Avatar

An avatar is a descent of the divine into the world, when a deity takes bodily form to restore dharma in a time of crisis. The idea is most fully developed around Vishnu, who descends age after age whenever order is overwhelmed by chaos.

Vishnu’s ten avatars, the Dashavatara — among them the fish Matsya, the boar Varaha, Rama and Krishna — are the most celebrated, each meeting the particular need of its age.