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What is stance of Vedanta on the concept of avatara? Does Vedanta support that god comes to earth in form of a human?

Rakesh Joshi
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Santanu Debnath
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Dvaita Vedanta and Vishistadvaita Vedanta accept the concept of Avatara.

Advaita Vedanta does not accept the concept of Avatara. Advaita Vedanta claims that the Avatara is same as a Jnani. Any distinction between Avatara and Jnani would contradict scripture.

D.: The avatars are said to be more glorious than the self-realized Jnanis. Maya does not affect them from birth; divine powers are manifest; new religions are started; and so on.

M (Sri Ramana).: (1)"Jnani tvatmaiva me matam." (2)"Sarvam khalvidam brahma." How is an avatar different from Jnani; or how can there be an avatar as distinct from the universe?

D.: The eye (chakshu) is said to be the repository (ayatana) of all forms; so the ear (srotra) is of all sounds, etc. This one Chaitanya operates as all; no miracles are possible without the aid of the sense (indriyas). How can there be miracles at all? If they are said to surpass human understanding so are the creations in dreams. Where then is the miracle? The distinction between avataras and Jnanis is absurd. "Knower of Brahman becomes Brahman only" is otherwise contradicted.

M.: Quite so.

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, pg 443-444

Pradip Gangopadhyay
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    Swami Vivekananda says no matter how advanced someone is, they cannot take the position of God and avatars are different from ordinary guru, avatar can change destiny of someone, ordinary guru can't. – Pinakin Jul 06 '17 at 12:20
  • You are correct. Swami Vivekananda did not always agree with Sankaracharya's Advaita Vedanta. – Pradip Gangopadhyay Jul 06 '17 at 12:22
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    Advaita Vedanta doesn't contradict Avatara. Adi Shankara accepted words of Krishna on Avataras, Iswara aka Saguna Brahman takes Avatara in Vyavaharika. See How does Adishankaracharya Advaita explain concept of Avatar? – The Destroyer Jul 06 '17 at 12:47
  • I looked at the question referred by you. If you read the Gambhirananda quote it says,'He appears as if embodied, as if born, and as if favoring people-..'. It is all 'as if' and not real. Moreover Sri Ramana's asserts that there is no distinction between Avatara and Jnani. Advaita Vedanta does not accept the theistic view of Avatara and reduces the Avatara to the status of a Jnani. – Pradip Gangopadhyay Jul 06 '17 at 13:02
  • @PradipGangopadhyay Any support from writings of Gaudapada or Sankara for claim that advaita vedanta doesn't accept avataravada? Ramana Maharashi taught from self experience, he didn't restrict himself so as to be faithful to advaita vedanta or any other school. Check out last few paras in this link. http://sri-ramana-maharshi.blogspot.in/2010/04/swami-siddheswaranandas-views-on.html?m=1 – Aks Jul 06 '17 at 13:11
  • @PradipGangopadhyay Merely appearing as having born, as being embodied etc is indeed what differentiates an avatara from mere jivanmukta. Jivanmukta is really born just like rest of us. He is really embodied like rest of us until he attains self realisation. While avatara is just leela of saguna brahman which rest of us see as being born, growing up, dying etc. – Aks Jul 06 '17 at 13:16
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    This seems to say the opposite re: advaita https://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q/14114/1195 –  Jul 06 '17 at 14:59
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    Advaitins believe that there is a distinction between incarnations of Saguna Brahman and other Jivas. The distinction is this: the bodies of other Jivas are formed out of Karmas, whereas the bodies of avataras are formed out of the compassion of Saguna Brahman. Now you might say that this is only an apparent distinction, not a real distinction, and that is true, but only insofar as all distinctions are ultimately apparent according to Advaita; Advaitins believe that only Nirguna Brahman is ultimately real from the absolute perspective. – Keshav Srinivasan Jul 06 '17 at 17:35