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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 4.54Ādi 4.56

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 4.55

রাধা কৃষ্ণপ্রণয়বিকৃতির্হ্লাদিনীশক্তিরস্মা–

দেকাত্মানাবপি ভুবি পুরা দেহভেদং গতৌ তৌ ।

চৈতন্যাখ্যং প্রকটমধুনা তদ্দ্বয়ঞ্চৈক্যমাপ্তং,

রাধাভাবদ্যুতিসুবলিতং নৌমি কৃষ্ণস্বরূপম্‌ ॥ ৫৫ ॥

rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād

ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau

caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ

rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁ naumi kṛṣṇa-svarūpam

Translation

“The loving affairs of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one in Their identity, They separated Themselves eternally. Now these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself.”

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa United as Caitanya

  1. 1

    The loving affairs of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency.

  2. 2

    Although Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one in identity, They separated Themselves eternally. They have again united as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.

  3. 3

    Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is Kṛṣṇa Himself, manifested with the sentiment and complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. This description comes from the diary of Śrīla Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.

Key points from the purport
  • This text is from the diary of Śrīla Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī.
  • It appears as the fifth of the first fourteen verses of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

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:

Lord Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of transcendental loving transactions with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. The subject of those loving transactions is the Lord Himself, and Rādhārāṇī is the object.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 4
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. rādhāŚrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
  2. kṛṣṇaof Lord Kṛṣṇa
  3. praṇayaof love
  4. vikṛtiḥthe transformation
  5. hlādinī śaktiḥpleasure potency
  6. asmātfrom this
  7. eka-ātmānauboth the same in identity
  8. apialthough
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: “rādhā”, “rādhārāṇī”

  • Vipralambha · Love in separation

    Separation that intensifies remembrance and longing; especially central to the confidential pastimes at Purī. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “separated”

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

What does this description help me understand about the identity of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya?

Practice

Offer a respectful bow to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, remembering that He is Kṛṣṇa Himself.

Live this todayRādhā and Kṛṣṇa United as 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.

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