ever higher states until, in a final life, that Guru or
saint attains to Self-Realization or mergence in the Absolute. The Guru, sage or saint is devoted
to God and practices meditation or rituals or prayers, depending on the path, as spiritual
sadhana to approach ever closer to the Supreme Being.
Lord Krishna declares in Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 4, Verse 7):
Yada--whenever; yada--wherever; hi--certainly; dharmasya--of religion; glanih--discrepancies;
bhavati--manifested, becomes; bharata--O descendant of Bharata; abhyutthanam-predominance; adharmasya--of irreligion; tada--at that time; atmanam--self; srjami--manifest;
ahamI
"O Bharata, whenever there is decline of righteousness and rise of evil, I manifest Myself!"
Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskritam dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge
yuge
(Chapter 4, Verse 7)
Paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskritam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
Sankramini 9) Prabhavi 10) Kunthini 11) Vikasini 12) Maryadini 13) Sanhaladini 14) Ahladini
15) Paripurna 16) Swarupavasthitha
The rest of the Avatars are not with full kalaas. Rama is with 12 kalas whereas Krishna with 16.
Krishna never prayed even in a biggest crisis, whereas Rama come with Aditya Hridhayam.
Therefore, among the Vishnu avatars, Rama and Krishna takes the poorna avatar title.
Here are 10 Avatars of Lord Vishnu
Matsya: the fish, from the Satya Yuga. Lord Vishnu takes the form of a fish to save Manu from
a flood, after which he takes his boat to the new world along with one of every species of plant
and animal, gathered in a massive cyclone.
Kurma: the tortoise, appeared in the Satya Yuga. When the devas and asuras were churning the
ocean in order to get the nectar of immortality, the mount Mandara they were using as the
churning staff started to sink and Lord Vishnu took the form of a tortoise to bear the weight of
the mountain.
Varaha: the boar, from the Satya Yuga. He appeared to defeat Hiranyaksha, a demon who had
taken the Earth, or Prithvi, and carried it to the bottom of what is described as the cosmic ocean
in the story. The battle between Varaha and Hiranyaksha is believed to have lasted for a
thousand years, which the former finally won. Varaha carried the Earth out of the ocean
between his tusks and restored it to its place in the universe.
Narasimha: the half-man/half-lion appeared in the Satya Yuga. The raksha Hiranyakashipu
was granted a powerful boon from Brahma, not allowing him to be killed by man or animal,
inside or out, day or night, or in earth or the stars, with a weapon either living or inanimate.
Vishnu descended as an anthropomorphic incarnation, with the body of a man and head and
claws of a lion. He then disembowels the rakshasa at the courtyard threshold of his house, at
dusk, with his claws, while he lay on his thighs.
Vamana: the dwarf, appeared in the Treta Yuga. The fourth descendant of Hiranyakashyap,
Bali, with devotion and penance was able to defeat Indra, the god of firmament. This humbled
the other deities and extended his authority over the three worlds. The gods appealed to Vishnu
for protection and he descended as the dwarf Vamana. During a yagna of the king, Vamana
approached him in the midst of other Brahmins. Bali was happy to see the diminutive holy
man, and promised whatever he asked. Vamana asked for three paces of land. Bali agreed, and
the dwarf then changed his size to that of a giant. He stepped over heaven in his first stride, the
netherworld with the second. Bali realized that Vamana was Vishnu incarnate. In deference, the
king offered his head as the third place for Vamana to place his foot. The avatar did so and thus
granted Bali immortality. Then in appreciation to Bali and his grandfather Prahlad, Vamana
made him ruler of Pathala, the netherworld. Bali is believed to have ruled Kerala and Tulunadu.
He is still worshiped there as the king of prosperity and recalled before the time of harvest.
Parashurama: Rama with the axe, appeared in the Treta Yuga. He is son of Jamadagni and
Renuka. He received an axe after a penance to Shiva. Parashurama is the first Brahmin-
Kshatriya in Hinduism, or warrior-saint, with duties between a Brahmana and a Kshatriya). His
mother was from the Kshatriya Suryavanshi clan that ruled Ayodhya, of the line of Rama. King
Kartavirya Arjuna and his army visited the father of Parashurama at his ashram, and the saint
was able to feed them with the divine cow Kamadhenu. The king demanded the animal,
Jamadagni refused, and the king took it by force and destroyed the ashram. Parashurama then
killed the king at his palace and destroyed his army. In revenge, the sons of Kartavirya killed
Jamadagni. Parashurama took a vow to kill every Kshatriya on earth twenty-one times over,
and filled five lakes with their blood. Ultimately, his grandfather, the great rishi Rucheeka,
appeared and made him halt. He is a Chiranjivi, and believed to be alive today in penance at
Mahendragiri.
Rama: Ramachandra, the prince and king of Ayodhya, appeared in the Treta Yuga. Rama is a
commonly worshiped avatar in Hinduism, and is thought of as the ideal heroic man. His story
is recounted in one of the most widely read scriptures of Hinduism, the Ramayana. While in
exile from his own kingdom with his brother Lakshman and the monkey king Hanuman, his
wife Sita was abducted by the demon king of Lanka, Ravana. He travelled to Ashoka Vatika in
Lanka, killed the demon king and saved Sita.
Shree Ram is not called Purna Avtar. Only Krishna Avtar is Purnavatara... Rama was 14 kala
sampurna and krishna was 16 kala sampurna. This is because of a boon to Ravana. He was
promised that no God would kill him. So Rama intentionally hid his 2 kalas and behaved like a
common man (to fulfil the boon that Ravan would be killed by a man). This answers why Rama
cried for his wife and the reason for taking help from monkeys.
Krishna: was the eighth son of Devaki and Vasudev. Krishna is the most commonly worshiped
deity in Hinduism and an avatar in Vaishnava belief. His name means 'dark' or 'attractive', and
he appeared in the Dwapara Yuga alongside his brother Balarama, and was the central character
of the Bhagavad Gita, the most published Hindu canon. He is mentor to Arjuna, delivering him
the Gita at the Battle of Kurukshetra. He is often depicted playing the murali, (flute), and
having a mischievous spirit.[12] The appearance of Krishna coincided with the beginning of
Kali Yuga.
Krishna Avatara alone is considered as Poorna Avatara: 16 kalas: 1) Anna Maya 2) Pranamaya
3) Mano Maya 4) Vigyanamaya 5) Anandamaya 6) Atishayini 7) Viparinabhini 8) Sankramini
9) Prabhavi 10) Kunthini 11) Vikasini 12) Maryadini 13) Sanhaladini 14) Ahladini 15)
Paripurna 16) Swarupavasthitha
Rama is avatar but he didnt know that till Lord Yama reminded him of it at the end of his life
and he behaved like a human being who respects parents and their decisions. He carried out his
duties as a normal human being. But in the case of Lord Krishna he knew that he is Vishnus
avatar and behaved like that and delivered the Gita to Arjun at the battle field.
Balarama: Balarama, the elder brother of Krishna and considered the eighth avatar of Vishnu
in modern versions and interpretations of Puranic texts.
Kalki: meaning 'Eternity,' 'White Horse,' or 'Destroyer of Filth' is the final incarnation of
Vishnu in the current kalpa, foretold to appear at the end of Kali Yuga. Religious texts called
the Puranas foretell that Kalki will be atop a white horse with a drawn blazing sword. He is the
harbinger of end time in Hindu eschatology, after which he will usher in Satya Yuga.
or Purna Avatars are those in whom all sixteen rays are present. Purna means it is complete in
all respects. From their birth till returning back to Vaikuntha. A Poorna Avatar is one where the
avatar is fully conscious, simultaneously about his Jiva form, his God form and his Turiya
(Brahm) form, even at the time of their birth.
All three Avatars of Shri Dattatreya below are considered Purna Avatars.