Srimad Bhagavatam — Prathama Skandha, Shloka 28
Avatāra-kathā — The Puruṣa, the Many Incarnations, and Kṛṣṇa as Svayam Bhagavān
एते चांशकला: पुंस: कृष्णस्तु भगवान् स्वयम् । इन्द्रारिव्याकुलं लोकं मृडयन्ति युगे युगे ॥ २८ ॥
ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam indrāri-vyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge
以上の化身は皆、プルシャの全分、あるいは全分の分である。だがシュリー・クリシュナこそは自らがバガヴァーンである。無神論者が世を乱すたび、主はユガごとに現れて世界を鎮め、信心深き者を守護される。
In this particular stanza Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is distinguished from other incarnations. He is counted amongst the avatāras (incarnations) because out of His causeless mercy the Lord descends from His transcendental abode. Avatāra means “one who descends.” All the incarnations of the Lord, including the Lord Himself, descend to the different planets of the material world as also in different species of life to fulfill particular missions. Sometimes He comes Himself, and sometimes His different plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions, or His differentiated portions directly or indirectly empowered by Him, descend to this material world to execute certain specific functions. Originally the Lord is full of all opulences, all prowess, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation. When they are partly manifested through the plenary portions or parts of the plenary portions, it should be noted that certain manifestations of His different powers are required for those particular functions. When in the room small electric bulbs are displayed, it does not mean that the electric powerhouse is limited by the small bulbs. The same powerhouse can supply power to operate large-scale industrial dynamos with greater volts. Similarly, the incarnations of the Lord display limited powers because so much power is needed at that particular time.
FAQs
This verse (1.3.28) states that while many incarnations are partial expansions of the Supreme Person, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān Himself (svayam bhagavān), the original source.
In Canto 1 Chapter 3, after listing many avatāras who appear to protect the world, Suta Gosvami concludes by identifying their ultimate source: Kṛṣṇa is the Lord Himself, and the others are His aṁśa/kalā expansions.
It guides devotion toward the ultimate shelter—Kṛṣṇa—while honoring all divine manifestations as His expansions, and encourages faith that the Lord’s protection of dharma continues in every age.