Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.15.9-10
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesVerify Claims of Divine Incarnation
“Lord Brahmā, the master of the entire universe, arrived there accompanied by all the demigods and their chiefs. Seeing the lines of Lord Viṣṇu’s palm on King Pṛthu’s right hand and impressions of lotus flowers on the soles of his feet, Lord Brahmā could understand that King Pṛthu was a partial representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One whose palm bears the sign of a disc, as well as other such lines, should be considered a partial representation or incarnation of the Supreme Lord.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Brahmā arrived with the demigods and their chiefs. He personally examined the signs on King Pṛthu’s hands and feet.
- Seeing Lord Viṣṇu’s palm lines and lotus impressions on Pṛthu’s soles, Brahmā recognized him as a partial representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Before accepting someone as an incarnation of God, one should verify the symptoms given in the śāstras. The purport warns against accepting pretenders and describes how Lord Kṛṣṇa killed a king who falsely declared himself Vāsudeva.
Try this today
Write down the purport’s standard for verifying an incarnation: the symptoms mentioned in the śāstras.
Ask yourself
Do I look for scriptural evidence before accepting claims of divine status?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.