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Almost all incarnations from popular stories I know are either Brahmins or Kshatriyas.

Are there any documented examples in any of the texts which refer to a non-Brahmin or non-Kshatriyas incarnation in castes like Vaishyas/Shudras, or Mlecchas even?

If no, why would that be the case?

Edit: My context of asking this question is avatars like Vishnu who are born for generally doing good, and not because someone cursed them to take a birth on earth.

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    Do you want human incarnations only?
    – hanugm
    Jul 26, 2020 at 7:12
  • Q.3 in my question here is your current question.
    – Rickross
    Jul 26, 2020 at 7:20
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    Does this answer your question? Were all human avataras of God Kshatriya or Brahmin? Jul 27, 2020 at 0:09
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    Your question makes no mention of "forcible" or "willing" you need to explain what those terms mean directly in the question. Also explain why your question is not a duplicate of the other to prevent closure. Jul 27, 2020 at 16:42
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    "My context of asking this question is avatars like Vishnu who are born for generally doing good, and not because someone cursed them to take a birth on earth."-- your context is wrong..Vishnu avatars r also related to curse or boons..for instance see hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/24506/…
    – YDS
    Jul 28, 2020 at 11:54

2 Answers 2

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Yes. Vitobha, considered to be a svarup of Lord Vishnu himself by Warkaris and Haridasa, sects based out of Maharashtra and Karnataka, can be considered to be non-brahmin and non-kshatriya form. Some traditions have Vithobha as a form of Shiva.

From the Wikipedia entry

Other legends describe Vithoba coming to the rescue of his devotees in the form of a commoner, an outcast Mahar "untouchable" or a Brahmin beggar. Mahipati, in his work Pandurangastrotra, narrates how Vithoba helped female saints like Janabai in their daily chores, such as sweeping the house and pounding the rice.[103] He narrates how Vithoba came to the aid of Sena the barber. The king of Bidar had ordered Sena to be arrested for not coming to the palace despite royal orders. As Sena was engrossed in his prayers to Vithoba, Vithoba went to the palace in the form of Sena to serve the king, and Sena was saved.[104] Another tale deals with a saint, Damaji, the keeper of the royal grain store, who distributed grain to the people in famine. Vithoba came as an outcaste with a bag of gold to pay for the grain.[105] Yet another story narrates how Vithoba resurrected the child of Gora Kumbhar (potter), who had been trampled into the clay by Gora while singing the name of Vithoba

P.S. While Wikipedia is not considered a valid source, I have only cited that section of wikipedia which has reference to the primary text

EDIT1

As Wikipedia entry says , the above events are mentioned in Paduranga stotra by Mahipati. Scanned images ( in marathi) can be found here

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    Can you mention the sources cited by Wikipedia here as explained here? Thanks
    – Pandya
    Jul 27, 2020 at 8:13
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Lord Dharma's incarnation Vidura was born in the the Sudra order:

And there was a Rishi of the name of Animandavya of great fame. And he was conversant with the interpretations of the Vedas, was illustrious, gifted with great energy, and of great reputation. And, accused of theft, though innocent, the old Rishi was impaled. He thereupon summoned Dharma and told him these words, 'In my childhood I had pierced a little fly on a blade of grass, O Dharma! I recollect that one sin: but I cannot call to mind any other. I have, however, since practised penances a thousandfold. Hath not that one sin been conquered by this my asceticism? And because the killing of a Brahmana is more heinous than that of any other living thing, therefore, hast thou, O Dharma, been sinful. Thou shalt, therefore, be born on earth in the Sudra order.' And for that curse Dharma was born a Sudra in the form of the learned Vidura of pure body who was perfectly sinless. ~Mahabharata: Adivansavatarana Parva


Another instances can be found in Who was the King Rantideva? post where Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva took forms of Brahmana, Sudra and Chandala to test king Rantideva.

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  • This is an example of a "forced" avatar. Are there any "willing" avatars? Jul 27, 2020 at 5:04
  • what is "willing" avtar? all avtars have many curses/boons associated with them..anyway updated answer, may be you find them as "willing" avtar..
    – YDS
    Jul 27, 2020 at 6:21

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