The Concept of Avatar

Definition: An incarnation of God descended to earth to restore righteousness and defeat evil.

Nature

• Mainly associated with God seen as Vishnu of whom there are said to be 10 avatars.
• Matsya: The fish-avatar who saved Manu
• Kurma: The tortoise-avatar who helped in the Samudra manthan 
• Varaha: The boar-avatar who rescued the earth from the ocean
• Narasimha: The half man-half lion avatar who killed the tyrant demon-king
• Vamana: The dwarf-avatar who subdued the king Maha Bali
• Parashurama: The sage with the axe who killed the thousand-armed king Kartavirya Arjuna
• Rama: The king of Ayodhya, and the hero of the Ramayana
• Krishna: The king of Dwarka 
• Gautama Buddha
• Kalki: 'Eternity'…