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Lord Krishna incarnated in the Kali yuga as described in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11, Chapter 5, Verse 32
India in the middle-ages, especially after the demise of Prithiraj Cauhan:
Prithviraj achieved military successes against several neighbouring Hindu kingdoms, most notably against the Chandela king Paramardi. He also repulsed the early invasions by Muhammad of Ghor, a ruler of the Muslim Ghurid dynasty. However, in 1192 CE, the Ghurids defeated Prithviraj at the Second battle of Tarain. His defeat at Tarain is seen as a landmark event in the Islamic conquest of India
Herafter, India was open for diverse invasions. In these invasions, alot of destruction took place. This also includes killing of brahmanas and cows as well as destruction of temples. What happens when the Vedic rules and regulations are not followed, the devotees are being harrased and killed and when there are alot of agressive meateaters on the world with huge armies?
Answer is given by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4:
TEXT 7
yadā yadā hi dharmasya
glānir bhavati bhārata
abhyutthānam adharmasya
tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
SYNONYMS
yadā—whenever; yadā—wherever; hi—certainly; dharmasya—of religion; glāniḥ—discrepancies; bhavati—manifested, becomes; bhārata—O descendant of Bharata; abhyutthānam—predominance; adharmasya—of irreligion; tadā—at that time; ātmānam—self; sṛjāmi—manifest; aham—I.
TRANSLATION
Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.
PURPORT
The word sṛjāmi is significant herein. Sṛjāmi cannot be used in the sense of creation, because, according to the previous verse, there is no creation of the Lord's form or body, since all of the forms are eternally existent. Therefore sṛjāmi means that the Lord manifests Himself as He is. Although the Lord appears on schedule, namely at the end of Dvāpara-yuga of the twenty-eighth millennium of the eighth Manu, in one day of Brahmā, still He has no obligation to adhere to such rules and regulations because He is completely free to act in many ways at His will. He therefore appears by His own will whenever there is a predominance of irreligiosity and a disappearance of true religion. Principles of religion are laid down in the Vedas, and any discrepancy in the matter of properly executing the rules of the Vedas makes one irreligious. In the Bhāgavatam it is stated that such principles are the laws of the Lord. Only the Lord can manufacture a system of religion. The Vedas are also accepted as originally spoken by the Lord Himself to Brahmā, from within his heart. Therefore, the principles of dharma, or religion, are the direct orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (dharmaṁ tu sākṣāt-bhagavat-praṇītam). These principles are clearly indicated throughout the Bhagavad-gītā. The purpose of the Vedas is to establish such principles under the order of the Supreme Lord, and the Lord directly orders, at the end of the Gītā, that the highest principle of religion is to surrender unto Him only, and nothing more. The Vedic principles push one towards complete surrender unto Him; and, whenever such principles are disturbed by the demonic, the Lord appears. From the Bhāgavatam we understand that Lord Buddha is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa who appeared when materialism was rampant and materialists were using the pretext of the authority of the Vedas. Although there are certain restrictive rules and regulations regarding animal sacrifice for particular purposes in the Vedas, people of demonic tendency still took to animal sacrifice without reference to the Vedic principles. Lord Buddha appeared to stop this nonsense and to establish the Vedic principles of nonviolence. Therefore each and every avatāra, or incarnation of the Lord, has a particular mission, and they are all described in the revealed scriptures. No one should be accepted as an avatāra unless he is referred to by scriptures. It is not a fact that the Lord appears only on Indian soil. He can advent Himself anywhere and everywhere, and whenever He desires to appear. In each and every incarnation, He speaks as much about religion as can be understood by the particular people under their particular circumstances. But the mission is the same—to lead people to God consciousness and obedience to the principles of religion. Sometimes He descends personally, and sometimes He sends His bona fide representative in the form of His son, or servant, or Himself in some disguised form.
The principles of the Bhagavad-gītā were spoken to Arjuna, and, for that matter, to other highly elevated persons, because he was highly advanced compared to ordinary persons in other parts of the world. Two plus two equals four is a mathematical principle that is true both in the beginner's arithmetic class and in the advanced class as well. Still, there are higher and lower mathematics. In all incarnations of the Lord, therefore, the same principles are taught, but they appear to be higher and lower in varied circumstances. The higher principles of religion begin with the acceptance of the four orders and the four statuses of social life, as will be explained later. The whole purpose of the mission of incarnations is to arouse Kṛṣṇa consciousness everywhere. Such consciousness is manifest and nonmanifest only under different circumstances.
TEXT 8
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
sambhavāmi yuge yuge
SYNONYMS
paritrāṇāya—for the deliverance; sādhūnām—of the devotees; vināśāya—for the annihilation; ca—also; duṣkṛtām—of the miscreants; dharma—principles of religion; saṁsthāpana-arthāya—to reestablish; sambhavāmi—I do appear; yuge—millennium; yuge—after millennium.
TRANSLATION
In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.
PURPORT
According to Bhagavad-gītā, a sādhu (holyman) is a man in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A person may appear to be irreligious, but if he has the qualifications of Kṛṣṇa consciousness wholly and fully, he is to be understood to be a sādhu. And duṣkṛtam applies to one who doesn't care for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Such miscreants, or duṣkṛtam, are described as foolish and the lowest of mankind, even though they may be decorated with mundane education; whereas another person, who is one hundred percent engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is accepted as sādhu, even though such a person may neither be learned nor well cultured. As far as the atheistic are concerned, it is not necessary for the Supreme Lord to appear as He is to destroy them, as He did with the demons Rāvaṇa and Kaṁsa. The Lord has many agents who are quite competent to vanquish demons. But the Lord especially descends to appease His unalloyed devotees, who are always harassed by the demonic. The demon harasses the devotee, even though the latter may happen to be his kin. Although Prahlāda Mahārāja was the son of Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was nonetheless persecuted by his father; although Devakī, the mother of Kṛṣṇa, was the sister of Kaṁsa, she and her husband Vasudeva were persecuted only because Kṛṣṇa was to be born of them. So Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared primarily to deliver Devakī, rather than kill Kaṁsa, but both were performed simultaneously. Therefore it is said here that to deliver the devotee and vanquish the demon miscreants, the Lord appears in different incarnations.
In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta of Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, the following verses summarize these principles of incarnation:
sṛṣṭi-hetu yei mūrti prapañce avatare
sei īśvara-mūrti 'avatāra' nāma dhare
māyātita paravyome savāra avasthāna
viśve 'avatāri' dhare 'avatāra' nāma.
"The avatāra, or incarnation of Godhead, descends from the kingdom of God for material manifestation. And the particular form of the Personality of Godhead who so descends is called an incarnation, or avatāra. Such incarnations are situated in the spiritual world, the kingdom of God. When they descend to the material creation, they assume the name avatāra."
There are various kinds of avatāras, such as puruṣāvatāras, guṇāvatāras, līlāvatāras, śaktyāveśa avatāras, manvantara-avatāras and yugāvatāras—all appearing on schedule all over the universe. But Lord Kṛṣṇa is the primeval Lord, the fountainhead of all avatāras. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa descends for the specific purposes of mitigating the anxieties of the pure devotees, who are very anxious to see Him in His original Vṛndāvana pastimes. Therefore, the prime purpose of the Kṛṣṇa avatāra is to satisfy His unalloyed devotees.
The Lord says that He incarnates Himself in every millennium. This indicates that He incarnates also in the age of Kali. As stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the incarnation in the age of Kali is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who spread the worship of Kṛṣṇa by the saṅkīrtana movement (congregational chanting of the holy names), and spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness throughout India. He predicted that this culture of saṅkīrtana would be broadcast all over the world, from town to town and village to village. Lord Caitanya as the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, is described secretly but not directly in the confidential parts of the revealed scriptures, such as the Upaniṣads, Mahābhārata, Bhāgavatam, etc. The devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa are much attracted by the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya. This avatāra of the Lord does not kill the miscreants, but delivers them by the causeless mercy of the Lord.
The arrangement of the stars and planets when Lord Caitanya appeared:
Sri Caitanya Caritamrta, Adi-Lila, Chapter 13, Verses 88 and further:
TEXT 88
nīlāmbara cakravartī kahila gaṇiyā
ei māse putra habe śubha-kṣaṇa pāñā
SYNONYMS
nīlāmbara cakravartī—of the name Nīlāmbara Cakravartī; kahila—said; gaṇiyā—by astrological calculation; ei māse—in this month; putra—son; habe—will take birth; śubha-kṣaṇa—auspicious moment; pāñā—taking advantage of.
TRANSLATION
Nīlāmbara Cakravartī [the grandfather of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu] then did an astrological calculation and said that in that month, taking advantage of an auspicious moment, the child would take birth.
In CC – Adi Lila chapter 13, text 89 & 90, where we find about the horoscope of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the Golden Avatar:
TEXT 89
caudda-śata sāta-śake māsa ye phālguna
paurṇamāsīra sandhyā-kāle haile śubha-kṣaṇa
SYNONYMS
caudda-śata sāta-śake—in 1407 of the Śaka Era (A.D. 1486); māsa—month; ye—which; phālguna—of the name Phālguna; paurṇamāsira—of the full moon; sandhyā-kāle—in the evening; haile—there was; śubha-kṣaṇa—an auspicious constellation.
TRANSLATION
Thus in the year 1407 of the Śaka Era (A.D. 1486), in the month of Phālguna [March-April], on the evening of the full moon, the desired auspicious moment appeared.
PURPORT
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya, has presented the horoscope of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as follows:
śala 140710222845
dinam
7 11 8
15 54 38
40 37 40
13 6 23
The explanation of the horoscope given by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura is that at the time of the birth of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu the constellations were situated as follows: Śukra (Venus) was in Meṣa-rāśi (Aries), in the constellation of Aśvinī; Ketu (the ninth planet) was in Siṁha-rāśi (Leo), in Uttaraphalgunī; Candra (the moon) was in Siṁha-rāśi, in Pūrvaphalgunī (the eleventh lunar mansion); Śani (Saturn) was in Vṛścika-rāśi (Scorpio), in Jyeṣṭhā; Bṛhaspati (Jupiter) was in Dhanu-rāśi, in Pūrvāṣāḍhā (Sagittarius); Maṅgala (Mars) was in Makara-rāśi (Capricorn), in Śravaṇā; Ravi (the sun) and Rāhu were in Kumbha-rāśi (Aquarius), in Pūrvabhādrapāda; and Budha (Mercury) was in Mīna-rāśi (Pisces), in Uttarabhādrapāda.. The lagna was Siṁha.
TEXT 90
siṁha-rāśi, siṁha-lagna, ucca graha-gaṇa
ṣaḍ-varga, aṣṭa-varga, sarva sulakṣaṇa
SYNONYMS
siṁha—the lion; rāśi—sign of the zodiac; siṁha—the lion; lagna—birth moment; ucca—high; graha-gaṇa—all planets; ṣaṭ-varga—six area; aṣṭa-varga—eight area; sarva—all; su-lakṣaṇa—auspiciousness.
TRANSLATION
According to the Jyotir-veda, or Vedic astronomy, when the figure of the lion appears both in the zodiac and the time of birth [lagna], this indicates a very high conjunction of planets, an area under the influence of ṣaḍ-varga and aṣṭa-varga, which are all-auspicious moments.
PURPORT
The divisions of the ṣaḍ-varga area are technically called kṣetra, horā, drekkāṇa, navāṁśa, dvādaśāṁśa and triṁśāṁśa. According to Jyotir-vedic astrology, when it is calculated who rules the constellation of six areas, the auspicious moment is calculated. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, who was previously also a great astrologer, says that in the book named Bṛhaj-jātaka and other books there are directions for knowing the movements of the stars and planets. One who knows the process of drawing a straight line and thus understands the area of aṣṭa-varga can explain the auspicious constellations. This science is known especially by persons who are called horā-śāstra-vit, or those who know the scripture of the name Horā. On the strength of astrological calculations from the Horā scripture, Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, the grandfather of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, ascertained the auspicious moment in which the Lord would appear.
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TEXT 91
a-kalaṅka gauracandra dilā daraśana
sa-kalaṅka candre āra kon prayojana
SYNONYMS
a-kalaṅka—without contamination; gauracandra—the moon of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dilā—gave; daraśana—audience; sa-kalaṅka—with contamination; candre—for a moon; āra—also; kon—what; prayojana—necessity.
TRANSLATION
When the spotless moon of Caitanya Mahāprabhu became visible, what would be the need for a moon full of black marks on its body?
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TEXT 92
eta jāni' rāhu kaila candrera grahaṇa
'kṛṣṇa' 'kṛṣṇa' 'hari' nāme bhāse tri-bhuvana
SYNONYMS
eta jāni'-knowing all this; rāhu—the zodiac figure Rāhu; kaila—attempted; candrera—of the moon; grahaṇa—eclipse; kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa—the holy name of Kṛṣṇa; hari—the holy name of Hari; nāme—the names; bhāse—inundated; tri-bhuvana—the three worlds.
TRANSLATION
Considering this, Rāhu, the black planet, covered the full moon, and immediately vibrations of "Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! Hari!" inundated the three worlds.
PURPORT
According to the Jyotir-veda, the Rāhu planet comes in front of the full moon, and thus a lunar eclipse takes place. It is customary in India that all the followers of the Vedic scriptures bathe in the Ganges or the sea as soon as there is a lunar or solar eclipse. All strict followers of Vedic religion stand up in the water throughout the whole period of the eclipse and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. At the time of the birth of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu such a lunar eclipse took place, and naturally all the people standing in the water were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
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TEXT 93
jaya jaya dhvani haila sakala bhuvana
camatkāra haiyā loka bhāve mane mana
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya—all glories; dhvani—vibration; haila—there was; sakala—all; bhuvana—worlds; camatkāra—wonderful; haiyā—becoming; loka—all the people; bhāve—state; mane mana—within their minds.
TRANSLATION
All people thus chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra during the lunar eclipse, and their minds were struck with wonder.
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TEXT 94
jagat bhariyā loka bale--'hari' 'hari'
sei-kṣaṇe gaurakṛṣṇa bhūme avatari
SYNONYMS
jagat—the whole world; bhariyā—fulfilling; loka—people; bale—said; hari hari—the holy name of the Lord; sei-kṣaṇe—at that time; gaurakṛṣṇa—Lord Kṛṣṇa in the form of Gaurahari; bhūme—on the earth; avatari—advented.
TRANSLATION
When the whole world was thus chanting the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa in the form of Gaurahari advented Himself on the earth.
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TEXT 95
prasanna ha-ila saba jagatera mana
'hari' bali' hinduke hāsya karaye yavana
SYNONYMS
prasanna—joyful; ha-ila—became; saba—all; jagatera—of the whole world; mana—the mind; hari—the holy name of the Lord; bali'-saying; hinduke—unto the Hindus; hāsya—laughing; karaye—do so; yavana—the Muslims.
TRANSLATION
The whole world was pleased. While the Hindus chanted the holy name of the Lord, the non-Hindus, especially the Muslims, jokingly imitated the words.
PURPORT
Although the Muslims, or non-Hindus, have no interest in chanting the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, while the Hindus in Navadvīpa chanted during the lunar eclipse the Muslims imitated them. Thus the Hindus and Muslims joined together in chanting the holy name of the Lord when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advented Himself.
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TEXT 96
'hari' bali' nārīgaṇa dei hulāhuli
svarge vādya-nṛtya kare deva kutūhalī
SYNONYMS
hari bali'-by saying the word Hari; nārī-gaṇa—all the ladies; dei—chanting; hulāhuli—the sound of hulāhuli; svarge—in the heavenly planets; vādya-nṛtya—music and dance; kare—do; deva—demigods; kutūhalī—curious.
TRANSLATION
While all the ladies vibrated the holy name of Hari on earth, in the heavenly planets dancing and music were going on, for the demigods were very curious.
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TEXT 97
prasanna haila daśa dik, prasanna nadījala
sthāvara-jaṅgama haila ānande vihvala
SYNONYMS
prasanna—jubilant; haila—became; daśa—ten; dik—directions; prasanna—satisfied; nadī-jala—the water of the rivers; sthāvara—immovable; jaṅgama—movable; haila—became; ānande—in joy; vihvala—overwhelmed.
TRANSLATION
In this atmosphere, all the ten directions became jubilant, as did the waves of the rivers. Moreover, all beings, moving and nonmoving, were overwhelmed with transcendental bliss.
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TEXT 98
nadīyā-udayagiri, pūrṇacandra gaurahari,
kṛpā kari' ha-ila udaya
pāpa-tamaḥ haila nāśa, tri-jagatera ullāsa,
jagabhari' hari-dhvani haya
SYNONYMS
nadīyā—the place known as Nadīyā; udayagiri—is the appearing place; pūrṇa-candra—the full moon; gaurahari—Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; kṛpā—by mercy; kari'-doing so; ha-ila—became; udaya—risen; pāpa—sinful; tamaḥ—darkness; haila—became; nāśa—dissipated; tri-jagatera—of the three worlds; ullāsa—happiness; jaga-bhari'-filling the whole world; hari-dhvani—the transcendental vibration of Hari; haya—resounded.
TRANSLATION
Thus by His causeless mercy the full moon, Gaurahari, rose in the district of Nadia, which is compared to Udayagiri, where the sun first becomes visible. His rising in the sky dissipated the darkness of sinful life, and thus the three worlds became joyful and chanted the holy name of the Lord.
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TEXT 99
sei-kāle nijālaya, uṭhiyā advaita rāya,
nṛtya kare ānandita-mane
haridāse lañā saṅge, huṅkāra-kīrtana-raṅge
kene nāce, keha nāhi jāne
SYNONYMS
sei-kāle—at that time; nija-ālaya—in His own house; uṭhiyā—standing; advaita—Advaita Ācārya; rāya—the rich man; nṛtya—dancing; kare—performs; ānandita—with joyful; mane—mind; haridāse—Ṭhākura Haridāsa; lañā—taking; saṅge—with Him; huṅkāra—loudly; kīrtana—saṅkīrtana; raṅge—performing; kene—why; nāce—dances; keha nāhi—no one; jāne—knows.
TRANSLATION
At that time Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, in His own house at Śāntipura, was dancing in a pleasing mood. Taking Haridāsa Ṭhākura with Him, He danced and loudly chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa. But why they were dancing, no one could understand.
PURPORT
It is understood that Advaita Prabhu, at that time, was in His own paternal house at Śāntipura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura frequently used to meet Him. Coincidentally, therefore, he was also there, and upon the birth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu both of them immediately began to dance. But no one in Śāntipura could understand why those two saintly persons were dancing.
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