Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 8.156
The Lord’s Potency Is Beyond Material Qualities
“ ‘My dear Lord, You are the transcendental reservoir of all transcendental qualities. Your pleasure potency, existence potency and knowledge potency are actually all one internal spiritual potency. The conditioned soul, although actually spiritual, sometimes experiences pleasure, sometimes pain and sometimes a mixture of pain and pleasure. This is due to his being touched by matter. But because You are above all material qualities, these are not found in You. Your superior spiritual potency is completely transcendental, and for You there is no such thing as relative pleasure, pleasure mixed with pain, or pain itself.’
What the purport teaches
- The Lord is the transcendental reservoir of all transcendental qualities. His pleasure, existence, and knowledge potencies are one internal spiritual potency.
- The conditioned soul is actually spiritual, but contact with matter brings pleasure, pain, and mixtures of both.
- The Lord and His superior spiritual potency are completely transcendental. In Him there is no relative pleasure, pleasure mixed with pain, or pain itself.
Try this today
When you notice pleasure or pain today, pause and recall that the Lord is above these material conditions.
Ask yourself
How does this teaching help you distinguish your changing experiences from the Lord’s transcendental nature?
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.