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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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Madhya-līlā · 25 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 ›
Madhya-līlā · Chapter 12: The Cleansing of the Guṇḍicā Temple
Madhya 12.85Madhya 12.87

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 12.86

ধূলি-ধূসর তনু দেখিতে শোভন ।

কাহাঁ কাহাঁ অশ্রুজলে করে সংমার্জন ॥ ৮৬ ॥

dhūli-dhūsara tanu dekhite śobhana

kāhāṅ kāhāṅ aśru-jale kare sammārjana

Translation

The entire beautiful body of the Lord was covered with dust and dirt. In this way it became transcendentally beautiful. At times, when cleansing the temple, the Lord shed tears, and in some places He even cleansed with those tears.

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.

The Lord’s Beauty in Cleansing Service

  1. 1

    The Lord’s entire beautiful body became covered with dust and dirt.

  2. 2

    Covered in this way, His body became transcendentally beautiful.

  3. 3

    At times He shed tears while cleansing the temple, and in some places He even cleansed with those tears.

How it feels

Purification through joyful service. Collective cleansing becomes a visible devotional act before Ratha-yātrā.

The mood of Madhya 12 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 12: The Cleansing of the Guṇḍicā Temple

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

After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu washed the Guṇḍicā temple before the Ratha-yātrā took place. He then took His bath at Indradyumna Lake and partook of prasādam in the garden nearby.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 12
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. dhūlidust
  2. dhūsaradirt
  3. tanubody
  4. dekhiteto see
  5. śobhanavery beautiful
  6. kāhāṅ kāhāṅsomewhere
  7. aśru-jalewith tears
  8. karedoes
  9. sammārjanawashing
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Sevā · Love translated into service

    Devotional service expressed through cleansing, caring, teaching, honoring others, and living as Kṛṣṇa’s servant. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “cleansing”

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 strikes me about the Lord’s transcendental beauty while covered with dust and dirt?

Practice

Pause today to reflect on the Lord cleansing the temple, covered with dust and shedding tears.

Live this todayThe Lord’s Beauty in Cleansing ServiceThis 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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