FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.38

इत्थं नृतिर्यगृषिदेवझषावतारै- र्लोकान् विभावयसि हंसि जगत्प्रतीपान् । धर्मं महापुरुष पासि युगानुवृत्तं छन्न: कलौ यदभवस्त्रियुगोऽथ स त्वम् ॥ ३८ ॥
itthaṁ nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-deva-jhaṣāvatārair
[ittham nri-tiryag-rishi-deva-jhashaavataarair]
lokān vibhāvayasi haṁsi jagat pratīpān
[lokaan vibhaavayasi hamsi jagat prateepaan]
dharmaṁ mahā-puruṣa pāsi yugānuvṛttaṁ
[dharmam mahaa-purusha paasi yugaanuvrittam]
channaḥ kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo ’tha sa tvam
[channah kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo ’tha sa tvam]
Word-for-word
ittham — in this way nṛ — like a human being (such as Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Rāmacandra) tiryak — like animals (such as the boar) ṛṣi — as a great saint (Paraśurāma) deva — as demigods jhaṣa — as an aquatic (such as the fish and tortoise) avatāraiḥ — by such different incarnations lokān — all the different planetary systems vibhāvayasi — You protect haṁsi — You (sometimes) kill jagat pratīpān — persons who have simply created trouble in this world dharmam — the principles of religion mahā-puruṣa — O great personality pāsi — You protect yuga-anuvṛttam — according to the different millenniums channaḥ — covered kalau — in the Age of Kali yat — since abhavaḥ — have been (and will be in the future) tri-yugaḥ — named Triyuga atha — therefore saḥ — the same personality tvam — You.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
itthaṁ nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-deva-jhaṣāvatārair
ittham
in this way
nṛ
like a human being (such as Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Rāmacandra)
tiryak
like animals (such as the boar)
ṛṣi
as a great saint (Paraśurāma)
deva
as demigods
jhaṣa
as an aquatic (such as the fish and tortoise)
avatāraiḥ
by such different incarnations
lokān vibhāvayasi haṁsi jagat pratīpān
lokān
all the different planetary systems
vibhāvayasi
You protect
haṁsi
You (sometimes) kill
jagat pratīpān
persons who have simply created trouble in this world
dharmaṁ mahā-puruṣa pāsi yugānuvṛttaṁ
dharmam
the principles of religion
mahā-puruṣa
O great personality
pāsi
You protect
yuga-anuvṛttam
according to the different millenniums
channaḥ kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo ’tha sa tvam
channaḥ
covered
kalau
in the Age of Kali
yat
since
abhavaḥ
have been (and will be in the future)
tri-yugaḥ
named Triyuga
atha
therefore
saḥ
the same personality
tvam
You.
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.
Purport

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) :

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ

In Kali-yuga, intelligent men worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is always accompanied by His associates such as Nityānanda, Advaita, Gadādhara and Śrīvāsa. The entire Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on the principles of the saṅkīrtana movement inaugurated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore one who tries to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the medium of the saṅkīrtana movement knows everything perfectly. He is sumedhas, a person with substantial intelligence.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
In this way, by appearing in various incarnations as a human being, an animal, a great saint, a devatā, a fish or a tortoise, you maintain the worlds, kill those who cause disturbance, and protect dharma in all the yugas. Great Lord! Since you will appear covered in Kali-yuga, you are called Tri-yuga. Just as Hayagrīva appeared for Brahmā, other avatāras have appeared for other devotees. You protect the planets and destroy those who torment the world. You appear yuga after yuga. Since you are covered in Kali-yuga, you are called Tri-yuga. You are covered because externally you show a different form and mood. You are well known in the other three yugas but not in Kali-yuga. Later the conclusion will explained with the meaning of channa taken from other verses: nānātantra-vidhānena kalāv api tathā śṛṇu (SB 11.5.31) and kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32)
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
In every age You appear — human, animal, sage, demigod, fish, tortoise — protecting religion. But in Kali You do not assert Yourself directly, so You are called Triyuga, appearing in three yugas. Recognize that in this age the protection is subtler.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do you wait for an obvious Kali-yuga avatar when the protection has come in subtler forms?
  • How are you participating in the subtle protective work of this age?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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