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Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 8.266

Meditate on Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth

“ ‘O my Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, son of Vasudeva, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You. I meditate upon Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa because He is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of all causes of the creation, sustenance and destruction of the manifested universes. He is directly and indirectly conscious of all manifestations, and He is independent because there is no other cause beyond Him. It is He only who first imparted the Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmājī, the original living being. By Him even the great sages and demigods are placed into illusion, as one is bewildered by the illusory representations of water seen in fire, or land seen on water. Only because of Him do the material universes, temporarily manifested by the reactions of the three modes of nature, appear factual, although they are unreal. I therefore meditate upon Him, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is eternally existent in the transcendental abode, which is forever free from the illusory representations of the material world. I meditate upon Him, for He is the Absolute Truth.’”

Śrīla Prabhupāda · Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 8.266, translation

What the purport teaches

  • Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth and the primeval cause of creation, sustenance, and destruction. He is fully conscious and independent, with no cause beyond Him.
  • He first imparted Vedic knowledge into Brahmājī’s heart. By Him, even great sages and demigods are placed into illusion.
  • The temporary material universes appear factual because of Him. The prayer meditates on Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who exists eternally in the transcendental abode, forever free from material illusion.

Try this today

Spend one quiet minute meditating on Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Absolute Truth and the cause of all causes.

Ask yourself

How might meditating on Kṛṣṇa’s eternal existence change your view of temporary things?

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.

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