16 kalaas of an avataara

[Guest guest]

I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me by identifying a

traditional source for the following information on the 16 kalaas of an

avatara which I came across at

http://webonautics.com/mythology/avataar_kalki2.html .

The author of this website told me that he based his information on 'the

notes taken by me when I had attended one of the Pravachanas (a religious

gathering where a guru narrates a particular purana)’ - but he couldn't tell

me which purana.

Has anyone come across this, or any similar references to the kalaas of an

avatara?

 

‘It is believed that a Poornavatar or an Incarnation with full potency has

sixteen ‘KALAAS’ or phases. Five of these he shares with human beings and

other animals - the five doors of perception - sight, hearing, smell, taste

and touch. And other four he shares with human beings - mind, heart,

intelligence and the ‘TURYAVASTHA’ or transcendence of intuitive experience.

The seven phases that follow are characteristic of a ‘POORNAVATAR’, an

integral or all-inclusive avatar: -Grace or reward for effort that fails to

be rewarded though it has come from the deserving; -’ANUGRAHA’ or special

Grace whether the recipient merits it or not; -The power to create a new

order of life in society, new status of consciousness in individual or new

objects; -Power to support and sustain what is inherently good, which may

happen to be defenceless; -The power to destroy what is evil; -The

assumption of a form which, whenever it is recalled mentally or in the

presence of the Avatar himself, affording a solution to the problem that

beholder has in mind; and -The assumption of a ‘name’, which has a similar

potency'.

 

Thanks,

MJS.

[Guest guest]

achintya, "Michael Spurr" <spurreb@f...> wrote:

> I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me by identifying a

> traditional source for the following information on the 16 kalaas

of an

> avatara which I came across at

> http://webonautics.com/mythology/avataar_kalki2.html .

 

Offhand, I don't know the source. But you might consider trying _The

Puraanic Encyclopedia_ by Vettam Mani. It contains many terms,

places, and people listed alphabetically, followed by scriptural

references as to where information about those entries can be found.

Probably looking up "kalaa" will get you the info you require. I

would just look it up in my own copy, but it's packed up and won't be

ready to unpach for at least a couple of weeks.

 

- K

[Guest guest]

I found the following information at the website http://www.urday.com/krishna.htm

ys

Gerald

LORD SHRI KRISHNA

Lord Shri Krishna is regarded as complete incarnation of God., full of sixteen

Kalas. All the other incarnations that occurred before him were not complete in

themselves. Even Maryada Purushottama Lord Shri Rama had only twelve Kalas.

THE SIXTEEN KALAS

Five Kalas like 1) Anna Maya (with cereals), 2) Pranamaya (with breath), 3) Mano

Maya (with mind), 4) Vigyanamaya (with knowledge) and 5) Anandamaya (with joy)

are present in every human being. With little effort, humans can perfect in

three more kalas - 6) Atishayini, 7) Viparinabhimi and 8) Sankramini. The other

remaining eight Kalas are 9) Prabhvi. 10) Kunthini, 11) Vikasini, 12) Maryadini,

16) Sanhaladini, 14) Ahladini,1 5) Paripurna and 16) Swarupavasthit :

Anybody who has the ninth Kala besides the first five natural Kalas and next

three perfected Kalas, becomes the god. As per scriptures, the ninth kalas

Prabhvi means : KARTUM AKARTUM, that is able to do seemingly impossible tasks.

Lord Narasinh is an example of this ninth Kala. Lord Narasinh has an altogether

different appearance. He had a body of human and head of a lion. He appeared

from a stone pillar that demon Hiranyakashipu had broken with a blow of his

mace. It is not possible for an ordinary human being, only a God, having the

ninth Kala Prabhvi, can do this. Among all these incarnations, only Lord

Krishna is full of all the sixteen Kalas.

[Guest guest]

achintya, Mrgerald@a... wrote: (quoted from

outside website)

>

> Lord Shri Krishna is regarded as complete incarnation of God., full

of

> sixteen Kalas. All the other incarnations that occurred before him

were not complete

> in themselves. Even Maryada Purushottama Lord Shri Rama had only

twelve Kalas.

>

 

I disagree with the wording of the above. Statements like this are

likely to spread misunderstanding.

 

All of the Lord's avataaras are complete in every way, but only in

Krishna are all of 64 cardinal qualities expressed, while in other

avataaras a smaller fractions of these qualities are expressed. The

other avataaras are still complete - they could express all the

qualities (but then They would appear as Krishna). However, the fact

that They do not express some qualities does not make them

incomplete, it just means they don't express some qualities.

 

 

> THE SIXTEEN KALAS

>

> Five Kalas like 1) Anna Maya (with cereals),

 

Ummm, with "cereals?" Would that be, like, for example Corn Flakes?

:-)

 

- K