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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 1.89

সন্ন্যাস করি’ চব্বিশ বৎসর কৈলা যে যে কর্ম ।

অনন্ত, অপার — তার কে জানিবে মর্ম ॥ ৮৯ ॥

sannyāsa kari’ cabbiśa vatsara kailā ye ye karma

ananta, apāra — tāra ke jānibe marma

Translation

For the twenty-four years after Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the renounced order, whatever pastimes He executed were unlimited and unfathomable. Who can understand the purport of such pastimes?

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.

Unlimited and Unfathomable Pastimes

  1. 1

    The translation considers the twenty-four years after Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the renounced order.

  2. 2

    Whatever pastimes He executed during those years were unlimited and unfathomable.

  3. 3

    The question “Who can understand the purport of such pastimes?” emphasizes their depth.

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:

In this chapter there is a summary description of all the pastimes performed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu during the middle period of His activities as well as the six years at the end of His activities. All of these are described in brief.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 1
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. sannyāsa kari’after accepting the renounced order
  2. cabbiśa vatsaratwenty-four years
  3. kailādid
  4. ye yewhatever
  5. karmaactivities
  6. anantaunlimited
  7. apārainsurmountable
  8. tāraof that
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can you approach these pastimes while acknowledging the limits of your understanding?

Practice

Pause over the words “unlimited and unfathomable” before rereading the translation today.

Live this todayUnlimited and Unfathomable PastimesThis 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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