# अवतार (avatāra)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/avatara

अवतार (avatāra) is a Sanskrit word meaning the descent of a deity from heaven, an incarnation of Vishnu upon earth, any new and unexpected appearance, an opportunity to catch someone, a sacred place, translation. Its 15 recorded definitions are grouped into 4 contexts, among them Divine Incarnation or Descent, Opportunity or Attainment of Aim, Sacred Place / Landing / Tīrtha.

- **Roots:** लभ् (labh), तृ (tṛ)
- **SLP1:** `avatAra`  **IAST:** avatāra  **Devanagari:** अवतार
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/avatara/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Divine Incarnation or Descent (11 definitions)
- 1. The descent of a deity from heaven. 2. An incarnation of Vishnu upon earth.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 99,1] अव - तार (ava-tāra) m. ( Pāṇini (Author) iii, 3, 120 ) descent (especially of a deity from heaven), appearance of any deity upon earth (but more particularly the incarnations of Viṣṇu in ten principal forms, viz. the fish tortoise, boar, man lion, dwarf, the two Rāmas, Kṛṣṇa, Buddha, and Kalki, Mahābhārata (Title) xii, 12941 seqq. ) [ ID=17339 ]
- any new and unexpected appearance  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > any new and unexpected appearance, Raghuvaṃśa (Title) iii, 36 & v, 24, &c., (any distinguished person in the language of respect is called an Avatāra or incarnation of a deity) [ ID=17340 ]
- 1. The descent of a deity from heaven, especially an incarnation of Vishnu. 2. A sacred place or Tirtha. 3. Translation. 4. Crossing.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > अव (ava) तार (avatāra) [Printed book page 078 ] अव (ava) तार (avatāra) n. ( - रं (-raṃ) ) 1 Descent, especially of a deity from heaven; the appearance of any deity upon earth, but more particularly the incarnations of VIṢṆU in ten principal forms which are well known, viz. 1 The fish. 2 The tortoise. 3 The boar. 4 The man-lion. 5 The dwarf. 6 and 7 The two RĀMAS. 8 KṚṢṆA. 9 BUDDHA. And 10 KALKI. A pious or distinguished person, in the language of respect or flattery, is also called an Avatāra, a descent or incarnation of the deity. 2 A Tīrtha or sacred place. 3 Translation, translating. 3 Descent. 4 Crossing. E. अव (ava) before, तॄ (tṝ) to cross, affix घञ् (ghañ). [ ID=3704 ]
- 1. Descent. 2. Incarnation.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > अवतार (avatāra) [Printed book page 060-b ] अव - तार (ava-tāra) ( रं ) ((raṃ)) 1. n. Descent; incarnation. [ ID=3140 ]
- 1. Descent. 2. An incarnation in general. 3. An incarnation of Vishnu. 4. Rise or appearance. 5. Form. 6. A sacred bathing-place. 7. A pond. 8. A landing place. 9. Translation. 10. Introduction.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > अवतार (avatāra) [Printed book page 073-14 ] अवतार (avatāra) m. 1. Descent; 2. an incarnation in general, धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणामवतार इवांगवान् (dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇāmavatāra ivāṃgavān) R. x.84, or ऋष्यवतारोयं नृपतिः (ṛṣyavatāroyaṃ nṛpatiḥ); 3. an incarnation of Vishṇu; (they are ten in number, viz., मत्स्य (matsya), कूर्म (kūrma), वराह (varāha), नृसिंह (nṛsiṃha), वामन (vāmana), परशुराम (rāma) (paraśurāma), राम (rāma), कृष्ण (kṛṣṇa), बुद्ध (buddha) and कल्कि (kalki). The first Ashṭapadī in the Git.G. very shortly describes them all. They are alluded to in the following stanza also- वेदानुद्धरते जगन्निवहते भूगोलमुद्विभ्रते दैत्यं दारयते बलिं छलयते क्षत्रक्षयं कुर्वते । पौलस्त्यं जयते हलं कलयते कारुण्यमातन्वते म्लेच्छान् मूर्छयते दशाकृतिकृते कृष्ण (kṛṣṇa) ाय तुभ्यं नमः (vedānuddharate jagannivahate bhūgolamudvibhrate daityaṃ dārayate baliṃ chalayate kṣatrakṣayaṃ kurvate. paulastyaṃ jayate halaṃ kalayate kāruṇyamātanvate mlecchān mūrchayate daśākṛtikṛte kṛṣṇāya tubhyaṃ namaḥ) Git.G. i.); 4. rise, appearance, नवावतारं कमलादिवोत्पलम् (navāvatāraṃ kamalādivotpalam) R. iii.36, v.24; 5. form, मत्स्य (matsya) ादिभिरवतारैरवतारवता (matsyādibhiravatārairavatāravatā) ( त्वया (tvayā) ) Śankara.; 6. a sacred bathing-place; 7. a pond; 8. a landing place; 9. translation; 10. introduction. [ ID=3759 ]
- 1. Descent, especially a divine incarnation on earth. 2. A sacred bathing place. 3. Translation. 4. Crossing over.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > अव (ava) तार (avatāra) [Printed book page 064-a ] अव (ava) तार (avatāra) n. ( - रं (-raṃ) ) 1. Descent, especially of a deity from heaven; the appearance of any deity upon earth, but more particularly the incarnations of VISHNU in ten principal forms which are well known, viz. 1. The fish. 2. The tortoise. 3. The boar. 4. The man-lion. 5. The dwarf. 6. and 7. The two RĀMAS. 8. KṚṢṆA. 9. BUDDHA and 10. KALKI. A pious or distinguished person, in the language of respect or flattery, is also called an Avatāra, a descent or incarnation of the deity. 2. A Tirtha or sacred place. 3. Translation, translating 4. Descent. 5. Crossing. E. अव (ava) before, तॄ (tṝ) to cross, affix घञ् (ghañ). [ ID=3702 ]
- 1. Descent. 2. Entering into. 3. Descent of a deity from heaven.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > अवतार (avatāra) [Printed book page 0056-b ] अवतार (avatāra) avatāra, i. e. ava-tṝ + a, m. 1. Descent. 2. Entering into, Daśak. in Chr. 185, 6. 2. Descent of a deity from heaven, Ragh. 10, 85. [ ID=1138 ]
- descent, especially of a deity from heaven, or an incarnation  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > अवतार (avatāra) [Printed book page 045 ] अवतार (avatāra) m. descent, esp. of a deity from heaven, incarnation, appearance; a. ° रिन् (°rin). [ ID=3113 ]
- 1. Descent, especially of supernatural beings to earth. 2. An epiphany or incarnation.  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > अवतार (avatāra) [Printed book page 121-b ] avatāra, m. descent, esp. of supernatural beings to the earth; an epiphany; incarnation, Anglo-Indian avatár. [ √tṛ + ava. ] [ ID=439 ]
- 1. The descent of a deity from heaven or appearance upon earth, especially the ten principal incarnations of Vishnu. 2. Any new and unexpected appearance. 3. A landing place, sacred place, or pond. 4. Translation or crossing.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > अवतार (avatāra) [Printed book page 0090-a ] Ava-tāra, as, m. descent (especially of a deity from heaven), the appearance of any deity upon earth, but more particularly the incarnations of Viṣṇu in ten principal forms, viz. the fish, tortoise, boar, man-lion, dwarf, the two Rāmas, Kṛṣṇa, Buddha, and Kalki; any new and unexpected appearance; (any distin- guished person in the language of respect is called an Avatār or incarnation of a deity); aiming at an object (with gen.); a landing-place, a Tīrtha or sacred place; a pond; translation, translating, crossing; ava- tāraṃ labh, to gain one's aim or object with regard to anything (with gen.). —Avatāra-kathā, f. ac- count of an Avatāra; N. of a chapter in the work entitled ‘Śaṅkara-vijaya,’ supposed to have been com- posed by Anantānanda-giri. —Avatāra-dvādaśa- kīrtana, am, n. title of a chapter of the work ‘Ūrdhvāmnāya-saṃhitā.’ —Avatāra-mantra, as, m. a prayer causing the descent of a deity. —Ava- tāra-vādāvalī, f., N. of a controversial work by Puruṣottama. [ ID=6331 ]
- innumerable forms taken by a deity to descend to earth  
  *The Purana Index*
  > अवतार (avatāra) [Printed book page 1-117 ] Avatāras — of Hari, innumerable. Kṛṣṇa is the Lord himself. Metaphysics of. Bhā. I. 3. 26 and 28, 30-39. [ ID=921 ]

### Opportunity or Attainment of Aim (2 definitions)
- an opportunity to catch someone  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > opportunity of catching any one, Buddhist literature (Literary category) [ ID=17341 ]
- When used in the accusative with the root labh, it means to get an opportunity.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > [Printed book page 1317,1] ( acc. with √ लभ् (labh), ‘to get an opportunity’), Divyāvadāna (Title) [ ID=17343.1 ]

### Sacred Place / Landing / Tīrtha (1 definition)
- a sacred place  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a Tīrtha or sacred place, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=17342 ]

### Translation (1 definition)
- translation  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > translation, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=17343 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546