Talk:Saguṇa Brahmaṇ as Avatāra (or Vibhava)

By Sri Vishal Agarwal

The Avatāra-s and Vibhūti-s are material or manifested forms of Īśvara in historical contexts. They are the physical forms that Īśvara takes in full vision of humanity. But whereas the Avatāra-s are temporary and appear for a specific period of time, the Vibhūti-s can be more permanent.

The Bhagavad Gītā explains in the following two famous verses why Brahman assumes an Avatāra:

Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna – "Whenever there is a decline of dharm and a rise of adharm, I manifest Myself." ''Gītā 4.7 "For the protection and deliverance of the good, and destruction of the evil-doers; and for the sake of re-establishing dharm, I am born in every age." ''Gītā 4.8

Śāstras state repeatedly that Brahman is motivated to assume an Avatāra out of the compassion that He has for the living creatures. The Hindu belief in Avatāra-s has been summarized very nicely by a scholar in the following words:

"...People see His miracles in their everyday life – they see the All-Merciful and All-Powerful hand of the Deity in what they do. Bhagavān comes down amongst them and manifests Himself in them. His vibhūtis are seen in the world. He directly guides His own incarnations or Avatāras. They are the light-houses for guiding safely the vessel of life in the ocean of the world. Bhagavān shows the path of morality and spirituality to mankind by His own life and conduct as a man.

When they see extraordinary virtues and spiritual powers in a man, when they find in him what are missing in them, they bow unto him and regard him as Bhagavān incarnate, as an Avatāra of the Omnipotent Deity.

If mankind see amongst them one of the superhuman intellect and moral sense, they cannot but admire him; especially when they are laden with the weight of worldliness and sins, they cannot but admire him and venerate him.

When such a person loves them, not in a way as they love others, when he helps them without any desire for a return, when he lends them a sympathetic and helping hand in their difficulty and misfortune without any selfish motive whatsoever, they cannot but love him reverentially and have an implicit faith in him.

These shining lights enlighten people, who improve spiritually and morally when they are in their company. Thus people cherish a personal love and reverence for this superhuman being or Avatāra.

They are so much drawn and attracted by this grand and extraordinary personality that they cannot live for a moment estranged from him. They follow him implicitly and regard him as Bhagavān coming down to save them.

Gradually people advance so much in love and faith that they cannot think of anything else but him; they are so unconsciously led by him that they cannot think themselves separate from him.

This implicit faith in, and reverence for the Deity is called by the peoples Bhakti Yog or communion with Bhagavān through reverential faith."

Story: Bhagavān loves us like His own Children

Akbar Learns a Lesson in Empathy

In this regard, the following popular story is narrated –

One day, Bīrbal told the story of Gajendra and Viṣṇu to King Akbar. The King liked the story but he did not like the fact that Bhagavān Viṣṇu came Himself to protect the elephant from the jaws of the crocodile. He asked Bīrbal, "Why did Bhagavān Viṣṇu have to come himself to protect Gajendra? He is the master of the Universe. He should have asked a servant to protect the elephant instead of coming Himself."

Bīrbal replied, "Bhagavān comes to this earth as Kṛṣṇa, Rāma and in many other ways and forms to protect us. He wants to save us Himself, because He loves us a lot."

Akbar said, "I do not agree to what you say. I think that Bhagavān Viṣṇu should have sent a servant instead of taking the trouble Himself."

Bīrbal decided to use a trick to make King Akbar understand his answer. He asked a servant to make a wax statue of the Prince. A few days later, Bīrbal and Akbar went for a walk to a pond. The Prince and the servant also played around that same pond every day. Suddenly, the servant came rushing to King Akbar and Bīrbal. He shouted, "King, the Prince fell into the water. He is drowning."

As soon as King Akbar heard it, he rushed to the pond and jumped into the water to save the Prince. But when he dragged out the Prince from the water, he discovered that it was only a wax statue.

Bīrbal looked at the King and asked, "Why did you jump into the water? You could have asked me, or one of your servants?"

King Akbar replied, "I thought that it was my own son who fell into the water. I love my son a lot. Therefore, I wanted to save him myself. How can I wait for someone else to protect my own son?"

Bīrbal smiled and said, "Now you know why Bhagavān Viṣṇu comes Himself to save His bhakta-s. He considers us as His own children. Therefore, He does not want any servants to protect us. It is because of His love that He takes these different forms to save us, just as He saved Gajendra from the crocodile."

Emperor Akbar then understood why peoples believe that Bhagavān comes Himself in different forms to protect human beings.