Kṛṣṇa can appear in any way. He is all-powerful. So when He appears just like a stone statue, that does not mean Kṛṣṇa is stone or statue. Kṛṣṇa is the same Kṛṣṇa, but He appears before me just like stone statue because I cannot touch anything beyond this stone. I cannot see beyond this stone. So it is His mercy. Therefore it is called arcā-avatāra, incarnation of worshipable Deity. So we should never think that "Kṛṣṇa is not seeing. If I commit some offense, or..., Kṛṣṇa is in Vaikuṇṭha. Here I can do whatever I like." (laughter) Don't do that. That is a great offense. Therefore there are... We should always think, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is here." We should be respectful just exactly as Kṛṣṇa is here. Don't make differentiation, that "This Kṛṣṇa is stone statue."
Avatara (SB Lectures)
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Kṛṣṇa is not limited. It is not material. You can associate with Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master in any circumstance, provided you want two things. Just like we can associate with Kṛṣṇa immediately if we take Bhagavad-gītā as it is. He is not different from Bhagavad-gītā. Nāma-rūpe kali-kāle kṛṣṇa-avatāra. Kṛṣṇa is incarnated in His name in this age. You associate with Kṛṣṇa's name, immediately associate with Kṛṣṇa.
Lord Kṛṣṇa has plenary expansions in many, many forms, beginning with rāmādi, Lord Rāmacandra and Paraśurāma and Balarāma. There are three Rāmas and matsya-avatāra, kūrma-avatāra, vāmana-avatāra, kalki-avatāra, many. Some of them are mentioned in the Bhāgavatam. So the original person is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yaḥ. T
If you want peace, then you try to understand these three principles of life. What is that? That Kṛṣṇa is the supreme enjoyer. No one else. All servants. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa āra saba bhṛtya (CC Adi 5.142). Everyone is servant. Not that "Oh, everyone is equal to Kṛṣṇa." That has become a cheap business. So many kṛṣṇa-avatāras and so many demigods, they are counted as good as Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7), "There is no more superior authority than Me."
The Lord's holy name is as powerful as the Lord Himself. Na 'bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ. This is the sastric injunction. There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa name and the Kṛṣṇa person. Because Kṛṣṇa is absolute. Advaya-tattva. Advaya-jñāna. So He has descended in this age, kali rūpe, kali yuge nāma rūpe kṛṣṇa-avatāra. This nāma, Hare Kṛṣṇa, is the sound incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Don't think it is ordinary sound. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa has appeared now as devotee. So you must help Him how He can become a best devotee. Not that pose Him into Kṛṣṇa position. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu came in Vṛndāvana, so many people called Him, "You are Kṛṣṇa. You are Viṣṇu." He was doing this, "Don't say like this, don't say like this," to warn future generation who would like to become Kṛṣṇa's avatāra, so-called avatāra.
It is not a sentimental movement. It is scientific movement. Mumukṣavo ghora-rūpān. We are therefore restricting not to worship any other. Therefore when I started this mission many friends advised me "Why don't you make it 'God consciousness'?" This is bogus, God consciousness. "Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Otherwise, they'll put so many gods. "Here is another god, here is another god, here is another god, here is another god, here is another incarnation, here is another avatāra," all nonsense. Place actual who is God. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).
We follow the great authorities-Vyāsadeva. We follow Nārada, Asita, Vyāsa. Because that is the only way to understand. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. You cannot understand His incarnation. You have to follow the footprints. Then you'll understand who is avatāra. Otherwise, instead of Kṛṣṇa, you will accept another demi-kṛṣṇa. Somebody will say, "I was Kṛṣṇa." "Oh, he's avatāra." And what is the proof that he was Kṛṣṇa? Why you are so fool?
So in the previous verses all the incarnations of God, they have been given there—father's name, mother's name. Kṛṣṇa avatāra also, His father's name, mother's name is there. But here Narasiṁha, there is no name of the father and mother. This verse is peculiar that there is no names. Why? Because this Narasiṁha incarnation came out of a column. Hiraṇyakaśipu was so angry talking with his son. He saw that his son is very strongly Kṛṣṇa conscious; he could not induce him to forget Kṛṣṇa. So he was very angry. So he was ready to kill him with his sword. At that time Prahlāda Mahārāja, the little boy, five years old, he was just looking at the column in the hall. So his father marked it and immediately asked, "Do you think your God is there in the column?" He said, "Yes, my father." Immediately he broke the column, and Nṛsiṁha came out.
So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). To kill the miscreants and to protect the devotees, He descends. That is avatāra. They have two business. Not that avatāra means keeping some long beard or having an artificial helmet. Rascals may be allured by them, but those who are sensible, who have got sense, they will see with reference to the śāstra, the avatāra.
We are reading so many avatāras. The activity of that particular avatāra is also mentioned, that "This avatāra will, incarnation will appear accepting such and such person as father and mother, and His activities will be like this." So how any rascal can come out and say, "I am the avatāra, I am the incarnation"? So that some other rascals may believe, but those who have sense, they will not accept.
So these words are significant. Bhaviṣyati. Bhaviṣyati means "in future He will appear." Other avatāras, just like Lord Rāmacandra, Kṛṣṇa, They have been described that "He appeared for doing this work." Similarly, in future also, who will appear, that is also listed. So no pseudo incarnation can come in, because past, present, future, everything is described there. Bhaviṣyati. This Bhāgavata-grantha, śāstra, was written five thousand years ago. Now five thousand years ago there was no Buddha. But in future He will come, and that is mentioned here: bhaviṣyati. Not only Buddha's name only, but His mother's name and the place where He would appear. This is called śāstra. No speculation. Fact. Either past, present, or future, it doesn't matter. Tri-kāla-jña.
The more you deny existence of God and become a so-called rascal scientist, then you are advanced. This is the position. So this position will degrade so much after, say, 400,000's of years, gradually degrading, that at time, Kṛṣṇa will come in His incarnation as Kalki. At that time the Kalki's business will be simply to kill. That's all. No more. No more preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply kill them. That is Kalki avatāra. That Kalki avatāra is given the father's name. This is called śāstra. This is called scripture. Four hundred thousand's after, 400,000's of years after, Kalki will come. Now, His father's name is given there. Just like Lord Buddha's mother's name is there. So you cannot imitate that "I am Kalki avatāra." You have to give evidence, what is your father's name. Just see. This is called śāstra. Any rascal comes, "Oh, I am Kṛṣṇa. I am this avatāra and that avatāra," but where is the evidence from the śāstra? We cannot accept.
We should not be misled that "Here is another avatāra, here is another avatāra, here is... So many avatāras." No. So this is called śāstra: what will happen after 400,000's of years, that is mentioned. Future. Just like Lord Buddha's name was there. Bhaviṣyati yuga-sandhyāyām. Bhaviṣyati. Bhaviṣyati means "He will come." He was not visible. This is śāstra. Śāstra means tri-kāla-jña.
This is śāstra. Śāstra means tri-kāla-jña. The writer of śāstra should be a full cognizant of past, present, and future. That is called unmistakable. Past, present, and future. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "I know past, present, and future."
So that is God or God's scripture. Past, present, and future. This Bhāgavata was written by God Himself, Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. That we have described, eleventh or some avatāra. So the Kalki will appear. The śāstra is giving indication that after such and such year.
So this saṅkīrtana movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, is also incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Nāma-rūpe avatāra. Kṛṣṇa can become incarnation in sound form also. Not even a physical form. Physical form also there; everything is there. But especially this age, Kṛṣṇa is incarnated in His name. The name of Kṛṣṇa is not different from Kṛṣṇa. So nāma-rūpe kṛṣṇa-avatāra. So Kṛṣṇa is already there. The whole world is now demonic, anti govern..., anti-God, anti-matter or anti-God now. So the incarnation has already come. Those who will take shelter of this incarnation of Kṛṣṇa's name, they will be never annihilated. Take it for granted. Yes. So incarnation. Kṛṣṇa's name and Kṛṣṇa, no difference. That is omnipotency. Omnipotency. Omnipotency means everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy. So the same potency in the energy and the energetic. This is omnipotency. God is omnipotent; He can give you protection when you take shelter of His name. Because His name is nondifferent from Him.
When some incarnation comes, He's expansion of the person, not that He accepts this material body. Ete ca aṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ. The, all the descriptions of the incarnations have been given before this verse. So therefore, it is concluding that "All these incarnations, they are expansion of the spiritual body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Not that the Absolute Truth is imperson, and He, He's accepting a form with material body. No. That is not. That is not. Just like here, Deity. He is also expansion, arcā-vigraha. Arcā-avatāra. Don't think that it is made of stone or metal. It is expansion of Kṛṣṇa. You want to worship. Kṛṣṇa has expanded Himself to come here to accept your service. Don't think it is made of stone.
Kṛṣṇa comes to convince us. There is no question of imagination. "See Me. Here I am." That is Kṛṣṇa. Why you are imagining? Kṛṣṇa therefore comes. Here it is said, tathāyaṁ ca avatāras te bhuvo bhāra-jihīrṣayā. Avatāra does not mean a big beard or big hair. We do not like to see such ugly avatāra. We kick on their face, this avatāra. This is not avatāra. Avatāra must be mentioned in the śāstra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was talking with Sanātana Gosvāmī, so Caitanya Mahāprabhu described about avatāra. So just to make a little joke, because they are personal devotees... So he knew that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the avatāra. Still, he inquired from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "How we shall know one avatāra?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Why? It is all mentioned in the śāstra." So avatāra should be understood from the śāstra, not by jugglery or magic. This is rascal. As soon as one wants to establish his avatarship by jugglery and magic, kick him out, immediately on the face, directly. Kick him. Let the avatāra take steps. I don't mind. If he's avatāra, let him kill me, all right. But I shall kick him on his face. Not that avatāra.
An avatāra comes to do some particular work. Just like Lord Rāmacandra came to punish Rāvaṇa. That is avatāra. And there are many avatāras, they are mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: Matsya-avatāra, Vāmana-avatāra, Kūrma-avatāra, and Varāha-avatāra, Vāmana-avatāra, Nṛsiṁha-avatāra, and Paraśurāma-avatāra, Balarāma-avatāra, Buddha-avatāra. Buddha is also avatāra. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. We do not agree with Buddha philosophy. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, veda nā māniyā bauddha haya ta' nāstika. Buddha philosophy is atheism: "There is no God." He says "There is no God." So that is atheism. And especially... That there is no God, there is God—that is not the point. His point was to stop the animal-killing. Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. Kṛṣṇa became very, very, sympathetic with the poor animals. "Oh, in the name of yajña, these rascals, rogues, are killing so many animals." Therefore He came as Buddha-avatāra. Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. So Vaiṣṇava knows that "Here is Lord Buddha. He's Kṛṣṇa's avatāra,"
So don't take it very lightly. Take it seriously. Take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa has come, avatāra, and His instruction should be followed. Then we'll be happy. Everything is there in Kṛṣṇa's instruction for our benefit. But because we are rascals, mūḍha, duṣkṛtina, narādhama, we have no knowledge, we refuse to accept. This is our qualification.
Actually, sometimes it is said that Kṛṣṇa is the incarnation of Viṣṇu, but actually Viṣṇu is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2), that is said in the Bhagavad-gītā. Viṣṇu also one of the devas, first, principle devas. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. Brahmā, Lord Viṣṇu, and Lord Śiva. Guṇāvatāra. Viṣṇu expanding Himself in three avatāras. Sattva-guṇa He takes charge Himself, sattva-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa it is given to Brahmā in charge, and tamo-guṇa is given to the Lord Śiva. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya. Sṛṣṭi, creation, is done by Brahmā, rajo-guṇa; and sthiti, maintenance, is done by Viṣṇu; and destruction is done by Lord Śiva, tamo-guṇa. He is not tamo-guṇa. In charge of tamo-guṇa. Just like somebody becomes superintendent of jail. It does not mean that the superintendent is also one of the prisoners. No. He's in charge of the jail department. Similarly, Lord Śiva, He's not in tamo-guṇa. He's transcendental. He is almost Viṣṇu. He's neither ordinary human being. Lord Śiva is in between viṣṇu-tattva and jīva-tattva. So how he can be in the tamo-guṇa? Nobody is... They are all transcendental. Especially Lord Viṣṇu.
So every viṣṇu-tattva is controller. There is no doubt. And they have got equal power. Not that Lord Rāmacandra is less powerful than Kṛṣṇa. No. They have equal power. The example is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā. Dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya (Bs. 5.46). Just like one candle. You ignite another candle, you ignite another, another, another. But all these candles, they are equally powerful. Although you can say, "This is first candle, this is second candle, this is third candle..." Similarly, viṣṇu-tattva, everyone is equally powerful. Although Kṛṣṇa is first, Balarāma is second, Saṅkarṣaṇa is third, like that. But do not think They are less powerful. No. Viṣṇu-tattva means They are equally powerful. Svāṁśa. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Kalā. Rāma is expansion of Viṣṇu, but it is not that Rāma is less powerful than Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is less powerful. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu (Bs. 5.39). There are so many avatāras. Kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yaḥ. But Kṛṣṇa is the paramaḥ pumān, the Supreme Being, the Supreme Person. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Everywhere. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). This is the conclusion of the śāstras.
The rascal thinks like that. "Because Kṛṣṇa has come, descended, avatāra, so I am also avatāra." This rascaldom is going on. So here it is said: na veda kaścid bhagavaṁś cikīrṣitam. "Nobody knows what is the purpose of Your appearance and disappearance. Nobody knows." So tava, tava īhamānasya nṛṇāṁ viḍambanam. It is bewildering. Nobody can understand what is the real purpose. The real purpose is His free will. "Let Me go and see." He doesn't require to come to kill the demons. There are so many agents that if there is a strong wind, thousands of demons can be killed in a moment. So Kṛṣṇa does not require to come to kill the demons. And He does not require also to come to give protection to the devotee. By His simply will, everything is there. But He takes a pleasure pastime, "Let Me go and see."
So we should remember this. That if you can keep yourself always in company with Kṛṣṇa, then all perfection is there. Yatra yogeśvaro hariḥ. All perfection is there. And Kṛṣṇa has agreed especially in this age. Nāma-rūpe kali-kāle kṛṣṇa-avatāra, Kṛṣṇa has incarnated in this age as the holy name. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that: "My dear Lord, You are so kind that You are giving Me Your association by, in the form of Your holy name." Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. "And this holy name can be chanted in any situation. There is no hard and fast rule." You can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa anywhere.
So five thousand years ago Kṛṣṇa came to kill some of the demons. Not all of them were demons. But next time, when Kṛṣṇa will come, it will be only demons. Only demons. Kalki avatāra. What is that stotra? Keśava dhṛta-kalki-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. So at that time Kṛṣṇa will not preach Bhagavad-gītā. Kalki avatāra will simply come to cut the throat only. That will be the preaching. That will be preaching.
So at the present moment, the actually it is overburdened by the material activities. So Kṛṣṇa has descended already. Kṛṣṇa has descended already. Nāma-rūpe kali-kāle kṛṣṇa avatāra. Kṛṣṇa has taken His incarnation in the form of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. So if people take to it, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the present situation of the world can be favorable for our living, and atmosphere will change. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for this purpose, to give people relief from all these burdens so that they can peacefully live, understand the value of life, and become spiritualized so they live peacefully in this life and go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the mission of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
So you have to accept. Kṛṣṇa says, very frankly says, "Surrender unto Me, I give you anapavarga." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66), "I shall give you protection." So He is the power for this purpose, and govindam... Govinda means He is the giver of pleasure to the cows and to the senses. Govinda. Govinda, go-dvija-sura-arti-hara-avatāra. Avatāra means incarnation. Govinda, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
Actually, Kṛṣṇa is the only friend, and He is sitting in everyone's heart. He is so nice friend that He is simply trying to induce us to turn our faith towards Kṛṣṇa. He is coming as avatāra, incarnation. He is giving us advice from within. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He's such a nice friend. Although we have left Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa has not left us. Here He is living with Me within my heart to give me advice, "Please come back."
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to understand that Adhokṣaja, and that is the bhāgavata-dharma. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). Not to become a rascal, that "Here is the avatāra of Kṛṣṇa. Let us go and see." One who can see Kṛṣṇa, he can see Kṛṣṇa everywhere, he can see Kṛṣṇa here. Why one should go to a rascal, another rascal? No, that is not. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is Adhokṣaja. There are so many things to be learned. Everything is there in the authoritative scripture. If we take advantage of these books—we are taking so much labor to present—you can understand this science of Kṛṣṇa very perfectly, and your life becomes successful.
This is the process of yajña in this age. What is that? Now, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā akṛṣṇam. The God's incarnation, that is incarnation, not a manufactured incarnation. There must be reference to the śāstra. So what is the incarnation? Pracchanna-avatāra. In this Kali-yuga the incarnation is Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is stated in the śāstra, kṛṣṇa-varṇam, kṛṣṇa
varṇayati: "He is simply chanting 'Kṛṣṇa,' although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself." Kṛṣṇam-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam. Therefore He has hidden Himself. His bodily color is more Kṛṣṇa, but golden.
That is Lord Caitanya. Therefore tviṣā akṛṣṇa: "Bodily complexion, not kṛṣṇa." Such Kṛṣṇa, chanting Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam (SB 11.5.32). Followed by many devotees, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. At least followed by Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Gadādhara Prabhu, like that. So this is the description of the incarnation of God in Kali-yuga. Pracchanna-avatāra. There is another avatāra, Kalki.
And Kṛṣṇa comes to mitigate. Dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. Kṛtāvatārasya harer dharitri. This is the purpose of avatāra. Avatāra, this word is very significant. The tara, tara means movement; and ava, ava means down. Just like avanati. So avatāra. Kṛṣṇa lives in the spiritual sky, beyond this material sky, very high, and Kṛṣṇa-loka, the planet of Kṛṣṇa, is the topmost planet in the spiritual world. That is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya (Bs. 5.43). The topmost planet is Goloka, Goloka Vṛndāvana planet. You have seen the picture. It is lotuslike. So goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni: "That is His personal abode."
The three-fourths creation is the spiritual world, and in that spiritual world, the topmost planet is called Goloka Vṛndāvana. That is the place of Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa comes down from there; therefore, avatāra: "comes down." Therefore He's called avatāra. Or any Viṣṇu incarnation who comes down, they come down from the higher planetary system. Therefore it is called avatāra. Incarnation means avatāra who comes down from higher position.
So Kṛṣṇa comes, His avatāra comes, His incarnation, to... Because we are very thickly, intimately, related, we are sons, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore He... Just like your father is always anxious to see you happy. If you are doing something wrong, he's more anxious than yourself. He knows that you are... A child is going to capture fire. The father, parents says, "No, my dear child, don't touch it. It is harmful." That is the duty, natural. So this, in this material world, we have come here, we are sons of God, part and parcel of God, and doing all nonsense. So Kṛṣṇa is not happy; therefore He comes, avatāra, avatāra. He comes, "My dear child, why you are doing this?" And He advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "Give up all this nonsense business. Come to Me. I shall give you protection."
That is Kṛṣṇa avatāra. Kali-yuge nāma-rūpe avatāra. So don't think that Kṛṣṇa, this vibration Kṛṣṇa, is different from that Kṛṣṇa. The same Kṛṣṇa. The same Kṛṣṇa. If you say that "Why has not come to kill the demons?" that is His great sympathy, mercy, that you are already killed. You see? What another killing? So we are already dead. Therefore we are so fallen that it does not require any more killing. Mercifulness. You see? The demons... Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, merciful. Pāpī tāpī jata chilo hari-nāme uddhārilo. All the demons, full of sinful activities, they are to be delivered by this weapon, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, killing is going on.
So at the present moment in the Kali, Kali-yuga, they are, practically they're all demons. All demons. So if Kṛṣṇa... Of course, sometimes it will come that Kṛṣṇa has to come here simply to kill the demons. That is Kalki avatāra. That is described by Jayadeva Gosvāmī. What is that? Keśava dhṛta-kalki-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare.
To understand Kṛṣṇa is not easy job. But Kṛṣṇa in the form of Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so compassionate, not only He's giving Himself, Kṛṣṇa, but He's giving kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's avatāra. Dayā. Mahā-vadānyāvatāra. So whatever Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going forward, it is due to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's magnanimous compassion for the poor people suffering in this Kali-yuga.
So we have to learn from the śāstra that Kṛṣṇa is the origin, Bhagavān. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). All the viṣṇu-tattvas, all the incarnations, they are plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa, and... Or expansion of the expansion. Thousands and thousands. Millions. Just like there are waves in the ocean and the river, similarly there are incarnations, many thousands. Śaktyāveśa-avatāra, guṇa-avatāra, svayam avatāra... Many avatāras. They are described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So all these avatāras are svacchandātmā.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu, therefore, said, "No, no, it is all right, but it is very difficult now." He is practical. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the...Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). He is studied by Rūpa Gosvāmī as the most munificent avatāra, incarnation. There are many incarnation, but He's the most munificent, vadānya, the supreme charitable. Why? Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te. He is distributing love of Kṛṣṇa like anything.
In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a list of different avatāras, and the conclusion... Lord Buddha's also name is there. Kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati, sura-dviṣām. So Lord Buddha's name is there, and Jayadeva has also given his poem Daśa-vidha, Daśāvatāra-stotra. In that Daśāvatāra also, Lord Buddha's name is there: keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. So Vaiṣṇavas, they know, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, how many avatāras are there. They do not accept therefore any bogus avatāra. Some rascal will say that "I am avatāra." The Vaiṣṇava will not accept. Tasmāt śāstra-vidhānoktam. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that śāstra-vidhānoktam, kāryākārya. We have to accept and reject according to the śāstra, not that any bogus man comes and says that "I am avatāra." That is not acceptable. The Vaiṣṇava will not accept. A foolish man may accept; that is a different thing. So certainly, the Supreme Personality has got many avatāra, but each avatāra has, has been mentioned in the śāstras, different avatāras. So Kapiladeva is avatāra.
There are description in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. It is not possible to describe all the incarnation, how they are being manifest. But they are recorded in Vedic literature and especially in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. We have published our Caitanya-caritāmṛta. You have have reference, Ananta. There are so many different types of incarnation. Manvavatāra, manu-avatāra, there are five lakhs, 400,000..., four hundred. Five lakhs and four hundred manu-avatāra. So in the Bhāgavatam it is stated that the avatāras are constantly coming just like the waves of the ocean or waves of the river. You cannot count them. Only the most important avatāras are counted, and we offer our prayers. Just like Matsya avatāra, Kūrma avatāra, Varāha avatāra, Nṛsiṁha avatāra, Vāmana avatāra, then Paraśurāma avatāra, Lord Rāmacandra avatāra, Balarāma avatāra, Buddha avatāra. Buddha is also one of the incarnation. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. Śrīla Jayadeva Gosvāmī has offered his prayer to the ten avatāra, principal avatāra. Keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare.
Similarly, tortoise avatāra, Kūrma avatāra, Varāha avatāra. Nṛsiṁha-deva:
- tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śṛṅgaṁ
- dalita-hiraṇyakaśipu-tanu-bhṛṅgam
- keśava dhṛta-narahari-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare
Similarly, Vāmana avatāra.
So origin of all these avatāra is the Saṅkarṣaṇa, this Saṅkarṣaṇa. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanam (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa is the ādyam. Purāṇa-puruṣam, the origin. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. All the avatāras... Kṛṣṇa is avatāri, the source of all avatāras. There are ananta, unlimited number of incarnation constantly coming like the waves of the river or the sea, but the original person is Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa says, confirms it that ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "All avatāra, everything, is all emanations from Me." So iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ. So if we simply worship Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa also demands that, mām ekam—then all the avatāras, all the demigods, everything, is worshiped.
By the desire of Kṛṣṇa we are doing different parts, but Kṛṣṇa is the original master, and He is also origin of the Saṅkarṣaṇa. And Saṅkarṣaṇa origin is of the puruṣa-avatāra, Mahā-Viṣṇu. And Mahā-Viṣṇu is the avatāra, is the origin, of these universes. In this way, if you try to find out the original cause, the cause of all causes, then you come to Kṛṣṇa: sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), cause of all causes.
The millions of years ago Kṛṣṇa said, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). That does not mean that the meaning has changed. "Because it has become old, now I can change." The speaker can say that "When Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, so Kṛṣṇa is dead and gone. Now I am incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. You think of me." This is going on. This rascaldom is going on. "Kṛṣṇa is now dead and gone. Now I am avatāra." Then the answer is: "Then you will be dead and gone, then somebody will come."
Kṛṣṇa has got many forms. Every form is Kṛṣṇa's form. That's a fact. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Some of the forms are personal, some of the forms are of His potencies, śakti, but all forms belong to Kṛṣṇa. So some of them are material forms, and whatever differentiation of forms we see in the material world, they are all Kṛṣṇa's form. But in the spiritual world there are also many forms—just like Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma, then Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Nārāyaṇa, and the puruṣa-avatāra. There are many. And there are innumerable planets also. In each and every planet there is one form. And when incarnation comes, one of the forms from Vaikuṇṭha, They come as incarnation.
So Sanātana Gosvāmī was prime minister, very intelligent man. So he had inquired from Caitanya Mahāprabhu that "How we can accept the avatāra?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said, "From the śāstra." And Sanātana Gosvāmī got it confirmed that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was... He stopped, of course. When he inquired that "Shall I accept this personality who is now preaching saṅkīrtana movement and along with His associates, He is the Supreme Lord?" Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Let us go on further. We don't..."
So this is the way, not whimsically accept any rascal as avatāra. No. That is not the process. Or any rascal as God. This rascaldom has killed the whole human society to become atheist. You should be very, very careful of these rascals. As soon as somebody says that "I am God," you shall immediately take him as dog, not God.
Similarly, a mahātmā, he is not well received. He is criticized, insulted, sometimes injured. Still, he wants Just like Lord Jesus Christ. He was so badly treated and still he was thinking, "Father, they do not know what they are doing. Please excuse." This is suhṛdaḥ. He is praying to God This is sādhu, mahātmā. Suhṛdaḥ praśāntā. Not that... In India there are examples like Haridasa Ṭhākura, Prahlāda Mahārāja. And the Western countries also, Lord Jesus Christ, he is śaktyāveśa-avatāra, God's son. And he tolerated so much. These are the examples of mahātmā. Don't misunderstand that we are preaching that mahātmās are only in India. No. By the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead there are mahātmās even amongst the birds, even amongst the beasts, even amongst the lower than animals. Because this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going on in different places, in different circumstances.
Revatīnandana: I have a question. One of my prabhus told me that you once said that your Guru Mahārāja said that Jesus Christ was a śaktyāveśāvatāra. Is that correct?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Because he said it, it must be correct. Muhammad also, śaktyāveśāvatāra. Śaktyāveśāvatāra means a living entity is especially empowered to preach the glories of the Lord. Lord Buddha is also śaktyāveśāvatāra. They are not ordinary human being. They are especially empowered personalities.
Devotee (1): Lord Buddha is not an incarnation?
Prabhupāda: Incarnation. Avatāra means incarnation.
Devotee (1): So that means incarnation also?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Śaktyāveśāvatāra means incarnation with special power.
Don't think that "Kṛṣṇa is not here." Kṛṣṇa is here also. You see, personally, Kṛṣṇa is present here. Don't think that it is not Kṛṣṇa, it is some stone statue. No. He's Kṛṣṇa. But because you cannot see Kṛṣṇa, He's appearing just that you may see. Because you cannot see without stone and wood. Therefore it is called arca-vigraha, arca-avatāra. Arca-avatāra.
It is said in the śāstra that in Satya-yuga there was no sinful men at all. All pious men. Then, in Tretā-yuga, one-fourth sinful and three-fourth's pious. And then, Dvāpara-yuga, half and half. And now, in the Kali-yuga, one-fourth pious and three-fourth's sinful. And that will also gradually diminish. And when everyone will be sinful, then there is no more preaching. There is Kalki avatāra, simply cutting the head. That's all. What is that verse? That Kalki avatāra... Keśava dhṛta-kalki-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare.
And if one is interested for spiritual advancement of life, he will go to some rascal, some avatāra, some yogi, some bluffer, some magician, as spiritual salvation. Mandaḥ manda-matayo. Why they are attracted by these rascals? Manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate. Kṛṣṇa says directly, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). They will not hear Kṛṣṇa. They will hear these rascals, so-called yogis, so-called avatāras, so-called mahātmās.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore recommends this. He recommends, not that He has manufactured. He recommends the shastric injunction: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). So the harer nāma or viṣṇu-nāma or devotional service to Viṣṇu... Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). You should always remember this, because sometimes rascals mislead that "Any name." In Bengal it is very popular. There is a party, they chant kālī-kīrtana. "Kālī, Kālī, Kālī," imitation. Or there are so many so-called avatāras. There was another rascal, he added his wife's name. Yes. And the rascal, foolish scholars also accepted. Yes. "Haro kusuma, haro kusuma, kusuma kusuma, haro," like that. The rascal's name was Haro, and his wife's name was Kusuma, so he made a mantra, "haro kusuma, haro kusuma, kusuma kusuma, haro haro."
So our business is to accept a bona fide spiritual master, being guided by him, to follow the rules and regulations. Then advancement is sure. There is no doubt about it. And if we become hodgepodge and mix with hodgepodge and do hodgepodge, there is no progress. Na siddhim. It is clearly said by Kṛṣṇa, "There is no question of perfection," na sukham, "neither happiness," na parāṁ gatim, "and what to speak of being promoted to the spiritual world? There is no..." Therefore vaidhi-bhakti, as it is enunciated in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Nectar of Devotion, by the Gosvāmīs, we shall try to follow as far as possible. Be sincere and hard-working. Then the success is sure. Not to be bewildered, misled by the so-called avatāra, incarnation. You see? The so-called avatāras, they are simply rascals. Especially in Bengal, every day there is an avatāra.
That annihilation is one of the business of Kṛṣṇa, or God, for this material world. Not in the spiritual world. There is no annihilation. Here it is required. Sometimes, because everyone has come here to lord it over the material nature, so there must be an ultimate situation when it becomes intolerable, and therefore Kṛṣṇa has to annihilate, finish. That is kalki-avatāra.
This is arcanam, worshiping the Deity in the temple, this is called arcanam. The Lord is called arca-vigrahaḥ, arca-avatāra. He is also incarnation. Another incarnation, arca-avatāra. He's giving facility to the devotees to handle Him. If you do not get the opportunity to serve the Lord, how you can be perfect? So this arca-vigrahaḥ is Lord's incarnation to give facilities to people like us who cannot see God everywhere. For the neophyte devotees, it is essential to worship the Deity. But if we simply worship the Deity without hearing about the Lord, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam—these things are essential—then the Deity worship will be a burden. At a certain point, it will be a burden, and gradually it will be neglected, and the whole thing will be spoiled.
So as Nṛsiṁha-deva touched the head of Prahlāda Mahārāja, immediately you can have that same facility. "What is that facility? How? Nṛsiṁha-deva is not here. Kṛṣṇa is not here." No. He is here. "What is that?" Nama rūpe kali kale kṛṣṇa avatāra. Kṛṣṇa is present by his name, Kṛṣṇa. Don't think this Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, this name, is different from Kṛṣṇa. Absolute. Kṛṣṇa, the Deity Kṛṣṇa, the name Kṛṣṇa, the person Kṛṣṇa—everything, the same Absolute Truth. There is no differentiation. So in this age simply by chanting Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa... Nama-cintāmaṇi kṛṣṇaḥ caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ, pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-muktaḥ. Don't think the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is different from Kṛṣṇa. It is pūrṇam. Pūrṇaḥ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idam (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). Everything pūrṇa. Pūrṇa means complete. We have tried to explain this completeness in our Īśopaniṣad. You have read. So stick to the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. You'll get the same benefit as Prahlāda Mahārāja got by direct touch of the lotus palm of Nṛsiṁha-deva. There is no difference. Always think like that, that as soon as you are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, you must know that you are touching Kṛṣṇa with your tongue. Then you get the same benefit as Prahlāda Mahārāja.
So creation and maintenance, and then the time will come—it will be destroyed. So these three departments are there. So for creative department of this material world, Lord Brahma; for maintenance department, Lord Viṣṇu Himself; and for destruction, Lord Śiva. These are the guṇa avatāras, three, trinity.
At the present moment there are so many asuras. Everyone is defying the supremacy of the Supreme Lord. Everyone is trying to become God. Therefore the whole world is in chaotic condition. If we want to adjust this chaotic condition, then we require the incarnation of God. That is already there. Nāma-rūpe kali kāle kṛṣṇa-avatāra. This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa in the form of name. There is no difference... The saṅkīrtana movement which was inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu... And Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself.
This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Everyone is becoming sādhu. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. So this avatāra, nāma-rūpe avatāra, there is no difference. Nāma-cintāmaṇiḥ-kṛṣṇaḥ caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ. The nāma is also vigraha, another form of the Lord, rasa-vigraha. So if we take shelter of this avatāra, rucy-avatāraiḥ... Every avatāra, every incarnation of Kṛṣṇa is very pleasing. Because Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all pleasure, therefore His avatāra... Just like Nṛsiṁha-deva, although He is very ferocious to asuras... They are disturbed. They are disturbing elements and they are disturbed. But Prahlāda Mahārāja is not disturbed. He's peaceful. So Lord's incarnation, either He is very ferocious or He's very kind, for the devotees there is no disturbance. Devotees are not disturbed, and the asuras are disturbed. So take shelter of the holy name of the Lord. Then disturbing condition of this material world will not touch you.
Creation, maintenance and destruction, three things are going on on account of presence of the Supreme Soul. Therefore the three principal deities—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara—are there, guṇa-avatāra. He is not within the guṇa; therefore He expands Himself as guṇāvatāra: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. But He's turya of the guṇas. Just like if we enter into the fire, we'll be burned, but sometimes the fire brigade men, they enter into the fire... They have got suit and contradictory dress that they can enter into the fire. Similarly, māyā... Māyā is very strong, but Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, when He comes within this material world—yuge yuge sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6)—He comes in His own original turya status. He does not become affected.
Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and then Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and then Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, trin, three Viṣṇus. First of all from... I have several times explained, from Kṛṣṇa, then expansion, Balarāma, then catur-vyūha, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, like that. Then Nārāyaṇa, then dvitīya catur-vyūha. From dvitīya catur-vyūha, Vaikuṇṭha, Saṅkarṣaṇa, then Puruṣa, Puruṣa-avatāra. These Puruṣas are three. In the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna recognized Kṛṣṇa as puruṣa. Puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam. So He's the puruṣa. God is puruṣa, male. God is not female. Female... The śakti, that is female, prakṛti.
Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings that śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-prabhu, dayā koro more: "Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, kindly give me Your mercy." Dayā koro more. "Why I shall give My mercy to you? You are so sinful. You are so fallen. My mercy is not meant for you." But Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura reminds, patita-pāvana-hetu, tava avatāra: "Sir, I am the most fallen. There is no doubt about it. But You have specially come to deliver persons like us."
This is the most important verse indicating Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam. He is in the same category. And another meaning, kṛṣṇa-varṇayati: "The incarnation of Kṛṣṇa who is always describing Kṛṣṇa or chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." Varṇayati. But tviṣa akṛṣṇam: "But by complexion, akṛṣṇa, not black." So "not black," that may be many other colors. Then which of them I shall take? That is also stated in the śāstra. While making the horoscope of Kṛṣṇa, Gargamuni, he said, idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ. Śukla-raktas tathā pītam idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ: "Nanda Mahārāja, your son, this child, has now appeared as kṛṣṇa, blackish." Idānīṁ kṛṣṇataṁ gataḥ. "Otherwise this very child appeared in previous ages." Śukla-raktas tathā pīta: "He... Sometimes He appeared in white color, sometimes red, sometimes yellow." This yellow color refers to Caitanya Mahāprabhu, golden color. So this is also confirmed. If somebody says that "He is Kṛṣṇa. Why He is not blackish?" No. He appears as the devotee of Kṛṣṇa in golden color. We say, therefore, "Golden Avatāra."
| Page Title: | Avatara (SB Lectures) |
| Compiler: | MadhuGopaldas, Madri, Visnu Murti |
| Created: | 30 of Dec, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=63, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 63 |