Avatara

The term "Avatara" derives from the Sanskrit root "ava-tṛ," meaning "to descend" or "to cross over." It signifies a divine being's deliberate descent from a higher spiritual realm into the material plane, a concept deeply embedded in Indic religious thought.

Divine incariuition. The descent of a god or some exalted ]^eing, who has progressed beyond the necessity of Rebirths, into the body of a simple mortal. Krishna was an avatar of Vi.shnu. 42 THEaSOl'JIKVL The Dalai Lama is rofjartU'd as an avatar of Avalokiti-swara, and tlie Teschu Lama as one of Tson-kha-pa, or Amitabha. There are two kinds of avatars; tliosc lioni from woman, and the parentless, the anupapadaka. Avebury or Abury. In Wiltshire are the remains of an ancient metralitiiie Serpent temple: according to the eminent antiquarian Stukeley, 1740, there are traces of two circles of stones and two avenues; the whole has formed the representation of a serpent, [w.w.w.] Avesta (Zi)i(I). Lit., "tlie Law". From tlie old Persian Ahasl/i, "the law". The sacred Scriptures of the Zoroastrians. Zoid mi'ans in the "Zend-Avesta" — a "commentary" or "interpretation". It is an error to regard "Zend" as a language, as "it was applied only to explanatory texts, to the translations of the Avesta" (l)arrasteter). Avicenna. Tlie latinized name of Abu-Ali al Iloseen ben Abdallah Ibu Sina ; a Persian philosopher, born 980 a.d., though generally referred to as an Arabian doctor. On account of his surprising learning he was called "the Famous", and was the author of the best and the first alchemical works known in P^urope. All the Spirits of the Elements were subject to him, so says the legend, and it further tells us that owing to his knowledge of the Elixir of Life, he still lives, as an adept who will disclose himself to the profane at the end of a certain cycle.

The notion of the Avatara, as articulated in Hindu thought, provides a compelling counterpoint to abstract, distant deities. It suggests a divine willing to descend, to wear the mantle of mortality, not out of necessity but out of profound compassion or cosmic duty. Mircea Eliade, in his studies of the sacred, often highlighted how such divine interventions bridge the gap between the profane and the sacred, making the divine accessible and immanent. The Avatara is not merely a symbol or a distant ideal; it is the divine stepping into the arena of human experience, a phenomenon that resonates with the psychological archetypes Carl Jung explored, representing the Self's manifestation in the world.

The stories of Krishna, for instance, are not just theological pronouncements but narratives of divine play (lila) and intervention, demonstrating that the ultimate can engage with the mundane, even experiencing joy, sorrow, and the complexities of human relationships. This concept challenges the idea of a wholly transcendent, aloof God, proposing instead a deity deeply invested in the unfolding drama of existence. It implies that the divine is not merely an observer but an active participant, capable of taking on specific forms to address particular crises or to offer profound teachings. This active engagement, this willingness to "descend," makes the divine relatable and offers a tangible point of connection for devotees. It is a testament to the belief that the ultimate reality is not only beyond comprehension but also intimately involved in the world's affairs, a perspective that can deeply inform one's understanding of spiritual practice and the nature of reality itself. The Avatara invites a contemplation of how the eternal might manifest within the temporal, and how the boundless might choose to embrace the finite.

RELATED_TERMS: Incarnation, Bodhisattva, Theophany, Logos, Divine Manifestation, Divine Intervention, Sacred Descent ---