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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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Antya-līlā · 20 chapters

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 · Text Antya 19.40

একবার যার নয়নে লাগে, সদা তার হৃদয়ে জাগে, কৃষ্ণতনু — যেন আম্র-আঠা ।

নারী-মনে পৈশে হায়, যত্নে নাহি বাহিরায়, তনু নহে, — সেয়াকুলের কাঁটা ॥ ৪০ ॥

eka-bāra yāra nayane lāge, sadā tāra hṛdaye jāge,

kṛṣṇa-tanu — yena āmra-āṭhā

nārī-mane paiśe hāya, yatne nāhi bāhirāya,

tanu nahe, — seyā-kulera kāṅṭā

Translation

“If a person’s eyes even once capture that beautiful body of Kṛṣṇa, it remains always prominent within his heart. Kṛṣṇa’s body resembles the sap of the mango tree, for when it enters the minds of women, it will not come out, despite great endeavor. Thus Kṛṣṇa’s extraordinary body is like a thorn of the seyā berry tree.

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.

Kṛṣṇa’s Beauty Remains Within the Heart

  1. 1

    If someone’s eyes capture Kṛṣṇa’s beautiful body even once, it remains prominent within the heart.

  2. 2

    His body is compared to mango-tree sap: once it enters the minds of women, it will not come out despite great endeavor.

  3. 3

    His extraordinary body is also compared to a thorn of the seyā berry tree, emphasizing how firmly His beauty remains.

How it feels

Longing beyond ordinary categories. Extreme separation alternates with moments of visionary encounter.

The mood of Antya 19 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Antya 19: The Inconceivable Behavior of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

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

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu read it, His ecstasy was so great that all the devotees feared that the Lord would very soon pass away. The Lord’s condition was so serious that at night He would bruise and bloody His face by rubbing it against the walls.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Antya 19
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. eka-bāraonce
  2. yārawhose
  3. nayaneeyes
  4. lāgecapture
  5. sadāalways
  6. tārahis
  7. hṛdayein the heart
  8. jāgeremains prominent
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What do the comparisons to sap and a thorn convey about the lasting impression of Kṛṣṇa’s beauty?

Practice

Spend a quiet minute reflecting on the opening statement that Kṛṣṇa’s beauty remains prominent within the heart.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa’s Beauty Remains Within the HeartThis 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 Antya 19.40? Get an answer from the verses themselves.