When an Avatar takes birth, can he or she again accumulate karma? If yes, can they again fall into cycle of birth and death? If there are souls which are not bound to take rebirth, and take birth on Earth out of compassion, can we categorize them as Avatars? Can Avatars be coming from other planetary systems to earth?
—APS, India
Dear Friend,
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My other questions on this topic are, when an Avatar takes birth, can he or she again accumulate karma? No.
If yes, can they again fall into cycle of birth and death? No. In both questions, the avatar is one who is freed from all karma and can never ‘fall’ again.
If there are souls which are not bound to take rebirth, and take birth on Earth out of compassion, can we categorize them as Avatars? Yes, in general. Let me clarify, however. Not taking rebirth in physical, human form is technically only freedom from karma that requires physical form. There is also astral and causal karma. So the path of ascension contains multiple stages. Would one free of karma for physical rebirth decide out of compassion to take birth again even if not yet completely liberation? Possible, i suppose, esp if drawn back by the love and pure desire to help others. Yogananda only spoke, however, of the stage of jivan mukta: one established in nirbiklalpa samadhi and free but who still has past karma to be released. Such a one might take rebirth to help others with whom connected spiritually.
Can avatars be coming from other planetary systems to earth? Yes, why not?
Blessings to you this new year!
Nayaswami Hriman
