Development of Hinduism

SR No.: 007303
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: M M Ninan
Publisher: M M Ninan
Total Pages: 582
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 45 MB

Page 273

14. THE CONCEPT OF AVATARS
To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I myself appear age after age.
"Whenever the world declined in virtue and righteousness; and vice and injustice mount the throne, then cometh I, the Lord and revisit my world in visible form, and mingled as a man with men, and by my influence and teachings do I destroy the evil and injustice and reestablish virtue and righteousness. Many times have I thus appeared, and many times hereafter shall I come again?"
The purpose of the avatar is defined in Bhagavat Gita 4:7-8 Whenever there is
decline of dharma, righteousness, justice, rule of law and
there is increase in injustice, Vishnu incarnates
• to protect the good, the law abiding and
to destroy the evil, the delinquent, the unjust or inequitous and • to establish dharama, justice
Yet as we go through the Avatars, we will see that this was never accomplished unless the Suras are the only people of god. It is certainly a history of the people who is represented as Suras who are the enemies of the people represented as Asuras. All the reference to dharma, righteousness, justice, rule of law are the justice of one group of people over another - unfortunately both these group of people are Bharathians - Indians. But as far as Vishnu is concerned only the interest of the Devas are counted.
The avatar was at least initially connected to the Dispensational Ages. We shall now undertake a quick look at the concept of Yuga and their probable origin
Aeons and Avatars
The whole idea of ages and avatars were brought into India by St. Thomas but they were manipulated by the later Gnostics into a fight between good and evil, Suras and the Asuras and developed into myths because of the concept of duality in the world which in turn was introduced into India by the gnostics of Persia and Greece.
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