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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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Madhya-līlā · 25 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 Madhya 1.239

দিন চার কাশীতে রহি’ গেলা বৃন্দাবন ।

মথুরা দেখিয়া দেখে দ্বাদশ কানন ॥ ২৩৯ ॥

dina cāra kāśīte rahi’ gelā vṛndāvana

mathurā dekhiyā dekhe dvādaśa kānana

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed at Benares only four days and then left for Vṛndāvana. After seeing the town of Mathurā, He visited the twelve forests.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Visiting the Twelve Forests

  1. 1

    Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu stayed in Benares for only four days before leaving for Vṛndāvana. After seeing Mathurā, He visited the twelve forests.

  2. 2

    Those who visit the Vṛndāvana area today also generally visit these twelve places. They start at Mathurā, where there is Kāmyavana.

  3. 3

    From there they visit Tālavana, Tamālavana, Madhuvana, Kusumavana, Bhāṇḍīravana, Bilvavana, Bhadravana, Khadiravana, Lohavana, Kumudavana and Gokulamahāvana.

Key points from the purport
  • Those who visit the Vṛndāvana area today also generally visit twelve places, known as the twelve forests.
  • They start at Mathurā, where there is Kāmyavana.
  • From there they go to Tālavana, Tamālavana, Madhuvana, Kusumavana, Bhāṇḍīravana, Bilvavana, Bhadravana, Khadiravana, Lohavana, Kumudavana and Gokulamahāvana.

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

Anticipation and hidden longing. The author previews later pastimes, including the inner Vraja mood expressed at Ratha-yātrā.

The mood of Madhya 1 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 1: The Later Pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

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

There is also a description of the many books written by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī and Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. There is also a description of the meeting between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī in the village known as Rāmakeli.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 1
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. dina cāraonly four days
  2. kāśīteat Benares
  3. rahi’remaining
  4. gelāstarted for
  5. vṛndāvanathe holy place Vṛndāvana
  6. mathurāthe holy place Mathurā
  7. dekhiyāafter seeing
  8. dekhevisits
  9. dvādaśatwelve
  10. kānanaforests
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Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Vraja-smaraṇa · Remembrance of Vṛndāvana

    The remembered sweetness of Vraja that colors Mahāprabhu’s pilgrimage, Ratha-yātrā, and later states of separation. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “vṛndāvana”

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 connection do you notice between the Lord’s visit and the visits described in the purport?

Practice

Read the names of the twelve forests aloud once, taking your time with each name.

Live this todayVisiting the Twelve ForestsThis 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 Madhya 1.239? Get an answer from the verses themselves.