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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 3.81

অন্তঃকৃষ্ণং বহির্গৌরং দর্শিতাঙ্গাদিবৈভবম্‌ ।

কলৌ সংকীর্তনাদ্যৈঃ স্ম কৃষ্ণচৈতন্যমাশ্রিতাঃ ॥ ৮১ ॥

antaḥ kṛṣṇaṁ bahir gauraṁ

darśitāṅgādi-vaibhavam

kalau saṅkīrtanādyaiḥ sma

kṛṣṇa-caitanyam āśritāḥ

Translation

“I take shelter of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is outwardly of a fair complexion but is inwardly Kṛṣṇa Himself. In this Age of Kali He displays His expansions [His aṅgas and upāṅgas] by performing congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord.”

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Take Shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya

  1. 1

    Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu is outwardly fair in complexion but inwardly Kṛṣṇa Himself. The verse expresses taking shelter of Him.

  2. 2

    In the Age of Kali, He displays His expansions, His aṅgas and upāṅgas, by performing congregational chanting of the Lord’s holy name.

  3. 3

    Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī composed this verse as an explanation of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam verse placed at the beginning of his Bhāgavata-sandarbha, or Ṣaṭ-sandarbha.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has placed the verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam quoted in text 52 (kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam) as the auspicious introduction to his Bhāgavata-sandarbha, or Ṣaṭ-sandarbha.
  • He has composed this text (81), which is, in effect, an explanation of the Bhāgavatam verse, as the second verse of the same work.
  • The verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was enunciated by Karabhājana, one of the nine great sages, and it is elaborately explained by the Sarva-saṁvādinī, Jīva Gosvāmī’s commentary on his own Ṣaṭ-sandarbha.

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

Compassion and urgency. The holy name is offered for the age; divine love moves outward toward others.

The mood of Ādi 3 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 3: The External Reasons for the Appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

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

According to the Vedic literature, the foremost occupational duty for humanity in this Age of Kali is nāma-saṅkīrtana, or congregational chanting of the holy name of the Lord. The incarnation for this age especially preaches this process, but only Kṛṣṇa Himself can explain the confidential loving service performed in the four principal varieties of loving affairs between the Supreme Lord and His devotees.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 3
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. antaḥinternally
  2. kṛṣṇamLord Kṛṣṇa
  3. bahiḥexternally
  4. gauramfair-colored
  5. darśitadisplayed
  6. aṅgalimbs
  7. ādibeginning with
  8. vaibhavamexpansions
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Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Nāma-saṅkīrtana · The holy name shared together

    Chanting the holy names as the yuga-dharma, the Lord’s public movement, and the opening prayer of Śikṣāṣṭaka. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “chanting”, “holy name”, “congregational”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Taking shelter

    Turning toward Kṛṣṇa through shelter, surrender, dependence on guru, and unconditional devotional fidelity. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “shelter”

Concept links are an editorial study map; only the verse is the text itself.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can chanting the Lord’s holy name express my wish to take shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu?

Practice

Chant the Lord’s holy name with someone today, remembering Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Live this todayTake Shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa CaitanyaThis 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.

Ask Caitanya CaritamrtaHave a question about CC Ādi 3.81? Get an answer from the verses themselves.