Text 42] Prahlada, the Best Among Exalted Devotees 323
original Supreme Personality of Godhead; ca—also; mahad-dtmanah—
the Supersoul; avatdra-kathd—narrations about His incarnations;
punyd—pious, purifying; vadhah—killing; yatra—wherein; ddi—in
the beginning of the millennium; daityayoh—of the demons
(Hiranyaksa and Hiranyakaéipu).
TRANSLATION

In this narration about Krsna, the Supreme Personality of God-
head, various expansions or incarnations of the Lord have been
described, and the killing of the two demons Hiranyaksa and
Hiranyakasipu has also been described.

PURPORT

Avataras, or incarnations, are expansions of the Supreme Personality

of Godhead—Krsna, Govinda.
advaitam acyutam anddim ananta-ripam
ddyam purdna-purusam nava-yauvanam ca
vedesu durlabham adurlabham dtma-bhaktau
govindam ddi-purusam tam aham bhajami

“I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, who is the
original person—nondual, infallible, and without beginning. Although
He expands into unlimited forms, He is still the original, and although
He is the oldest person, He always appears as a fresh youth. Such eternal,
blissful and all-knowing forms of the Lord cannot be understood by the
academic wisdom of the Vedas, but they are always manifest to pure,
unalloyed devotees.” (Brahma-samhita 5.33) The Brahma-samhita de-
scribes the avatdras. Indeed, all the avatdras are described in the
authentic scriptures. No one can become an avatdara, or incarnation, al-
though this has become fashionable in the age of Kali. The avatdras are
described in the authentic scriptures (Sdstras), and therefore before one
risks accepting a pretender as an avatdra, one should refer to the sastras.
The sdstras say everywhere that Krsna is the original Personality of God-
head and that He has innumerable avatdaras, or incarnations. Elsewhere
in the Brahma-samhita it is said, rémddi-mirtisu kala-niyamena
