Tattva-viveka
shaktyavesa avatars?
Guru-nistha Das - November 3, 2006 2:53 am
I was reading someting about shaktyavesa avatars today and started wondering, why aren't all pure devotees considered saktyavesa avatars, because they also are empowered by God's shakti (svarupshakti)?
Madangopal - November 3, 2006 3:52 am
I don't think there is any harm in referring to any pure devotee as shaktyavesa, but generally those who are noted in scripture as saktyavesa are manifesting a great amount of a particular shakti, quality, potency of the lord, and are thus named shaktyavesa. They are manifesting such a degree of that potency of the Lord that they practically become identified with it. I'm trying to remember examples that Prabhupada gives of saktyavesa avataras... Like Prthu Maharaj was a jiva, not bhagavan, but he exemplified perfect leadership. Or we can say Prabhupada was appreciated as manifesting a particular potency, he accomplished so much preaching, it would almost demand that God had to be behind him. Therefore he is named by people (Sridhar Maharaj), and appreciated as nityanandavesa or shaktyavesa for his ability through surrender to harness the energy of the Lord and to accomplish great things.
In your way of thinking about it I would say that everyone's guru is a saktyavesa avatar in their eyes, because guru has harnessed the energy of the lord enough to penetrate our hearts. He is so kind 
Guru-nistha Das - November 3, 2006 4:08 am
Thanks for the reply, Madan!
Also, I've sometimes heard that shaktyavesa avatars get the empowerment for some particular mission or so, so could that be a reason for not calling the pure devotees shaktyavesas, because the shakti doesn't come down for a specific purpose?