CC Madhya 20.354
Bengali
অবতার নাহি কহে — ‘আমি অবতার’ ।
মুনি সব জানি’ করে লক্ষণ-বিচার ॥ ৩৫৪ ॥
মুনি সব জানি’ করে লক্ষণ-বিচার ॥ ৩৫৪ ॥
Text
avatāra nāhi kahe — ‘āmi avatāra’
muni saba jāni’ kare lakṣaṇa-vicāra
muni saba jāni’ kare lakṣaṇa-vicāra
Synonyms
Translation
“An actual incarnation of God never says ‘I am God’ or ‘I am an incarnation of God.’ The great sage Vyāsadeva, knowing all, has already recorded the characteristics of the avatāras in the śāstras.
Purport
In this verse it is clearly stated that a real incarnation of God never claims to be a real incarnation. According to the symptoms described in the śāstra, one can understand who is an avatāra and who is not.