# The Six Types of Avatāras
> [!summary]
> *Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained to Sanātana Gosvāmī the science of incarnations. The word avatāra means "one who descends"—the Lord descends from the spiritual world to the material world. There are six categories: puruṣa-avatāras (the three Viṣṇus who create), līlā-avatāras (25 incarnations for pastimes), guṇa-avatāras (presiding over the three modes), manvantara-avatāras (14 for each Manu's reign), yuga-avatāras (for each age), and śaktyāveśa-avatāras (empowered beings).*
In His teachings to Sanātana Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained the science of the Supreme Lord's incarnations. The word *avatāra* literally means "one who descends" — the Lord descends from the spiritual world to the material world for specific purposes.
![[cc/madhya/20/263|The form of the Lord that descends]]
![[cc/madhya/20/264|descend into the material world, they are called incarnations]]
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## Overview: Six Categories
Lord Caitanya explained that there are six types of avatāras:
![[cc/madhya/20/245#translation|six types of incarnations]]
![[cc/madhya/20/246#translation|guṇa-avatāras...manvantara-avatāras...yuga-avatāras...śaktyāveśa-avatāras]]
The six types are:
1. **Puruṣa-avatāras** — The three Viṣṇus who create the cosmic manifestation
2. **Līlā-avatāras** — Incarnations for performing pastimes (25 listed)
3. **Guṇa-avatāras** — Incarnations controlling the three modes of nature
4. **Manvantara-avatāras** — Incarnations appearing in each Manu's reign (14 total)
5. **Yuga-avatāras** — Incarnations for each of the four ages
6. **Śaktyāveśa-avatāras** — Empowered living entities
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## 1. Puruṣa-avatāras
The *puruṣa-avatāras* are the Lords of universal creation. From Saṅkarṣaṇa, the first expansion of Kṛṣṇa, come these three Viṣṇus:
![[cc/madhya/20/244#purport|puruṣa-avatāras are the Lords of the universal creation]]
### The Three Puruṣa-avatāras
| Avatāra | Location | Function |
|---------|----------|----------|
| **Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu** (Mahā-Viṣṇu) | Causal Ocean | Creates total material energy and innumerable universes |
| **Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu** | Ocean within each universe | Enters each universe, creates Brahmā |
| **Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu** | Ocean of Milk | Enters the heart of every living entity as Supersoul |
---
## 2. Līlā-avatāras
The *līlā-avatāras* appear for performing specific pastimes. There are twenty-five principal līlā-avatāras:
![[cc/madhya/20/244#purport|līlā-avatāras, and these include]]
These include Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Nṛsiṁha, Vāmana, Paraśurāma, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Buddha, and Kalki — commonly known as the Daśāvatāra.
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## 3. Guṇa-avatāras
The *guṇa-avatāras* control the three modes of material nature:
![[cc/madhya/20/246#purport|guṇa-avatāras are three]]
| Avatāra | Mode | Function |
|---------|------|----------|
| **Lord Brahmā** | Passion (*rajas*) | Creation |
| **Lord Viṣṇu** | Goodness (*sattva*) | Maintenance |
| **Lord Śiva** | Ignorance (*tamas*) | Destruction |
Although Brahmā and Śiva are listed as guṇa-avatāras, only Viṣṇu is directly the Supreme Lord. Brahmā and Śiva are empowered jīvas in most cases.
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## 4. Manvantara-avatāras
In each day of Brahmā there are fourteen Manus, and for each Manu there is a specific incarnation. The fourteen manvantara-avatāras are:
![[cc/madhya/20/246#purport|manvantara-avatāras, are listed as follows]]
1. Yajña
2. Vibhu
3. Satyasena
4. Hari
5. Vaikuṇṭha
6. Ajita
7. Vāmana
8. Sārvabhauma
9. Ṛṣabha
10. Viśvaksena
11. Dharmasetu
12. Sudhāmā
13. Yogeśvara
14. Bṛhadbhānu
---
## 5. Yuga-avatāras
The *yuga-avatāras* appear in each of the four ages, identifiable by their bodily color:
![[cc/madhya/20/246#purport|four yuga-avatāras are]]
| Yuga | Color | Incarnation |
|------|-------|-------------|
| **Satya-yuga** | White (*śukla*) | Meditation on Viṣṇu |
| **Tretā-yuga** | Red (*rakta*) | Performing sacrifices |
| **Dvāpara-yuga** | Dark blue (*śyāma*) | Temple worship |
| **Kali-yuga** | Black (*kṛṣṇa*) or Yellow (*pīta*) | Chanting the holy names |
In this Kali-yuga, the yuga-avatāra is Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appears with a golden (yellow) complexion and inaugurates the *saṅkīrtana* movement.
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## 6. Śaktyāveśa-avatāras
The *śaktyāveśa-avatāras* are of two types:
![[cc/madhya/20/246#purport|śaktyāveśa-avatāra is categorized into]]
### A. Bhagavad-āveśa (Divine Absorption)
Living entities who are absorbed in thoughts of the Lord:
- **Kapiladeva** — Taught Sāṅkhya philosophy
- **Ṛṣabhadeva** — Taught the path of renunciation
### B. Śaktyāveśa (Divinely Empowered)
Living entities empowered with specific energies:
| Personality | Empowerment | Function |
|-------------|-------------|----------|
| **Śeṣa Nāga** | *sva-sevana-śakti* | Personal service to the Lord |
| **Anantadeva** | *bhū-dhāraṇa-śakti* | Bearing all planets |
| **Lord Brahmā** | *sṛṣṭi-śakti* | Creating the cosmic manifestation |
| **Catuḥsana (Kumāras)** | *jñāna-śakti* | Distributing transcendental knowledge |
| **Nārada Muni** | *bhakti-śakti* | Distributing devotional service |
| **Mahārāja Pṛthu** | *pālana-śakti* | Ruling and maintaining living entities |
| **Paraśurāma** | *duṣṭa-damana-śakti* | Cutting down rogues and demons |
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## Kṛṣṇa: The Source of All Avatāras
All these avatāras emanate from Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead:
> *ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam*
> "All these incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead." —[[sb/1/3/28|SB 1.3.28]]
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## Related Articles
- [[wiki/articles/lord-nrsimhadeva|Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva]] — Līlā-avatāra
- [[wiki/articles/lord-ramacandra|Lord Rāmacandra]] — Līlā-avatāra
- [[wiki/articles/lord-kapila|Lord Kapila]] — Śaktyāveśa-avatāra
- [[wiki/articles/lord-vamana|Lord Vāmana]] — Līlā-avatāra and manvantara-avatāra
- [[wiki/articles/the-mercy-of-lord-caitanya|The mercy of Lord Caitanya]] — Yuga-avatāra of Kali-yuga
## From the Index
- [[index/meta/incarnations|Incarnations]] — Complete list of avatāras
- [[index/entries/purusa-avataras|Puruṣa-avatāras]] — The three Viṣṇus
- [[index/entries/guna-avataras|Guṇa-avatāras]] — Controllers of the modes
- [[index/entries/yuga-avataras|Yuga-avatāras]] — Incarnations for each age
- [[index/entries/avatara|Avatāra]] — Divine descent