# Avatāras and Incarnations *On why God descends, the different types of avatāras, and how to recognize them* --- ### Why God Descends > That is why the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends. The purpose is that you have got a spiritual body, just as I have got *sac-cid-ānanda* body you too have got *sac-cid-ānanda* body, then why are you struggling so hard in the material world? You come back to Me. You are My son. — [[spoken/1976/761015bg.cha|Bhagavad-gītā 7.1, Chandigarh, 1976]] --- ### Numberless Incarnations > The Supreme Personality of Godhead has many forms. *Advaita acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam.* He has so many forms. It is said in the *śāstra* that just as no one can count the waves of the ocean, similarly the Supreme Lord has so many incarnations that nobody can count. It is impossible. — [[spoken/1976/761016bg.cha|Bhagavad-gītā 9.3, Chandigarh, 1976]] --- ### Described in Śāstra > If there is incarnation of God... That is mentioned in the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.* Their activities are mentioned, wonderful activities. We accept Lord Rāmacandra as God, Lord Kṛṣṇa as God, Caitanya Mahāprabhu as God, because They are mentioned in the *śāstras,* all the incarnations, even this age. — [[spoken/1975/750310bg.lon|Bhagavad-gītā 7.2, London, 1975]] --- ### Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Description > *Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ.* Clearly Caitanya Mahāprabhu. *Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā akṛṣṇam.* He is Kṛṣṇa. *Kṛṣṇa-varṇam* means always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And *tviṣā,* by complexion, *akṛṣṇa,* not blackish, golden *avatāra.* — [[spoken/1975/750310bg.lon|Bhagavad-gītā 7.2, London, 1975]] --- ### Four Colors of the Lord > When Kṛṣṇa was born, then Gargamuni was calculating about His horoscope, and he said to Nanda Mahārāja that "This your child..." *Idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ. Śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṁ kṛṣṇatāṁ gataḥ:* "Your son had formerly white color. Your son had other colors also, white and red and yellow, and now He has assumed blackish color." — [[spoken/1975/750310bg.lon|Bhagavad-gītā 7.2, London, 1975]] --- ### Cannot Become God > To become God is not easy thing. There are some qualification, yesterday we discussed, that He must be the richest, He must be the most powerful, He must be the most famous, He must be the most learned, He must be the most beautiful, and He must be the most renounced. This is the definition of God. — [[spoken/1975/750310bg.lon|Bhagavad-gītā 7.2, London, 1975]] --- ### So Many So-Called Incarnations > They do not know what is God, and still, there are so many incarnations of God. And foolish people accept that "Here is an incarnation of God." He does not know what is God, and he accepts, "Here is incarnation." We do not do so. — [[spoken/1975/750310bg.lon|Bhagavad-gītā 7.2, London, 1975]] --- ### The Lord Teaches Directly > The demons deny the existence of God, so the Supreme Lord teaches them. "Yes, I am here. Look, I am present." Have *darśana. Sarva-dharmān parityajya.* And this demoniac nature that you have developed, and you are suffering birth after birth, in human birth at least there is some happiness but if after this life if you get a tree body or an animal body then how much trouble will you go through? — [[spoken/1976/761015bg.cha|Bhagavad-gītā 7.1, Chandigarh, 1976]] --- ### Easy Worship of Caitanya Mahāprabhu > You keep Caitanya Mahāprabhu's Deity and chant and dance—your life is successful. So easy. We are worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. That is very difficult. But if we keep Caitanya Mahāprabhu with His associates, this Pañca-tattva, Gaura-Nitāi, and worship Him according to the *śāstra* description... The *śāstra* description is *yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ.* This is *yajña.* — [[spoken/1975/750310bg.lon|Bhagavad-gītā 7.2, London, 1975]] --- ### The Lord and His Words Are One > Absolute means *advaya jñāna.* The Supreme Lord and His spoken words are the same thing. Do not think that *Bhagavad-gītā* is in front of me but the Lord is not present. No. Bhagavān Himself. One should understand *Bhagavad-gītā* with that kind of faith. The Supreme Lord and His words, the Supreme Lord and His name, *abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ.* — [[spoken/1976/761016bg.cha|Bhagavad-gītā 9.3, Chandigarh, 1976]] --- *10 quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on avatāras and incarnations* [[wiki/quotes|Back to Quotes]]