1. Srila Prabhupada berates bogus avataras

    Avatara does not mean a big beard or big hair. We do not like to see such ugly avatara. We kick on their face, this avatara. This is not avatara. Avatara must be mentioned in the sastra. Sanatana Gosvami inquired from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, “How we shall know one avatara?” So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “Why? It is all mentioned in the sastra.” So avatara should be understood from the sastra, not by jugglery or magic. This is rascal. As soon as one wants to establish his avatarship by jugglery and magic, kick him out, immediately on the face, directly. Kick him. Let the avatara take steps. I don’t mind. If he’s avatara, let him kill me, all right. But I shall kick him on his face.

    Srila Prabhupada /Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.25 — September 22, 1976, Vrndavana