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Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta with its Bengali, transliteration, word meanings, translation and study points.

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Say the verse. Read the transliteration aloud, slowly.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each word and its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation. Ask: what is happening here, and who is it about?
  4. 4Read the purport slowly. Read it twice. Don't rush.
  5. 5See Lord Caitanya as Kṛṣṇa. Remember who is acting in the pastime.
  6. 6Take one thing into your day. Note one point and one practice.
Read the full guide: how to read Caitanya Caritamrta ›
Ādi-līlā · Chapter 11: The Expansions of Lord Nityānanda
Ādi 11.8Ādi 11.10

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 11.9

ঈশ্বর হইয়া কহায় মহা–ভাগবত ।

বেদধর্মাতীত হঞা বেদধর্মে রত ॥ ৯ ॥

īśvara ha-iyā kahāya mahā-bhāgavata

veda-dharmātīta hañā veda-dharme rata

Translation

Although Vīrabhadra Gosāñi was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He presented Himself as a great devotee. And although the Supreme Godhead is transcendental to all Vedic injunctions, He strictly followed the Vedic rituals.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Divine Greatness Expressed Through Devotion

  1. 1

    Vīrabhadra Gosāñi was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet He presented Himself as a great devotee.

  2. 2

    The Supreme Godhead is transcendental to all Vedic injunctions.

  3. 3

    Although beyond those injunctions, Vīrabhadra Gosāñi strictly followed the Vedic rituals.

How it feels

Affectionate inclusiveness. Nityānanda’s branches show devotion multiplying through relationships.

The mood of Ādi 11 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 11: The Expansions of Lord Nityānanda

Śrīla Prabhupāda's summary of this chapter:

As the branches and subbranches of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu were described in the tenth chapter, in this eleventh chapter the branches and subbranches of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu are similarly listed.
Back to this verse in Ādi 11
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. īśvarathe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  2. ha-iyābeing
  3. kahāyacalls Himself
  4. mahā-bhāgavatagreat devotee
  5. veda-dharmathe principles of Vedic religion
  6. atītatranscendental
  7. hañābeing
  8. veda-dharmein the Vedic system
  9. rataengaged
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does His example teach me about respecting devotional duties?

Practice

Carry out one of your devotional duties today with care rather than treating it casually.

Live this todayDivine Greatness Expressed Through DevotionThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

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