TLC 8 (1968)
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Avataras
Lord Chaitanya continued: The expansions of Lord Krishna Who come to the material Creation are called Avataras or incarnations. Avatara means one who descends from the higher Spiritual Sky. In the Spiritual Sky there are innumerable Vaikuntha planets, and from such a planet the expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes into this Universe, and therefore He is called Avatara. Avataran means to descend.
The first descent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the expansion of Samkarshan is the Purusha incarnation. This is confirmed in the Srimad Bhagwatam, both in the First Canto, Third Chapter, as well as in the Sixth Chapter. It is said there that the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends as the first Purusha incarnation for the material Creation, and He immediately manifests sixteen elementary energies. He is known as Maha Vishnu, lying on the Causal Ocean, and He is the Original incarnation in the material world. He is the Lord of time, Nature, cause and effect, mind, ego, and the five elements, the three modes of nature, the senses, and the Universal Form. He is independent, and the Master of all objects movable and immovable in the material world.
The influence of material Nature cannot reach beyond the Viroja, or Causal Ocean, and this is confirmed in the Srimad Bhagwatam, Second Canto, Ninth Chapter. On the Vaikuntha planets there is no influence of the modes of material Nature. There is no mixture of the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance, and neither is there any influence of material time. On those planets the liberated associates of Krishna live eternally, and they are worshipped both by the demigods and the demons.
The material Nature acts in two capacities, as Maya and Pradhana. Maya is the direct cause and Pradhana means the elements of material manifestation. The first Purusha Avatara, Maha Vishnu, glances over the material Nature and thereby the material Nature becomes agitated, and the Purusha Avatara thus impregnates matter with the living entities. By this glancing, consciousness is created, and consciousness is known as Maha Tattwa. The predominating deity of Maha Tattwa is Vasudeva. Consciousness is then divided into three departmental activities, under the three gunas, or modes of material Nature. Consciousness in the mode of goodness is described in the Srimad Bhagwatam Eleventh Canto, and the predominating deity is called Aniruddha. Consciousness in the mode of material passion produces intelligence, and the predominating deity is called Pradyurnna. He is the Master of the senses. Consciousness in the mode of ignorance is the cause of production of the ether, the sky, and the cause of production of the hearing instrument, the ear. The cosmic manifestation is the combination of all these, and thereby innumerable Universes are created. Nobody can count how many Universes there are.
These innumerable Universes are being produced from the pores on the body of Maha Vishnu. It is also said that, as innumerable atoms are coming and going through the holes in a window, so from the pores of the body of Maha Vishnu innumerable Universes emanate. From His breathing also innumerable Universes are being produced and annihilated. All His energies are spiritual-they have nothing to do with the material energy. In the Brahma Samhita this fact is stated also. In the fifth Chapter, 54th verse, it is said that the predominating deity of each Universe, Brahma, lives only during one breath of Maha Vishnu. Maha Vishnu again is the original Supersoul of all the Universes, and He is also the Master of all the Universes. That is the description of the first incarnation, known as Maha Vishnu.
The second Vishnu incarnation enters into each and every Universe. In each and every Universe He spreads water from His body, and on that water He lies down. From His navel the stem of a lotus flower grows, and on that lotus flower the first creature, Brahma, is born. Within the stem of that lotus flower there are fourteen divisions of planetary systems, which are created by Brahma.
In each Universe the Lord as Vishnu maintains the Universe, tending to its needs, and although He is within the Universe, the influence of material energy cannot touch Him. The same Vishnu, when it is required, takes the Form of Lord Shiva and annihilates the cosmic creation. These three secondary incarnations; namely, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, are the predominating deities of the three modes of material Nature. The second incarnation of Vishnu, known as Garbhodakshayee, is worshipped as the Hiranygarbha Supersoul, Who has thousands of heads, as described in the Vedic hymns. This second incarnation, Garbhodakshayee Vishnu, is the Master of the Universe, and in each Universe there is a manifestation of the Garbhodakshayee Vishnu. Although He is within the material Nature, still He is not touched by it.
The third incarnation of Vishnu is also an incarnation of the mode of goodness. As the Kshirodhakshayee Vishnu, He is also the Supersoul of all living entities, and He resides on the ocean of milk within the Universe. Thus Lord Chaitanya described the Purusha Avatars.
He then described the Leela Avatars: He said that there is no limit or counting for the Leela, or "Pastime," Avatars, but some of them are described by the Lord, for example: Matsya, Kurma, Raghunath, Nrishingha, Vamana and Baraha.
A description of the qualitative incarnations of Vishnu, or Guna Avatars, is as follows: Brahma is one of the living entities, but he is very powerful on account of his devotional service. Such a primal living entity, by the influence of the mode of material passion, is situated as Brahma. He is made powerful by Garbhodakshayee Vishnu directly, and therefore Brahma has power to create innumerable living entities. A description of Brahma is given in the Brahma Samhita, Fifth Chapter, 50th Verse. Brahma is likened to the valuable stones influenced by the rays of the Sun, and the Sun is likened to the Supreme Lord Garbhodakshayee Vishnu. If in some Kalpa there is no suitable living entity who can act in the position of Brahma, then Garbhodakshayee Vishnu Himself manifests as Brahma and acts in that way.
Similarly, by expanding Himself as Lord Shiva, He is engaged when there is a necessity to annihilate the Bramhanda. Lord Shiva, in association with Maya, has many Forms; generally, they are numbered at eleven. Lord Shiva is not one of the living entities—he is more-or-less Krishna Himself The example is given of the distinction between milk and yogurt. Yogurt is a preparation of milk, but still yogurt cannot be used as milk. Similarly, Lord Shiva is an expansion of Krishna, but he cannot act as Krishna, nor can we derive the spiritual restoration from Lord Shiva that we can derive from Krishna. The essential difference is that Lord Shiva has a connection with the material Nature, but Vishnu has nothing to do with the material Nature. In Srimad Bhagwatam, Tenth Canto, Eighteenth Chapter, it is said that Lord Shiva is a combination of the three kinds of transformed consciousness, known as Baikrik, Taijsa and Tamasa.
The Vishnu incarnation, although Master of the modes of goodness within each Universe, is in no way in touch with the influence of material Nature. Everything of Vishnu is equal to Krishna, but still Krishna is the original Source. Vishnu is partial, and Krishna is whole. This is the version of the Vedic literature. In the Brahma Samhita there is the example of an original lamp which lights a second lamp; although both the lamps are of equal candle power, still one is accepted as the original, and the other is said to be kindled by the original lamp. The Vishnu expansion is like that. He is Vishnu, He is equally powerful, but the original Vishnu is Krishna. Brahma and Lord Shiva are obedient servants of the Supreme Lord and the Supreme Lord as Vishnu is an expansion of Krishna.
After describing the Leela Avatara and Guna Avatara, Lord Chaitanya then explained to Sanatan Goswami about the Manvantara Avatara. He states that there is no counting of the Manvantara Avatara. The Manus are fourteen in one Kalpa, or one day of Brahma. One day of Brahma is calculated at 432 million years, and during that period of time there are fourteen Manus. Brahma lives for 100 years on this scale. Therefore, during the lifetime of Brahma, if fourteen Manus appear in one day, then there are 420 Manus during the month of Brahma, and during the year of Brahma there are 5,040 Manus. Brahma lives for 100 years, and it is calculated that there are five hundred four thousand Manus in one Brahma's duration of life. There are innumerable Universes, and one can just imagine how many Manvantara incarnations there are in the total.
The Universes are being produced by the breathing out of Maha Vishnu, and no one can calculate how many Manus there are at one time. Each Manu is called by a different name. The first Manu is called Svayambhuba. He is the son of Brahma personally. The second Manu is called Swarochis; he is the son of the predominating deity of fire. The third Manu is called Uttam; and he is the son of King Priyabratha. The fourth Manu is called Tamasa; and he is the brother of Uttama. The fifth Manu is called Raivata. He is the brother of Tamasa. The sixth Manu is also the brother of Tamasa. The sixth Manu is called Chaksus; and he is the son of Chaksu. The seventh Manu is called Baivasvata. He is the son of the Sungod, born of a different wife, whose name is Chakya. The ninth Manu is called Daksasavarni. He is the son of Baruna. The tenth Manu is called Brahmasavarni, and he is the son of Upsloka. Four other Manus are known as Rudrasavarni, Dharmasavarni, Indrasavarni, and Raichya. All are sons of Lord Shiva.
After finishing the description of the Manu incarnations, the Lord described to Sanatan Goswami the Yuga Avatars. He said that there are four Yugas, or millennia. The first Yuga is called Satya, the second is called Treta, the third is called Dvapara, and the fourth is called Kali. In each millennium the Lord takes different colors in different incarnations. In the Satya Yuga the color of the principal incarnation is white. In the Treta Yuga the color of the principal incarnation is red, and in the Dvapara Yuga the color of the principal incarnation is blackish—Krishna. And, in the Kali Yuga, the color of the principal incarnation is yellow. This is confirmed in the Srimad Bhagwatam, Tenth Canto, Eighth Chapter, as spoken by Gargamuni while calculating the horoscope of Krishna in the house of Nanda Maharaj.
In the Satya Yuga the process of self-realization is meditation, and this process of meditation was taught by the incarnation of God in the color of whiteness. This incarnation gave benediction to the sage Kardum for obtaining, as his son, an incarnation of the Personality of Godhead. In the Satya Yuga everyone meditates on Krishna, and each and every living entity is in full knowledge. Other meditations, which are not recommended in this present age, are still being attempted as meditational processes by people who are not in full knowledge.
The process for self-realization in the Treta millennium is performance of different sacrifices, and this is taught by the incarnation of God in His red color. In the Dvapara millennium, Krishna is Personally present, and He is worshipped by everyone, and that is the process of self-realization for that age. Krishna is blackish in color, He is the incarnation Himself, and He induces people to worship Him, as is stated in the Bhagavad Gita. The Srimad Bhagwatam also, in the Eleventh Canto, Fifth Chapter, states that the worship of Krishna is made by the hymn: "Let me offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva." This is the hymn generally practiced by the people to worship the Supreme Lord Krishna in the Dvapara millennium.
The next millennium is Kali Yuga, in which we are now. In this age the Lord incarnates to preach chanting of the Holy Name of Krishna. The Lord appears in this age in yellowish color, and He teaches people love of God by chanting the Name of Krishna. The process of teaching is done Personally by Krishna, and He exhibits His love of Godhead by chanting, singing, and dancing with thousands of people following Him. This particular incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is foretold in the Srimad Bhagwatam, Eleventh Canto, Fifth Chapter; in which it is stated that the Lord incarnates in the Age of Kali as a devotee, always chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
But, it is stated there, His complexion is not like the Krishna of the Dvapara Yuga. He is always engaged in preaching love of Godhead through the Samkirtan movement, and those who are intelligent adopt this process of self-realization. It is also stated in the Srimad Bhagwatam, Twelfth Canto, Third Chapter, that the self-realization which could be achieved in the Satya millennium by meditation, in the Treta millennium by the performance of different sacrifices, and in the Dvapara millennium by worshipping the Lord Krishna, could be achieved in the Age of Kali simply by chanting these Holy Names: Hare Krishna. In the Vishnu Purana also the same thing is confirmed: that for this age there is no use of meditation or the performance of sacrifices or temple worship. Simply by chanting the Holy Name of Krishna—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—one can achieve perfect self-realization.
When Lord Chaitanya was describing the incarnation in this Age of Kali, Sanatan Goswami, who had been a government minister and was perfectly capable of drawing a conclusion, indirectly asked Lord Chaitanya, "How can one understand the advent of an incarnation?" He could understand that Lord Chaitanya was the incarnation of Krishna, corroborating the description of the incarnation of the Kali millennium; and he also could understand that, in the future, there would be many imitation incarnations following the incarnation of Lord Chaitanya, because Lord Chaitanya played as an ordinary Brahmin boy, though His devotees accepted Him as an incarnation. Sanatan knew there would be many pretenders, and so he inquired from Lord Chaitanya: "How can one understand the symptoms of an incarnation?"
The Lord replied to the inquiry of Sanatan Goswami: "As one can understand different incarnation of different millenniums with reference to the context of the Vedic literature, similarly, one can understand who is actually the incarnation of Godhead in this Age of Kali."
Specially stressed is the reference to authoritative Scriptures: one should try to understand the characteristics of an incarnation with reference to the Scripture, not whimsically. An incarnation of the Supreme Lord never declares Himself to be an incarnation. But His followers, with reference to the context of the authoritative Scriptures, must ascertain who is an incarnation and who is a pretender.
The real incarnation is described with reference to two features: the principal feature is called Personality, and the other is called the marginal feature. Any intelligent person can understand the characteristics of an Avatara, or incarnation, by these two features. There is a description of the characteristics of the body and of the activities. The description of the body is the principal feature for identifying an incarnation, and the activities are the marginal feature. This is confirmed in the beginning of Srimad Bhagwatam, where the features are very nicely described in the rst verse of the First Canto. In that verse there are two terms, Param and Satyam. Lord Chaitanya indicated that the words Param and Satyam show Krishna in His principal feature. The other, marginal features are that He taught Vedic knowledge to Brahma, and that He incarnates as the Purusha Avatar to create the cosmic manifestation. These are occasional features for some special purposes.
One should try to understand and distinguish the principal feature and the marginal feature of an Avatar. Nobody can declare himself an incarnation without these two features, and therefore, any intelligent man will study the principal features and marginal features before accepting a pretender. Sanatan Goswami tried to confirm Lord Chaitanya's Personal characteristics as those of the incarnation of this age, and Lord Chaitanya confirmed it-though not directly. He simply said: "Leave aside all this discussion, let us go on about the description of the Saktavesh Avatar."
The Lord then said that there is no limit or counting of Saktavesh Avatars, but some of them can be mentioned as examples. The Saktavesh incarnation are of two kinds: one direct, and the other indirect. When the Lord Himself comes, He is called Shakshat, or direct Saktavesh Avatar, and when He empowers some living entity to represent Him, that one is called indirect, or Avesa, incarnation.
Examples of indirect Avatars are the four Kumaras, Narada, Prithu, and Parsuram. They are actually living entities, but there is specific power given to them by the Supreme Personality of God. Examples of direct, or Shakshat, Avatar are the Shesha incarnation or Ananta incarnation.
When a specific opulence of the Supreme Lord is invested in some specific entities, they are called Avesa Avatars, The four Kumaras represent the specific opulence of knowledge of the Supreme Lord. Narada specifically represents the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. The devotional service of the Lord is there also in Lord Chaitanya, Who is considered to be the full representation of devotional service. In Brahma the opulence of creative power is invested. In Ananta the power of the sustenance of all the planets is invested. In the Shesha incarnation the power is in serving the Supreme Lord. And in King Prithu is the power of maintaining the living entities. Similarly, in Parsuram the power of killing the evil elements is invested. So far as Vibhuti, or the special favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is concerned, there is a description in the Bhagavad Gita, Tenth Chapter. It is said there that any living entity who appears to be especially powerful or beautiful should be known as specifically favored by the Supreme Lord.
The Lord, after finishing the description of the Saktavesh incarnation, began to speak about the age of the Supreme Lord. He said that the Supreme Lord Krishna is always like a 16-year-old boy, and when He desires to descend to this Universe, He first of all sends His father and mother, who are His devotees, and then He advents Himself as the incarnation, or comes Personally. All His activities, beginning from the killing of the Putana demon, are being displayed in innumerable Universes, and there is no limit to them. At every moment, at every second, His manifestations of different Pastimes are seen in the different Brahmandas, or Universes. Therefore, His Pastime activities are just like the waves of the Ganges River: as there is no limit to the flowing of the waves of the Ganges, similarly, there is no cessation of the manifestations of the different features of Lord Krishna's incarnation in different Universes. He displays from childhood many Pastime functions, and ultimately He exhibits the Rasa Dance.
It is said that all the Pastime functions of Krishna are eternal, and that is confirmed in every Scripture. People in general cannot understand how Pastimes are being performed by Krishna, but Lord Chaitanya gave a comparable instance in the orbit of the Sun. According to Vedic astrological calculation, the twenty-four hours of a day and night are divided into 60 Dandas. The days are again divided into three thousand six hundred Palaas. So the Sun disc can be perceived in every 60 Palaas, and the time constitutes a Danda. Eight Dandas make one Parahara, and the Sun rises and sets within four Paraharas. Similarly, four Paraharas constitute the duration of night, and after that the Sun is again seen as risen. Similarly, all the Pastimes of Krishna can be seen in any of the Brahmandas, just like the Sun can be seen in its movement through three thousand six hundred Palaas.
Lord Krishna remains in this Universe for 125 years only, but all the Pastimes of that period are exhibited in each and every Universe, including His Appearance, His Boyhood Pastimes, His Youth, and His manifestation of later Pastimes—until the last at Dwarka. All those Pastimes are present in one or another of the myriad Brahmandas, at any given time. Therefore the Pastimes are called eternal. In other words, as the Sun is eternally existing and we can see it rise and set due to our different planetary position, similarly, the Lord's Pastimes are going on, but only at certain intervals can we see the Pastimes of Krishna in this particular Universe. As described above, His Abode is the Supreme Planet known as Goloka Vrindaban and, being Absolute, His Name, Fame, everything is equal to Krishna. And, by the will of Krishna, the same Goloka Vrindaban is manifested in this Universe and other Universes also.
Therefore, although the Lord is always in His Supreme Abode, Goloka Vrindaban, by His Supreme will the activities there are also manifested in the innumerable Universes; and when He appears, He appears in those particular places. And in every manifestation of Krishna the six opulences are displayed.