Text 39] Prayers by the Demigods 195

and old age, except when these living entities are conducted by
Your external energy.

PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gita (15.7), mamaivarnéso jiva-loke jiva-bhitah

sandtanah: the living entities are parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord,
and thus they are qualitatively one with the Lord. We can understand
that when the Supreme Lord appears or disappears as an incarnation,
there is no other cause than His pleasure potency. We cannot force the
Supreme Personality of Godhead to appear. As He says in Bhagavad-gita
(4.7):
yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O de-
scendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I
descend Myself.” When there is a need to diminish a burden created by
the demons, the Supreme Godhead can do it in many ways because He
has multifarious energies. There is no need for Him to come as an incar-
nation, since He is not forced to do anything like ordinary living entities.
The living entities come to this material world in the spirit of enjoyment,
but because they want to enjoy without Krsna (krsna-bahirmukha haiya
bhoja-varicha kare), they suffer birth, death, old age and disease under
the control of the illusory energy. When the Supreme Personality of
Godhead appears, however, no such causes are involved; His descent is
an act of His pleasure potency. We should always remember this distinc-
tion between the Lord and the ordinary living entity and not uselessly
argue that the Lord cannot come. There are philosophers who do not
believe in the Lord’s incarnation and who ask, “Why should the
Supreme Lord come?” But the answer is, “Why should He not come?
Why should He be controlled by the desire of the living entity?” The
Lord is free to do whatever He likes. Therefore this verse says, vind
vinodam bata tarkayamahe. It is only for His pleasure that He comes
although He does not need to come.
