Text 20]
Rṣabhadeva's Appearance
135
TRANSLATION
O Viṣṇudatta, Parīkṣit Mahārāja, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was pleased by the great sages at that sacrifice. Consequently the Lord decided to personally exhibit the method of executing religious principles [as observed by brahmacārīs, sannyāsīs, vānaprasthas and grhasthas engaged in rituals] and also satisfy Mahārāja Nābhi's desire. Consequently He appeared as the son of Merudevī in His original spiritual form, which is above the modes of material nature.
PURPORT
When the Supreme Lord appears or descends as an incarnation within this material world, He does not accept a body made of the three modes of material nature ( sattva-guṇa ,  rajo-guṇa  and  tamo-guṇa ). Māyāvādī philosophers say that the impersonal God appears in this material world by accepting a body in the  sattva-guṇa . Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī states that the word  śukla  means “consisting of  śuddha-sattva .” Lord Viṣṇu descends in His  śuddha-sattva  form.  Śuddha-sattva  refers to the  sattva-guṇa  which is never contaminated. In this material world, even the mode of goodness ( sattva-guṇa ) is contaminated by tinges of  rajo-guṇa  and  tamo-guṇa . When  sattva-guṇa  is never contaminated by  rajo-guṇa  and  tamo-guṇa , it is called  śuddha-sattva .  Sattvam viśuddham vasudeva-śabditam  ( Bhāg.  4.3.23). That is the platform of  vasudeva , whereby the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, can be experienced. In  Bhagavad-gītā  (4.7) Śrī Krṣṇa Himself says:
yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānam srjāmy aham
“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice. O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.”
Unlike ordinary living entities, the Supreme Lord is not forced by the modes of material nature to appear. He appears  dharmān darśayitu-