Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 38
Prahlāda’s Prayers Pacify Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva
Prahlāda-stuti and the Lord’s Benediction Offer
इत्थं नृतिर्यगृषिदेवझषावतारै- र्लोकान् विभावयसि हंसि जगत्प्रतीपान् । धर्मं महापुरुष पासि युगानुवृत्तं छन्न: कलौ यदभवस्त्रियुगोऽथ स त्वम् ॥ ३८ ॥
itthaṁ nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-deva-jhaṣāvatārair lokān vibhāvayasi haṁsi jagat pratīpān dharmaṁ mahā-puruṣa pāsi yugānuvṛttaṁ channaḥ kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo ’tha sa tvam
主啊，你以人、兽、圣仙、天神、鱼或龟等种种化身示现，维系诸世界并摧毁魔性之道。你随各个时代护持正法；而在迦利时代你不显露自己为至上人格神，因此被称为“三瑜伽主”（Triyuga），即只在三大瑜伽中显现者。
As the Lord appeared just to maintain Lord Brahmā from the attack of Madhu and Kaiṭabha, He also appeared to protect the great devotee Prahlāda Mahārāja. Similarly, Lord Caitanya appeared in order to protect the fallen souls of Kali-yuga. There are four yugas, or millenniums — Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali. In all the yugas but Kali-yuga, the Lord appears in various incarnations and asserts Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but although Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appears in Kali-yuga, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He never asserted Himself as such. On the contrary, whenever Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was addressed as being as good as Kṛṣṇa, He blocked His ears with His hands, denying His identity with Kṛṣṇa, because He was playing the part of a devotee. Lord Caitanya knew that in Kali-yuga there would be many bogus incarnations pretending to be God, and therefore He avoided asserting Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, in many Vedic literatures, especially in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32) :
FAQs
This verse says the Lord is openly manifest with prominent yuga-avatara features in three yugas, but in Kali-yuga He appears in a concealed (channa) way; therefore He is called Triyuga.
Prahlada is glorifying the Lord’s unlimited avatāras, showing that Bhagavan appears in whatever form is needed to protect dharma, uplift the worlds, and remove forces hostile to creation.
Recognize that dharma is protected by the Lord in every age and take shelter of bhakti—seeking the Lord’s guidance even when His presence seems hidden—by sincerely chanting, hearing, and living with integrity.