Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Ādi 16.44
Poetry and Memory Come by Divine Grace
“The Lord replied, “By the grace of the Lord someone may become a great poet, and similarly by His grace someone else may become a great śruti-dhara who can memorize anything immediately.””
What the purport teaches
- By the Lord’s grace, someone may become a great poet. By His grace, another may become a great śruti-dhara who memorizes anything immediately.
- Śruti means “hearing,” and dhara means “one who can capture.” Before Kali-yuga, almost everyone, especially the intelligent brāhmaṇas, was a śruti-dhara.
- Students would remember forever the Vedic hymns and explanations heard from their spiritual master. There was no need to consult books.
Try this today
Before studying today, offer a brief prayer acknowledging that the ability to learn comes by the Lord’s grace.
Ask yourself
How might recognizing the Lord’s grace change the way you regard your abilities?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.