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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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Ādi-līlā · 17 chapters

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 ›

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 2.14

যস্য প্রভা প্রভবতো জগদণ্ডকোটি–

কোটিষ্বশেষবসুধাদিবিভূতিভিন্নম্‌ ।

তদ্‌ব্রহ্ম নিষ্কলমনন্তমশেষভূতং

গোবিন্দমাদিপুরুষং তমহং ভজামি ॥ ১৪ ॥

yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-

koṭīṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam

tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

Translation

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is endowed with great power. The glowing effulgence of His transcendental form is the impersonal Brahman, which is absolute, complete and unlimited and which displays the varieties of countless planets, with their different opulences, in millions and millions of universes.”

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Govinda Is the Source of Brahman

  1. 1

    Govinda is worshiped as the primeval Lord endowed with great power. He is the original and supreme Personality of Godhead.

  2. 2

    Impersonal Brahman is the glowing effulgence of Govinda’s transcendental body. It is absolute, complete and unlimited.

  3. 3

    Countless universes contain innumerable planets with different constitutions, atmospheres and opulences. All come from the unlimited nondual Brahman, which exists in absolute knowledge.

Key points from the purport
  • Each and every one of the countless universes is full of innumerable planets with different constitutions and atmospheres.
  • All these come from the unlimited nondual Brahman, or Complete Whole, which exists in absolute knowledge.
  • The origin of that unlimited Brahman effulgence is the transcendental body of Govinda, who is offered respectful obeisances as the original and supreme Personality of Godhead.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Revelatory awe. The identity of Caitanya as Kṛṣṇa is established; wonder becomes theological confidence.

The mood of Ādi 2 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 2: Śri Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

From Śrīla Prabhupāda's chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

Therefore, the Brahman effulgence is the bodily luster of Lord Caitanya, and the localized Supersoul situated in the heart of every living entity is His partial representation. The puruṣa-avatāras are also explained in this connection.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 2
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. yasyaof whom
  2. prabhāthe effulgence
  3. prabhavataḥof one who excels in power
  4. jagat-aṇḍaof universes
  5. koṭi-koṭīṣuin millions and millions
  6. aśeṣaunlimited
  7. vasudhā-ādiwith planets, etc.
  8. vibhūtiwith opulences
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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does knowing the source of Brahman affect your understanding of Govinda?

Practice

Offer respectful obeisances to Govinda today, remembering Him as the source of the unlimited Brahman effulgence.

Live this todayGovinda Is the Source of BrahmanThis 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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