1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min
Read one verse of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta with its Bengali, transliteration, word meanings, translation and study points.
Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 1.53
অহমেবাসমেবাগ্রে নান্যদ্ যৎ সদসৎপরম্ ।
পশ্চাদহং যদেতচ্চ যোঽবশিষ্যেত সোহস্ম্যহম্ ॥ ৫৩ ॥
aham evāsam evāgre
nānyad yat sad-asat param
paścād ahaṁ yad etac ca
yo ’vaśiṣyeta so ’smy aham
“Prior to the cosmic creation, only I exist, and no phenomena exist, either gross, subtle or primordial. After creation, only I exist in everything, and after annihilation, only I remain eternally.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioThree study points drawn from the translation and purport.
The Lord exists before cosmic creation, when no gross, subtle or primordial phenomena exist. He exists in everything after creation and remains eternally after annihilation.
Aham means “I” and refers to a person. The Personality of Godhead uses this word while describing His own transcendental form.
When Kṛṣṇa says aham, He refers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not impersonal Brahman. Its meaning is specific, not open to whimsical interpretation.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.
Reverence and gratitude. The narrator takes shelter of the guru-paramparā; receptivity begins with humility.
The mood of Ādi 1 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas
From Śrīla Prabhupāda's chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:
It does not deviate even slightly from the revealed scriptures, and therefore anyone who follows in the disciplic line will be able to realize the essence of this book simply by the method of aural reception. The first chapter of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta begins with fourteen Sanskrit verses that describe the Absolute Truth.Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 1
Learn the words of the verse.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
How does understanding the eternal Supreme Truth as a person affect your reading of His words?
Reread the translation and pause at each “I,” remembering that Kṛṣṇa is speaking as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.
Ask Caitanya CaritamrtaHave a question about CC Ādi 1.53? Get an answer from the verses themselves.