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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 5: The Glories Of Lord Nityānanda Balarāma
Ādi 5.154Ādi 5.156

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 5.155

রামাদিমূর্তিষু কলানিয়মেন তিষ্ঠন্‌

নানাবতারমকরোদ্ভুবনেষু কিন্তু ।

কৃষ্ণঃ স্বয়ং সমভবৎ পরমঃ পুমান্‌ যো

গোবিন্দমাদিপুরুষং তমহং ভজামি ॥ ১৫৫ ॥

rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan

nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu

kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

Translation

“I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who by His various plenary portions appears in the world in different forms and incarnations such as Lord Rāma, but who personally appears in His supreme original form as Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Worship Govinda, the Primeval Lord

  1. 1

    This prayer from Brahma-saṁhitā worships Govinda as the primeval Lord.

  2. 2

    Through His various plenary portions, He appears in different forms and incarnations, such as Lord Rāma.

  3. 3

    He personally appears as Lord Kṛṣṇa in His supreme original form.

How it feels

Shelter and wonder. The glory of Nityānanda reveals the intimate support behind the descent.

The mood of Ādi 5 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 5: The Glories Of Lord Nityānanda Balarāma

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

The Śvetadvīpa in the abode of Kṛṣṇa is identical with Vṛndāvana-dhāma, which is the place where Kṛṣṇa appears Himself to display His loving pastimes. In the Śvetadvīpa within every universe is a Śeṣa form of Godhead who serves Viṣṇu by assuming the form of His umbrella, slippers, couch, pillows, garments, residence, sacred thread, throne and so on.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 5
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. rāma-ādithe incarnation of Lord Rāma, etc.
  2. mūrtiṣuin different forms
  3. kalā-niyamenaby the order of plenary portions
  4. tiṣṭhanexisting
  5. nānāvarious
  6. avatāramincarnations
  7. akarotexecuted
  8. bhuvaneṣuwithin the worlds
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does recognizing Lord Kṛṣṇa as the supreme original form bring to your worship?

Practice

Read the translation aloud once as a prayer to Govinda.

Live this todayWorship Govinda, the Primeval 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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