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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 ›

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Texts Ādi 7.20-21

সেই পঞ্চতত্ত্ব মিলি’ পৃথিবী আসিয়া ।

পূর্ব–প্রেমভাণ্ডারের মুদ্রা উঘাড়িয়া ॥ ২০ ॥

পাঁচে মিলি’ লুটে প্রেম, করে আস্বাদন ।

যত যত পিয়ে, তৃষ্ণা বাড়ে অনুক্ষণ ॥ ২১ ॥

sei pañca-tattva mili’ pṛthivī āsiyā

pūrva-premabhāṇḍārera mudrā ughāḍiyā

Translation

The characteristics of Kṛṣṇa are understood to be a storehouse of transcendental love. Although that storehouse of love certainly came with Kṛṣṇa when He was present, it was sealed. But when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came with His associates of the Pañca-tattva, they broke the seal and plundered the storehouse to taste transcendental love of Kṛṣṇa. The more they tasted it, the more their thirst for it grew.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa freely distributes love as Śrī Caitanya

  1. 1

    Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is called mahā-vadānyāvatāra because He is even more favorably disposed toward poor fallen souls.

  2. 2

    Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa asked everyone to surrender to Him and promised protection. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came with His associates and simply distributed transcendental love of God without discrimination.

  3. 3

    Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the Pañca-tattva opened the sealed storehouse of love of Kṛṣṇa. The more they tasted that love, the more their thirst for it grew.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is called mahā-vadānyāvatāra because although He is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, He is even more favorably disposed to the poor fallen souls than Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
  • When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself was personally present, He demanded that everyone surrender unto Him and promised that He would then give one all protection, but when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to this earth with His associates, He simply distributed transcendental love of God without discrimination.
  • Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, therefore, could understand that Lord Caitanya was none other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, for no one but the Supreme Personality of Godhead can distribute confidential love of the Supreme Person.

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

Collective delight. The Pañca-tattva gives divine love a relational and communal form.

The mood of Ādi 7 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 7: Lord Caitanya in Five Features

Back to this verse in Ādi 7
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. seithose
  2. pañca-tattvafive truths
  3. mili’combined together
  4. pṛthivīon this earth
  5. āsiyādescending
  6. pūrvaoriginal
  7. prema-bhāṇḍārerathe store of transcendental love
  8. mudrāseal
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Sādhu-saṅga · Love grows through association

    Spiritual association shapes the movement, empowers disciples, and reveals truths through loving conversations. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “associates”

  • 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 of krsna”

  • Audārya · Love that moves outward

    The freely offered gift of bhakti and prema, especially through nāma-saṅkīrtana and Mahāprabhu’s compassionate dealings. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “distributed”

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 Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s generosity affect my willingness to receive His mercy?

Practice

Read the translation slowly today and reflect on Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa Himself freely giving love of God.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa freely distributes love as Śrī 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.

Ask Caitanya CaritamrtaHave a question about CC Ādi 7.20-21? Get an answer from the verses themselves.