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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 4: The Confidential Reasons for the Appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
Ādi 4.258Ādi 4.260

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 4.259

নির্ধূতামৃতমাধুরীপরিমলঃ কল্যাণি বিম্বাধরো

বক্ত্রং পঙ্কজসৌরভং কুহরিতশ্লাঘাভিদস্তে গিরঃ ।

অঙ্গং চন্দনশীতলং তনুরিয়ং সৌন্দর্যসর্বস্বভাক্‌

ত্বামাস্বাদ্য মমেদমিন্দ্রিয়কুলং রাধে মুহুর্মোদতে ॥ ২৫৯ ॥

nirdhūtāmṛta-mādhurī-parimalaḥ kalyāṇi bimbādharo

vaktraṁ paṅkaja-saurabhaṁ kuharita-ślāghā-bhidas te giraḥ

aṅgaṁ candana-śītalaṁ tanur iyaṁ saundarya-sarvasva-bhāk

tvām āsādya mamedam indriya-kulaṁ rādhe muhur modate

Translation

“ ‘My dear auspicious Rādhārāṇī, Your body is the source of all beauty. Your red lips are softer than the sense of immortal sweetness, Your face bears the aroma of a lotus flower, Your sweet words defeat the vibrations of the cuckoo, and Your limbs are cooler than the pulp of sandalwood. All My transcendental senses are overwhelmed in ecstatic pleasure by tasting You, who are completely decorated by beautiful qualities.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Rādhārāṇī Delights All Kṛṣṇa’s Transcendental Senses

  1. 1

    Lord Kṛṣṇa calls Rādhārāṇī’s body the source of all beauty. He praises Her lips, lotus-scented face, sweet words, and cooling limbs.

  2. 2

    Rādhārāṇī is completely decorated with beautiful qualities. Tasting Her overwhelms all His transcendental senses with ecstatic pleasure.

  3. 3

    These words of Lord Kṛṣṇa to Rādhā are recorded in Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Lalita-mādhava.

Key points from the purport
  • This verse, spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Rādhā, is recorded in the Lalita-mādhava (9.9) 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 transactions of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā are completely different from material lust. Therefore the author has very clearly distinguished between them.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 4
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. nirdhūtadefeats
  2. amṛtaof nectar
  3. mādhurīthe sweetness
  4. parimalaḥwhose flavor
  5. kalyāṇiO most auspicious one
  6. bīmba-adharaḥred lips
  7. vaktramface
  8. paṅkaja-saurabhamwhich smells like a lotus flower
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • 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”, “rādhārāṇī’s”

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 Kṛṣṇa’s praise deepen my appreciation of Rādhārāṇī’s beautiful qualities?

Practice

Choose one quality praised in this verse and reread its description attentively.

Live this todayRādhārāṇī Delights All Kṛṣṇa’s Transcendental SensesThis 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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