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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

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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 14: Performance of the Vṛndāvana Pastimes
Madhya 14.193Madhya 14.195

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 14.194

হ্রিয়া তির্যগ্-গ্রীবা-চরণ-কটি-ভঙ্গী-সুমধুরা

চলচ্চিল্লী-বল্লী-দলিত-রতিনাথোর্জিত-ধনুঃ ।

প্রিয়-প্রেমোল্লাসোল্লসিত-ললিতালালিত-তনুঃ

প্রিয়প্রীত্যৈ সাসীদুদিতললিতালঙ্কৃতিযুতা ॥ ১৯৪ ॥

hriyā tiryag-grīvā-caraṇa-kaṭi-bhaṅgī-sumadhurā

calac-cillī-vallī-dalita-ratināthorjita-dhanuḥ

priya-premollāsollasita-lalitālālita-tanuḥ

priya-prītyai sāsīd udita-lalitālaṅkṛti-yutā

Translation

“ ‘When Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was decorated with the ornament of lalita alaṅkāra, just to increase Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s love, an attractive curve was manifested by Her neck, knees and waist. This was brought about by Her timidity and apparent desire to avoid Kṛṣṇa. The flickering movements of Her eyebrows could conquer the powerful bow of Cupid. To increase the joy of Her beloved, Her body was decorated with the ornaments of lalita alaṅkāra.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Ornaments That Increase Kṛṣṇa’s Joy

  1. 1

    Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s ornament of lalita alaṅkāra increases Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s love and joy.

  2. 2

    Her timidity and apparent desire to avoid Kṛṣṇa produce attractive curves in Her neck, knees and waist.

  3. 3

    The flickering movements of Her eyebrows can conquer the powerful bow of Cupid.

How it feels

Intimacy and ecstatic play. Mercy to Pratāparudra and discussion of the gopīs reveal deep relational sweetness.

The mood of Madhya 14 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 14: Performance of the Vṛndāvana Pastimes

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

The Lord, in His ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa, immediately embraced the King and thus bestowed mercy upon him. When there was an offering of prasādam in the garden, Lord Caitanya also partook of it.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 14
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. hriyāby Her attitude of shyness
  2. tiryakgoing crosswise
  3. grīvāof the neck
  4. caraṇaof the knees
  5. kaṭiof the waist
  6. bhaṅgīby the curve
  7. su-madhurāvery sweet
  8. calat-cillīof moving eyebrows
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Rādhā-bhāva · The confidential inner purpose

    The Lord’s desire to taste the love and perspective of Śrī Rādhā, illuminated by later ecstatic pastimes. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “rādhārāṇī”, “rādhārāṇī’s”

  • 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: “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

What does this description emphasize about increasing the joy of Her beloved?

Practice

Read the translation slowly today, noting how its descriptions center on Kṛṣṇa’s love and joy.

Live this todayOrnaments That Increase Kṛṣṇa’s JoyThis 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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