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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 4: The Confidential Reasons for the Appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
Ādi 4.204Ādi 4.206

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 4.205

মদ্‌গুণশ্রুতিমাত্রেণ ময়ি সর্বগুহাশয়ে ।

মনোগতিরবিচ্ছিন্না যথা গঙ্গাম্ভসোঽম্বুধৌ ॥ ২০৫ ॥

mad-guṇa-śruti-mātreṇa

mayi sarva-guhāśaye

mano-gatir avicchinnā

yathā gaṅgāmbhaso ’mbudhau

Translation

“Just as the celestial waters of the Ganges flow unobstructed into the ocean, so when My devotees simply hear of Me, their minds come to Me, who reside in the hearts of all.

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.

Hearing Draws the Mind to the Lord

  1. 1

    The celestial waters of the Ganges flow unobstructed into the ocean.

  2. 2

    In the same way, devotees’ minds come to the Lord simply by hearing of Him.

  3. 3

    The Lord to whom their minds turn resides in the hearts of all.

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:

Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī was the principal figure among Lord Caitanya’s confidential devotees. The records of his diary have revealed these confidential purposes of the Lord.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 4
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. matof Me
  2. guṇaof the qualities
  3. śruti-mātreṇaonly by hearing
  4. mayito Me
  5. sarva-guhāin all hearts
  6. āśayewho am situated
  7. manaḥ-gatiḥthe movement of the mind
  8. avicchinnāunobstructed
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What happens to my attention when I hear about the Lord?

Practice

Spend a few quiet minutes hearing about the Lord, letting your attention turn toward Him.

Live this todayHearing Draws the Mind to the LordThis 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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