avatar

avatar
   Avatar is a modern Hindi word from the SAN-SKRIT word avatara, which means “one who has descended to the earthly realm.” The word in both its Sanskrit and its Hindi forms is used in VAISHNAVISM to refer to the incarnations of Vishnu, which usually number 10. Technically, Shiva never becomes an avatar. In recent times, the word avatar has come to be used for any enlightened teacher. It is, in effect, an honorific bestowed upon the teacher by his or her disciples or the larger community. One such example is Avatar ADI DA SAMRAJ.
   Further reading: Antonio T. de Nicolas, Avatar, the Humanization of Philosophy through the Bhagavad Gita (New York: N. Hays, 1976).

Encyclopedia of Hinduism. . 2007.

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  • avatar — [ avatar ] n. m. • 1800; sanskr. avatâra « descente » 1 ♦ Dans la religion hindoue, Chacune des incarnations du dieu Vishnou. 2 ♦ (1822) Fig. Métamorphose, transformation. Après de nombreux avatars. « cette Cisalpine s appellera République… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Avatar — (Sanskrit Avatara, „Herabkunft“) steht für: Avatara, die körperliche Manifestation eines Gottes im Hinduismus Avatar (Internet), eine künstliche Person oder ein grafischer Stellvertreter einer echten Person Avatar, ein… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Avatâr — Avatar (hindouisme) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Avatar. Dans l hindouisme, un avatar (ou avatâr, descente en sanskrit) est l incarnation d une divinité sur terre. « Pour la sauvegarde du bien, déclare Krishna dans la Bhagavad Gîtâ, pour la… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Avatar — • The word is used, in a technical sense, in the Hindu religion to denote the descent upon earth of a portion of the essence of a god, which then assumes some coarser material form, be it animal, monster, or man Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • avatar — AVATÁR, avataruri, s.n. (În unele concepţii religioase) Reîncarnare succesivă a unei fiinţe. ♦ (fig.) Transformare neprevăzută (şi chinuitoare) care intervine în evoluţia unei fiinţe sau a unui lucru. – Din fr. avatar. Trimis de ana zecheru,… …   Dicționar Român

  • Avatar — Av a*tar ([a^]v [.a]*t[add]r ), n. [Skr. avat[^a]ra descent; ava from + root t[.r] to cross, pass over.] 1. (Hindu Myth.) The descent of a deity to earth, and his incarnation as a man or an animal; chiefly associated with the incarnations of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • avatar — s. m. 1.  [Religião] Na teogonia bramânica, cada uma das encarnações de um deus, especialmente de Vixnu, segunda pessoa da trindade bramânica. 2.  [Figurado] Transformação que ocorre em algo ou alguém. = METAMORFOSE, MUTAÇÃO 3.  [Informática]… …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • avatar — (Del fr. avatar, y este del sánscr. avatâra, descenso o encarnación de un dios). 1. m. Fase, cambio, vicisitud. U. m. en pl.) 2. En la religión hindú, encarnación terrestre de alguna deidad, en especial Visnú. 3. Reencarnación, transformación …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Avătar — (ind. Myth., d. das Niedersteigen), 1) die Verkörperungen der Götter, wenn dieselben auf die Erde herabsteigen u. körperliche, bes. menschliche Gestalt annehmen; bes. 2) die 10 Verkörperungen Wischnu s (s.d.) …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • avatar — ou avatara (a va tar ou a va ta ra) s. m. Dans la religion indienne descente d un Dieu sur la terre, et en particulier, les incarnations de Vishnou qui sont en dix principales formes : poisson, tortue, sanglier, homme lion, nain, les deux Sama,… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

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