‘4 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 1

manvantare harer janma
karmani ca mahiyasah

grnanti kavayo brahmars
tani no vada srnvatam

manvantare —during the change of manvantaras (one Manu following
another); hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; janma—ap-
pearance; karmani—and activities; ca—also; mahiyasah—of the
supremely glorified; grnanti—describe; kavayah—the great learned
persons who have perfect intelligence; brahman—O learned brahmana
(Sukadeva Gosvami); tani—all of them; nah—to us; vada—please de-
scribe; Srnvatam—who are very eager to hear.

TRANSLATION

O learned brahmana, Sukadeva Gosvami, the great learned per-
sons who are completely intelligent describe the activities and ap-
pearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead during the
various manvantaras. We are very eager to hear about these narra-
tions. Kindly describe them.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has different varieties of incar-
nations, including the guna-avatdras, manvantara-avataras, lila-
avatdras and yuga-avataras, all of which are described in the sastras.
Without reference to the sdstras there can be no question of accepting
anyone as an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Therefore, as especially mentioned here, grnanti kavayah: the descrip-
tions of various incarnations are accepted by great learned scholars with
perfect intelligence. At the present time, especially in India, so many ras-
cals are claiming to be incarnations, and people are being misled.
Therefore, the identity of an incarnation should be confirmed by the de-
scriptions of the sastras and by wonderful activities. As described in this
verse by the word mahiyasah, the activities of an incarnation are not or-
dinary magic or jugglery, but are wonderful activities. Thus any incarna-
tion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead must be supported by the
statements of the sdstra and must actually perform wonderful activities.
Pariksit Maharaja was eager to hear about the Manus of different ages.
