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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

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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 4: The Confidential Reasons for the Appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
Ādi 4.117Ādi 4.119-120

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 4.118

হরিরেষ ন চেদবাতরিষ্য–

ন্মথুরায়াং মধুরাক্ষি রাধিকা চ ।

অভবিষ্যদিয়ং বৃথা বিসৃষ্টি–

র্মকরাঙ্কস্তু বিশেষতস্তদাত্র ॥ ১১৮ ॥

harir eṣa na ced avātariṣyan

mathurāyāṁ madhurākṣi rādhikā ca

abhaviṣyad iyaṁ vṛthā visṛṣṭir

makarāṅkas tu viśeṣatas tadātra

Translation

“O Paurṇamāsī, if Lord Hari had not descended in Mathurā with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, this entire creation — and especially Cupid, the demigod of love — would have been useless.”

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Their Descent Gives Creation Its Purpose

  1. 1

    Śrī Vṛndā-devī addresses Paurṇamāsī in this verse from Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Vidagdha-mādhava.

  2. 2

    She declares that without Lord Hari’s descent in Mathurā with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the entire creation would have been useless.

  3. 3

    She especially names Cupid, the demigod of love, as one who would have been useless without Their descent.

Key points from the purport
  • This verse is spoken by Śrī Vṛndā-devī in the Vidagdha-mādhava (7.3) of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.

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

Profound longing. Kṛṣṇa desires to taste Rādhā’s love, His own sweetness as She sees it, and Her joy.

The mood of Ādi 4 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 4: The Confidential Reasons for the Appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

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

The Lord thought that undoubtedly Rādhārāṇī enjoyed His company and He enjoyed the company of Rādhārāṇī, but the exchange of transcendental mellow between the spiritual couple was more pleasing to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī than to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Rādhārāṇī felt more transcendental pleasure in the company of Kṛṣṇa than He could understand without taking Her position, but for Śrī Kṛṣṇa to enjoy in the position of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was impossible because that position was completely foreign to Him.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 4
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. hariḥLord Kṛṣṇa
  2. eṣaḥthis
  3. nanot
  4. cetif
  5. avātariṣyatwould have descended
  6. mathurāyāmin Mathurā
  7. madhura-akṣiO lovely-eyed one (Paurṇamāsī)
  8. rādhikāŚrīmatī Rādhikā
3

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: “hari”, “hari’s”

  • Prema · Love of Godhead

    The culminating devotional purpose that unites the narration: bestowed, cultivated, taught, celebrated, and tasted. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “love”

  • Rādhā-bhāva · The confidential inner purpose

    The Lord’s desire to taste the love and perspective of Śrī Rādhā, illuminated by later ecstatic pastimes. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “rādhārāṇī”

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

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does Śrī Vṛndā-devī’s statement shape your appreciation of Their descent together?

Practice

Write one sentence summarizing why Their descent matters to the entire creation.

Live this todayTheir Descent Gives Creation Its PurposeThis 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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