Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 20.244
Personal Expansions and Incarnations for Pastimes
“The first personal expansion is Saṅkarṣaṇa, and the others are incarnations like the fish incarnation. Saṅkarṣaṇa is an expansion of the Puruṣa, or Viṣṇu. The incarnations such as Matsya, the fish incarnation, appear in different yugas for specific pastimes.
What the purport teaches
- Saṅkarṣaṇa is the first personal expansion and is an expansion of the Puruṣa, or Viṣṇu.
- The puruṣa-avatāras are the Lords of the universal creation: Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.
- There are also līlā-avatāras, including Matsya, the fish incarnation. Incarnations such as Matsya appear in different yugas for specific pastimes.
Try this today
Make two brief study headings, “puruṣa-avatāras” and “līlā-avatāras,” and place one example from this verse under each.
Ask yourself
What distinction do I notice between the Lords of universal creation and incarnations for specific pastimes?
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.