men his teaching, or sends his sons of his kingdom to represent Him and to remind him of all fallen souls.

5,000 years ago he appeared Himself in his personal form, original and absolute, and recently again, 500 years ago, He appeared in the form of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Golden Avatar, in this same purpose, to show his special mercy to the fallen souls of the present age, the Iron Age and industry.

The emanations of Lord Krishna appearing within the material creation are called “Avatars”, or incarnations.

The word “Avatar” means, “who descends from the higher, spiritual world”.

It is populated by innumerable Vaikountha planets, spiritual, from which the emanations of the Lord descend into this universe. Hence it is called “Avatars”.

“What signs do you recognize an avatar?”

And the Lord to answer:

“Just as we recognize the different Avatars in the light of the Vedic texts, we can understand who is really the incarnation of God in this age of Kali.”

Hence the importance of relying on the authoritative scriptures in this area: it is not a matter of seeing an Avatar in any person, according to his whims, but rather to understand the characteristics of a real Avatar, defined in the sacred literature. An authentic Avatar never proclaims himself such, so his followers must distinguish him from the impostors by referring to the established scriptures.

Any intelligent person can recognize the characteristic traits of the legitimate Avatar through two criteria, his personality - the primary criterion - and its secondary characteristics. Thus the Scriptures describe the physical traits and activities of the Avatar, the first being the main criterion for identifying it, and the second, its secondary attributes. They give his name, that of his father, his mother, and the place where He will appear.

The Vedas, the original scriptures, also called “the true gospel” best describe the characteristics of an Avatar and reveal the main traits of Krishna. Its secondary characteristics, such as teaching Vedic knowledge to Brahma, the demiurge and being first created, and taking the form of the Supreme Avatar to create the cosmos, are manifested only occasionally and as specific purposes.

It is important to understand and distinguish the main and marginal characteristics of the Avatar. No one can proclaim himself a divine incarnation without possessing one or the other, that no intelligent being will neglect to study before holding anyone for an Avatar.