The term "Avatāra" translates to "Descent", denoting God’s purposeful manifestation on Earth. This could lead some to believe that only select beings represent God’s presence. However, throughout the Gitā, the Lord emphasizes that He is the very essence or soul of every living entity (as seen in 10:20; 15:7). Therefore, in a general sense, every birth can be seen as an Avatāra, a divine descent into the material world.

Yet, the Divine Descent discussed in these verses is distinct. Unlike the typical incarnations of life, these special manifestations of God aren’t ensnared by His Māyā or Illusory Force. In these forms, God retains a full consciousness of His divine identity, embodying all the powers and capacities of the Supreme Being. While He may in, while in a human form, sometimes reveal His divine abilities, He often chooses to engage in the world as any other human would. In contrast, ordinary beings, despite being fragments of the divine, are veiled by Māyā, making them oblivious to their inherent divinity and the encompassing grandeur of God.