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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

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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 ›
Antya-līlā · Chapter 5: How Pradyumna Miśra Received Instructions from Rāmānanda Rāya
Antya 5.20Antya 5.22

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Antya 5.21

মহাপ্রভুর ভক্তগণের দুর্গম মহিমা ।

তাহে রামানন্দের ভাবভক্তি-প্রেম-সীমা ॥ ২১ ॥

mahāprabhura bhakta-gaṇera durgama mahimā

tāhe rāmānandera bhāva-bhakti-prema-sīmā

Translation

The greatness of the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is exceedingly difficult to understand. Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya is unique among them all, for he showed how one can extend his ecstatic love to the extreme limit.

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.

Devotees’ Greatness Is Difficult to Understand

  1. 1

    The greatness of the devotees of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is exceedingly difficult to understand.

  2. 2

    Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya is described as unique among them all.

  3. 3

    He showed how ecstatic love can extend to its extreme limit. His conduct is presented as an expression of that extraordinary love.

How it feels

Humility and discernment. The Lord directs a seeker to Rāmānanda and clarifies genuine spiritual qualification.

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

Further reading

Antya 5: How Pradyumna Miśra Received Instructions from Rāmānanda Rāya

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

Pradyumna Miśra, a resident of Śrīhaṭṭa, came to see Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to hear from Him about Lord Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes. The Lord, however, sent him to Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Antya 5
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. mahāprabhuraof Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
  2. bhakta-gaṇeraof the devotees
  3. durgamadifficult to understand
  4. mahimāgreatness
  5. tāhein that connection
  6. rāmānanderaof Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya
  7. bhāva-bhaktiof ecstatic devotion
  8. prema-sīmāthe limit of love of Kṛṣṇa
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • 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: “ecstatic love”

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 can you remain humble when a devotee’s greatness is beyond your understanding?

Practice

Reread the verse and name one aspect of Rāmānanda Rāya’s devotion that you do not yet fully understand.

Live this todayDevotees’ Greatness Is Difficult to UnderstandThis 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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