Mata Amritanandamayi was once asked whether it was possible for several avatars (divine incarnations) to be present at the same time. The Divine Mother replied by saying: "Yes, son. It can happen.

We can understand this by looking at Parsurama, Sri Rama and Sita, Balabhadra, Sri Krishna and Rukmini. There is no such law that only one incarnation can take place at a particular time and place. Those are all misconceptions."

How do we distinguish a genuine avatar? The Mother's response was characteristically succinct: "Even today, Rama, Krishna and Buddha could come back and it is happening - but people don't have eyes to see. If you look for Rama with a bow and arrow, or Krishna with a flute and a peacock feather, you are bound to be disappointed. No, you won't find them in this world if you expect them to have the same bodies as before, or to dress in the same way as they once did, or if you expect their play on earth to be the same as it once was. Search for them where there is divine love, where everyone is loved equally and unconditionally and there is boundless compassion, where there is great humility and self-sacrifice. Wherever you come across those qualities, that is where Rama and Krishna dwell."

    Living Masters like Mata Amritanandamayi, Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Sadguru Murali Krishna Swamigal are manifestations of the Supreme Self in human form; Sri Ramana Maharishi was once asked if the guru looked after only the spiritual life of the aspirant or did he also look after the aspirant's worldly life?

The Maharishi emphatically declared that the guru looked after both. What are expected of the seeker are complete faith, devotion and surrender.