# SB 7.10.42 > एषा ब्रह्मण्यदेवस्य कृष्णस्य च महात्मनः > अवतारकथा पुण्या वधो यत्रादिदैत्ययोः ॥४२॥ ## Text > eṣā brahmaṇya-devasya > kṛṣṇasya ca mahātmanaḥ > avatāra-kathā puṇyā > vadho yatrādi-daityayoḥ ## Synonyms *eṣā*—all this; *brahmaṇya-devasya*—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is worshiped by all *brāhmaṇas*; *kṛṣṇasya*—of Kṛṣṇa, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead; *ca*—also; *mahā-ātmanaḥ*—the Supersoul; *avatāra-kathā*—narrations about His incarnations; *puṇyā*—pious, purifying; *vadhaḥ*—killing; *yatra*—wherein; *ādi*—in the beginning of the millennium; *daityayoḥ*—of the demons (Hiraṇyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu). ## Translation **In this narration about Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, various expansions or incarnations of the Lord have been described, and the killing of the two demons Hiraṇyākṣa and Hiraṇyakaśipu has also been described.** ## Purport *Avatāras,* or incarnations, are expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead—Kṛṣṇa, Govinda. > advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam > ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca > vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau > govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi "I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who is the original person-nondual, infallible, and without beginning. Although He expands into unlimited forms, He is still the original, and although He is the oldest person, He always appears as a fresh youth. Such eternal, blissful and all-knowing forms of the Lord cannot be understood by the academic wisdom of the *Vedas,* but they are always manifest to pure, unalloyed devotees." (Bs. 5.33) The *Brahma-saṁhitā* describes the *avatāras.* Indeed, all the *avatāras* are described in the authentic scriptures. No one can become an *avatāra,* or incarnation, although this has become fashionable in the age of Kali. The *avatāras* are described in the authentic scriptures (*śāstras*), and therefore before one risks accepting a pretender as an *avatāra,* one should refer to the *śāstras.* The *śāstras* say everywhere that Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead and that He has innumerable *avatāras,* or incarnations. Elsewhere in the *Brahma-saṁhitā* it is said, *rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan:* [Bs. 5.39] Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha and many others are consecutive expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After Kṛṣṇa comes Balarāma, after Balarāma is Saṅkarṣaṇa, then Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Nārāyaṇa and then the *puruṣa-avatāras*—Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. All of them are *avatāras.* One must hear about the *avatāras.* Narrations about such *avatāras* are called *avatāra-kathā,* the narrations of Kṛṣṇa's expansions. Hearing and chanting these narrations is completely pious. *Sṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ* [[sb/1/2/17|[SB 1.2.17] ]]. One who hears and chants can become *puṇya,* purified of material contamination. Whenever there are references to the *avatāras,* religious principles are established, and demons who are against Kṛṣṇa are killed. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading all over the world with two aims—to establish Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and to kill all the pretenders who falsely present themselves as *avatāras.* The preachers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must carry this conviction very carefully within their hearts and kill the demons who in many tactful ways vilify the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. If we take shelter of Nṛsiṁhadeva and Prahlāda Mahārāja, it will be easier to kill the demons who are against Kṛṣṇa and to thus reestablish Kṛṣṇa's supremacy. *Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam:* [[sb/1/3/28|[SB 1.3.28] ]] Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, the original Lord. Prahlāda Mahārāja is our *guru,* and Kṛṣṇa is our worshipable God. As advised by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, *guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja* [[cc/madhya/19/151|[Cc. Madhya 19.151] ]]. If we can be successful in getting the mercy of Prahlāda Mahārāja and also that of Nṛsiṁhadeva, then our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will be extremely successful. The demon Hiraṇyakaśipu had so many ways to try to become God himself, but although Prahlāda Mahārāja was chastised and threatened in many ways, he rigidly refused to accept his powerful demoniac father as God. Following in the footsteps of Prahlāda Mahārāja, we should reject all the rascals who pretend to be God. We must accept Kṛṣṇa and His incarnations, and no one else.