The Avataras 79
try to understand the characteristics of an incarnation with reference to the
Scripture, not whimsically. An incarnation of the Supreme Lord never declares
Himself to be an incarnation. But His followers, with reference to the context
of the authoritative Scriptures, must ascertain who is an incarnation and who
is a pretender.

The real incarnation is described with reference to two features: the prin-
cipal feature is called Personality, and the other is called the marginal feature. Any
intelligent person can understand the characteristics of an Avatara, or incarna-
tion, by these two features. There is a description of the characteristics of the
body and of the activities. The description of the body is the principal feature
for identifying an incarnation, and the activities are the marginal feature.
This is confirmed in the beginning of Srimad Bhagwatam, where the features
are very nicely described in the 1st verse of the First Canto. In that verse there
are two terms, Param and Satyam. Lord Chaitanya indicated that the words
Para and Satyam show Krishna in His principal feature. The other, marginal
features are that He taught Vedic knowledge to Brahma, and that He incar-
nates as the Purusha Avatar to create the cosmic manifestation. These are
occasional features for some special purposes.

One should try to understand and distinguish the principal feature and the
marginal feature of an Avatar. Nobody can declare himself an incarnation
without these two features, and therefore, any intelligent man will study the
principal features and marginal features before accepting a pretender. Sanatan
Goswaini tried to confirm Lord Chaitanya’s Personal characteristics as those
of the incarnation of this age, and Lord Chaitanya confirmed it—though not
directly. He simply said: “Leave aside all this discussion, let us go on about the
description of the Saktavesh Avatar.”

The Lord then said that there is no limit or counting of Saktavesh Avatars,
but some of them can be mentioned as examples. The Saktavesh incarnation
are of two kinds: one direct, and the other indirect. When the Lord Himself
comes, He is called Shakshat, or direct Saktavesh Avatar, and when He em-
powcrs some living entity to represent Him, that one is called indirect, or
Avesa, incarnation.

Examples of indirect Avatars are the four Kumaras, Narada, Prithu, and
Parsuram. They are actually living entities, but there is specific power given
to them by the Supreme Personality of God. Examples of direct, or Shakshat,
Avatar are the Shesha incarnation or Ananta incarnation.

When a specific opulence of the Supreme Lord is invested in some specific
entitics, they are called Avesa Avatars. The four Kumaras represent the
