Universalizing the concept of Avatarhood: Sri Aurobindo’s discourse in comparing Krishna, Christ, and Buddha

This paper aims at exploring how and why Sri Aurobindo compares the three Avatars namely Krishna, Christ, and Buddha in his Essays on the Gita, which is one of his major works. It is a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. Sri Aurobindo expounds his philosophy of Integral Yoga in these essays by applying it to interpret the Gita.  Sri Aurobindo highlights the higher purpose of an Avatar which is the manifestation of Divine nature in human nature. This conception is beyond the generally perceived cause of preserving Dharma or fighting evil in humanity.  Sri Aurobindo focuses on the two aspects of an Avatar: the descent of the Divine into human form and the divine consciousness within the human form. In describing both these aspects Sri Aurobindo draws a comparison among Krishna, Christ, and Buddha.&nbsp