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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 8, Ch. 24]
śrī-śuka uvāca go-vipra-sura-sādhūnām chandasām api ceśvaraḥ rakṣām icchaṁs tanūr dhatte dharmasyārthasya caiva hi
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; go—of the cows; vipra—of the brāhmaṇas; sura—of the demigods; sādhūnām—and of the devotees; chandasām api—even of the Vedic literature; ca—and; īśvaraḥ—the supreme controller; rakṣām—the protection; icchan—desiring; tanūḥ dhatte—accepts the forms of incarnations; dharmasya—of the principles of religion; arthasya—of the principles of the purpose of life; ca—and; eva—indeed; hi—certainly.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, for the sake of protecting the cows, brāhmaṇas, demigods, devotees, the Vedic literature, religious principles, and principles to fulfill the purpose of life, the Supreme Personality of Godhead accepts the forms of incarnations.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead generally appears in various types of incarnations to give protection to the cows and  brāhmaṇas . The Lord is described as  go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca ; in other words, He is always eager to benefit the cows and  brāhmaṇas . When Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared, He purposefully became a cowherd boy and showed personally how to give protection to the cows and calves. Similarly, He showed respect to Sudāmā Vipra, a real  brāhmaṇa . From the Lord's personal activities, human society should learn how to give protection specifically to the  brāhmaṇas  and cows. Then the protection of religious principles, fulfillment of the aim of life and protection of Vedic knowledge can be achieved. Without protection of cows, brahminical culture cannot be maintained; and without brahminical culture, the aim of life cannot be fulfilled. The Lord, therefore, is described as  go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya  because His incarnation is only for the protection of the cows and