Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 7.9.38
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Lord Appears as a Devotee
“In this way, my Lord, You appear in various incarnations as a human being, an animal, a great saint, a demigod, a fish or a tortoise, thus maintaining the entire creation in different planetary systems and killing the demoniac principles. According to the age, O my Lord, You protect the principles of religion. In the Age of Kali, however, You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore You are known as Triyuga, or the Lord who appears in three yugas.”
What the purport teaches
- The Lord appears in various incarnations to maintain creation, protect religious principles and oppose demoniac principles. Lord Caitanya appeared to protect the fallen souls of Kali-yuga.
- Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He played the part of a devotee. He did not assert His identity with Kṛṣṇa, knowing that many false incarnations would appear in Kali-yuga.
- Intelligent people worship Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu through saṅkīrtana. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement follows the saṅkīrtana movement He inaugurated as the means to understand the Supreme Lord.
Try this today
Set aside a few minutes today to join others in chanting the Lord’s holy names.
Ask yourself
How does the Lord’s example as a devotee shape my understanding of worship?
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.