A man when ascended to the Godhood is called “enlightened,” or “self-realized” person, and sometimes with much appreciation of the disciples cum devotees, that person is also called an “avatar.”

But the real meaning of “avatara” is not ascension but the descension. As it says: “av means ‘down’ or ‘descent,’ and tri means ‘to pass.’” It means when the divine takes the human form it is called an “avatar.” With this sense everyone is an avatar, as each one comes from the God and is part of the God, it is true in this sense. But the social connotations are not this, they only refer to the enlightened beings such as Rama, Krishna, Jesus, Buddha, Mahavatar Babaji and other masters.

However, the meaning of avatar is much more of the beyond. It means a Godhood which has the control over life and death, on the human body and whenever necessary he can materialize himself in the human body and dematerialize also when the need is fulfilled.