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Pseudo-avatars
A major issue on this newsgroup has been on proving and disproving
avatars. It should be noted that although false avatars have proliferated
more so than ever these days (thanks to the information age), they've
been around as long as history goes. On more than one occasion, Srila
Bhaktivinoda Thakur (late 19th C.), regarded as a great pioneer in Vaisnavism,
exposed false incarnations, using proof from the sastras and the
characters of the pseudo-avatars.
However, fakers go back all the way to Krishna's days in Dwaraka. One rishi
strapped on 2 false arms and then challenged Krishna in His own court
"I am the original Vishnu, not you! Give me back my weapons!!", to which
Krishna responded by giving the rishi His sudarshana-chakra, right through
the neck. A warning to self-styled incarnations.
Srila Prabhupada warned about false incarnations by drawing from a Bengali
bhajan, "Jaya Radha Madhava", specifically the line
jaya gopi-jana-vallabha, giri-vara-dhari
(All glories to the Lord of the gopis, the lifter of Govardhan Hill)
If one wants to claim to be "gopi-jana-vallabha", one must also be
"giri-vara-dhari". Although many false avataras claim to be gopi-vallabha,
engaging in false raas-lilas and using their false status to gain the favors
of young girls, they have no power as giri-dhari. One must be very careful
in regarding someone as an Avatar; only accept one who can be both
gopi-jana-vallabha and giri-vara-dhari
As a sidenote, I should mention that Sambasiva Mantha (unintentionally)
attributed statements to me that were actually said by Pontus Mattson in
the thread called _avatar "proof"_. This is something that we would normally
expect the moderator to fix, what with this being a moderated group and
all.
Yours,
Vijay
