Manvantara-avataras

Expressions researched:
"manvantara-avatara" |"manvantara-avataras" |"manvantaravatara" |"manvantaravataras"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 4.8, Purport:

There are various kinds of avatāras, such as puruṣāvatāras, guṇāvatāras, līlāvatāras, śakty-āveśa avatāras, manvantara-avatāras and yugāvatāras—all appearing on schedule all over the universe. But Lord Kṛṣṇa is the primeval Lord, the fountainhead of all avatāras. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa descends for the specific purpose of mitigating the anxieties of the pure devotees, who are very anxious to see Him in His original Vṛndāvana pastimes. Therefore, the prime purpose of the Kṛṣṇa avatāra is to satisfy His unalloyed devotees.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.24.42, Purport:

The supreme Manu in Vedic literature is Svāyambhuva Manu, who is an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. All the Manus are empowered incarnations of Kṛṣṇa (manvantara-avatāra). There are fourteen Manus in one day of Brahmā, 420 in one month, all the Manus are directors of human society, ultimately Kṛṣṇa is the supreme director of human society.

SB Canto 8

SB 8.1.2, Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has different varieties of incarnations, including the guṇa-avatāras, manvantara-avatāras, līlā-avatāras and yuga-avatāras, all of which are described in the śāstras. Without reference to the śāstras there can be no question of accepting anyone as an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB 8.13 Summary:

In the period of the thirteenth Manu, the Manu is Deva-sāvarṇi. Among his sons is Citrasena, the demigods are the Sukarmās and others, Indra is Divaspati, and Nirmoka is among the sages. The manvantara-avatāra is Yogeśvara, who is born of Devahotra and Bṛhatī.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.8.13, Purport:

It is to be understood that the Supreme Being, whether appearing as śukla, rakta or pīta (white, red or yellow), is the same person. When He appears in different incarnations, He appears in different colors, just like the sunshine, which contains seven colors. Sometimes the colors of sunshine are represented separately; otherwise the sunshine is observed mainly as bright light. The different avatāras, such as the manvantara-avatāras, līlā-avatāras and daśa-avatāras, are all included in the kṛṣṇa-avatāra. When Kṛṣṇa appears, all the avatāras appear with Him.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 20 Summary:

While discussing the Absolute Truth, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord analyzed Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, as well as the expansions of the Lord called svayaṁ-rūpa, tad-ekātma and āveśa, which are divided into various branches known as vaibhava and prābhava. Thus the Lord described the many forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He also described the incarnations of God within the material world, incarnations such as the puruṣa-avatāras, manvantara-avatāras, guṇa-avatāras and śaktyāveśa-avatāras. The Lord also discussed the divisions of Kṛṣṇa's different ages, such as bālya and paugaṇḍa, and the different pastimes of the different ages.

CC Madhya 20.184, Purport:

When a form of Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent from the original form but is less important and exhibits less potency, it is called svāṁśa. Examples of svāṁśa expansions can be found in the quadruple forms of the Lord residing in Their respective places, beginning with Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, and also in the puruṣa-avatāras, līlā-avatāras, manvantara-avatāras and yuga-avatāras.

CC Madhya 20.246, Translation:

"There are incarnations that control the material qualities (guṇa-avatāras), incarnations associated with the reign of each Manu (manvantara-avatāras), incarnations in different millenniums (yuga-avatāras) and incarnations of empowered living entities (śaktyāveśa-avatāras)."

CC Madhya 20.246, Purport:

The guṇa-avatāras are three—Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu (SB 10.88.3). The avatāras associated with the reign of each Manu, known as manvantara-avatāras, are listed as follows in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Eighth Canto, chapters 1, 5 and 13): (1) Yajña, (2) Vibhu, (3) Satyasena, (4) Hari, (5) Vaikuṇṭha, (6) Ajita, (7) Vāmana, (8) Sārvabhauma, (9) Ṛṣabha, (10) Viṣvaksena, (11) Dharmasetu, (12) Sudhāmā, (13) Yogeśvara and (14) Bṛhadbhānu. All together these are fourteen in number, and of these, Yajña and Vāmana are also counted among the līlā-avatāras. All these manvantara incarnations are sometimes called vaibhava-avatāras.

CC Madhya 20.319, Translation:

"O Sanātana, now just hear about the incarnations who appear during the reign of each Manu (manvantara-avatāras). They are unlimited, and no one can count them. Just hear of their source."

CC Madhya 20.320, Purport:

From this verse it can be calculated that in one month (30 days) of Brahmā’s life there are 420 manvantara-avatāras and that in one year (360 days) of his life there are 5,040 manvantara incarnations. Thus for the one hundred years of Brahmā’s life, there is a total of 504,000 manvantara-avatāras. In addition, the Manus themselves are considered partial incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

CC Madhya 20.321, Translation:

"There are 14 manvantara-avatāras in one day of Brahmā, 420 in one month, and 5,040 in one year."

CC Madhya 20.322, Translation:

"During the hundred years of Brahmā’s life, there are 504,000 manvantara-avatāras."

CC Madhya 20.323, Translation:

"The number of manvantara-avatāras for only one universe has been given. One can only imagine how many manvantara-avatāras exist in the innumerable universes. And all these universes and Brahmās exist only during one exhalation of Mahā-Viṣṇu."

CC Madhya 20.324, Translation:

"There is no limit to the exhalations of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Just see how impossible it is to speak or write of only the manvantara-avatāras!"

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 7:

There are six kinds of incarnations: (1) the puruṣa-avatāra, (2) the līlā-avatāra, (3) the guṇa-avatāra, (4) the manvantara-avatāra, (5) the yuga-avatāra, and (6) the śaktyāveśa-avatāra. Out of the six vilāsa manifestations of Kṛṣṇa, there are two divisions based on His age, and these are called bālya and paugaṇḍa. As the son of Nanda Mahārāja, Kṛṣṇa in His original form enjoys both of these childhood aspects—namely bālya and paugaṇḍa.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 7:

Of the manvantara-avatāras, there are fourteen: (1) Yajña, (2) Vibhu, (3) Satyasena, (4) Hari, (5) Vaikuṇṭha, (6) Ajita, (7) Vāmana, (8) Sārvabhauma, (9) Ṛṣabha, (10) Viṣvaksena, (11) Dharmasetu, (12) Sudhāmā, (13) Yogeśvara, (14) Bṛhadbhānu. Out of these fourteen manvantara-avatāras, Yajña and Vāmana are also līlā-avatāras, and the rest are manvantara-avatāras. These fourteen manvantara-avatāras are also known as vaibhava-avatāras.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 8:

After describing the Līlā and guṇa-avatāras, Lord Caitanya explains the manvantara-avatāras to Sanātana Gosvāmī. He first states that there is no possibility of counting the manvantara-avatāras. In one kalpa, or one day of Brahmā, fourteen Manus are manifest. One day of Brahmā is calculated at 4 billion 320 million years, and Brahmā lives for one hundred years on this scale. Thus if fourteen Manus appear in one day of Brahmā, there are 420 Manus during one month of Brahmā, and during one year of Brahmā there are 5,040 Manus. Since Brahmā lives for one hundred of his years, it is calculated that there are 504,000 Manus manifest during the lifetime of one Brahmā. Since there are innumerable universes, no one can imagine the totality of the manvantara incarnations.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book Introduction:

Kṛṣṇa's different expansions—namely Nārāyaṇa, the quadruple expansion of Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, as well as partial plenary expansions like Matsya, the incarnation of a fish, and the yuga-avatāras (incarnations for the millennium) and the manvantara-avatāras (incarnations associated with the reigns of the Manus)—all combine together and appear with the body of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is the complete whole, and thus all plenary expansions and incarnations always live with Him.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.4:

We would like to inform Dr. Radhakrishnan, however, that when the Supreme Lord empowers a jīva with His divine potency so that the jīva can carry out some specific work, then that jīva is known as a śaktyāveśa avatāra. But this is not the only type of incarnation. The scriptures describe innumerable incarnations of the Supreme Lord, such as svayaṁ-rūpa, svayaṁ-prakāśa, āveśa, vilāsa, prābhava, vaibhava, yuga-avatāra, puruṣa-avatāra, guṇa-avatāra, and manvantara-avatāra. If we calculate the duration of one manvantara-avātara's life, it comes to an incredible number of years—more than three hundred million. And there are other incarnations who live longer.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Bombay, April 1, 1971:

So from the ancient literature we understand that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). There are many incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, expansion of Kṛṣṇa, svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. Some of the expansions are direct personal expansions, just like Lord Rāma, Nṛsiṁhadeva, Varāha. There are many. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Kṛṣṇa is existing, expanding Himself in various forms like Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, and so many others. There are different kinds of incarnations, avatāras—śaktyāveśāvatāra, guṇāvatāra, manvantarāvatāra, yugāvatāra. Many incarnations.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.172 -- New York, December 14, 1966:

Generally the incarnations are divided into six divisions. What are they? Puruṣāvatāra eka, first puruṣāvatāra; second, līlāvatāra; third, guṇāvatāra; and fourth, manvantarāvatāra; and fifth, yugāvatāra; and sixth, śaktyāveśāvatāra. This is very important. This is very important. There are incarnations, six kinds of incarnations. This may be noted.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.172 -- New York, December 14, 1966:

So there are three incarnation of guṇāvatāra, then manvantarāvatāra. Manvantarāvatāra means... There is seventy-one yugas. One yuga means about 4,300,000's of years. Four million and 300,000's of years, that makes a complete yuga. Such seventy-one yuga is the duration of a Manu. That is called Man... And each Manu is also an incarnation, Manvantarāvatāra. And such Manu takes place, fourteen Manus take place, during one day of Brahma. So Manvantarāvatāra.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.245-255 -- New York, December 16, 1966:

He, Kṛṣṇa, has different expansions under different symbolic representation, and they are differently named. There is no change. But in the material world, when we speak of incarnation, that is in relationship with this material world. In this... For the material world these incarnations are expanded. And what are they? First the puruṣāvatāra; then līlāvatāra; then guṇāvatāra, three; then manvantarāvatāra, four; then yugāvatāra, five; and then śaktyāveśāvatāra. Śaktyāveśāvatāra.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.245-255 -- New York, December 16, 1966:

Because it is God's kingdom, it is also secondary kingdom—real kingdom is in the spiritual world—so God comes in different avatāra. And when the material world is created, the first avatāra is puruṣa-avatāra. The Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī, They create. And then līlāvatāra. Līlāvatāra, under some particular circumstances, to save some particular devotee, or to display some particular feature... Just like Lord Rāma, He incarnated. He is līlāvatāra. Then guṇāvatāra. For maintenance of this material world there are different kinds of modes of nature, and to control those modes of nature there are avatāras, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. Līlāvatāra. Then manvantarāvatāra. The changes of millenniums, that manvantarāvatāra. And then yugāvatāras, yugāvatāra, in each and every yuga. Just like this Kali-yuga. This is called Kali-yuga. In the Kali-yuga the incarnation is Lord Caitanya.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.318-329 -- New York, December 22, 1966:

Out of six kinds of incarnations, He has explained to you the incarnation of puruṣāvatāra, three, then līlāvatāra, then guṇāvatāra. Three kinds of incarnations are already explained. Now the remainder, three kinds of incarnations, manvantarāvatāra, yugāvatāra, and śaktyāveśāvatāra, He is going... Out of that three, first the manvantarāvatāra, Manu... So Lord Caitanya says that "I shall now explain to you about the manvantavatāra." And He says, manvantarāvatāra ebe śuna, sanātana: "My dear Sanātana, just now I shall explain to you about the manvantarāvatāra. You hear it." Asaṅkhya gaṇana tāṅra, śunaha kāraṇa: "And this manvantarāvatāra... So far other incarnations are concerned, we have somehow counted three or say ten, like that. But here, when we speak of manvantarāvatāra, they are countless." Asaṅkhya. Asaṅkhya means countless. Nobody can count how many manvantarāvatāras are there.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.318-329 -- New York, December 22, 1966:

So anyway, fourteen Manus are taking place in one day of Brahmā.

brahmāra eka-dine haya caudda manvantara

ei caudda avatāra tāhāṅ karena īśvara

They are also incarnation of the Supreme Lord. Caudda eka dine, māse cāri-śata biśa. If in one day of Brahmā there are fourteen Manus, then in one month of Brahmā it comes to cāri-śata, 420. Thirty days a month. So 420 Manus in one month of Brahmā. Brahmāra vatsare pañca-sahasra calliśa. Similarly, in one year of Brahmā there is 5,040 Manus in one year, and he lives for hundred years. So 5,040 Manus in one year. Now hundred. So 5,040 plus two zeroes. So it comes to pañca-lakṣa cāri-sahasra manvantarāvatāra. Pañca-lakṣa means fifty millions. Not fifty millions. Ten millions a lakṣa. That means five millions and four thousands of Manus are there in one Brahmā's life. Five million and four hundred thousand of manvantarāvatāra, incarnation of Manu, in one brahmāṇḍa. And Lord Caitanya... Ananta brahmāṇḍe aiche karaha. And there are innumerable brahmāṇḍas, universes. Now you can calculate how many Manus are there. Therefore you cannot calculate. He said, "innumerable."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.318-329 -- New York, December 22, 1966:

Simply one manvantara in one universe, we cannot count how many manvantaras are there, and what to speak of...? There are innumerable, uncountable universes, and there are so many manvantarāvatāras.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.318-329 -- New York, December 22, 1966:

We have finished manvantarāvatāra. This is fourth. Puruṣāvatāra, līlāvatāra, guṇāvatāra, and the manvantarāvatāra, fourth. Puruṣa incarnation, and then quality, modes of nature, three modes, so guṇāvatāra, then līlāvatāra. Then manvantarāvatāra we have finished.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Origen:

Prabhupāda: Or there are two kinds of expansion: His personal expansions and His expansion as part and parcel. His personal expansion is called Viṣṇu-tattva, and the part and parcel expansion is called jīva-tattva—in Sanskrit technical words, svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. The personal expansion there are also many varieties—puruṣa-avatāra, saktyāveśa-avatāra, manvantara-avatāra, many varieties.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Prof. Regamay, Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Lausanne -- June 4, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: Buddha is śaktyāveśa-avatāra. We accept Lord Jesus Christ also, śaktyāveśa-avatāra; Mohammed, śaktyāveśa-avatāra. Śaktyāveśa-avatāra means a living entity especially empowered and he preaches the philosophy on behalf... That is called śaktyāveśa-avatāra. There are different types of avatāras. Guṇāvatāra, manvantarāvatāra, yugāvatāra, līlāvatāra, śaktyāveśāvatāra, like that. They are described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. About avatāras.