Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Ādi 2.61
Appearance Alone Does Not Establish the Original
“Because Nārāyaṇa has four hands whereas Kṛṣṇa looks just like a man, they say that Nārāyaṇa is the original God whereas Kṛṣṇa is but an incarnation.”
What the purport teaches
- Some scholars argue that Nārāyaṇa is the original Personality of Godhead because He has four hands.
- Because Śrī Kṛṣṇa has only two hands and looks like a man, they regard Him as Nārāyaṇa’s incarnation.
- The purport says that such scholars do not understand the features of the Absolute.
Try this today
Write down the mistaken argument and identify the assumption about the number of hands on which it rests.
Ask yourself
Am I allowing outward appearance alone to shape my understanding of the Absolute?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.