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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 16: The Lord’s Attempt to Go to Vṛndāvana
Madhya 16.144Madhya 16.146

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 16.145

স্বনিগমমপহায় মৎপ্রতিজ্ঞা-

মৃতমধিকর্তুমবপ্লুতো রথস্থঃ ।

ধৃতরথচরণোঽভ্যয়াচ্চলদ্‌গু-

র্হরিরিব হন্তুমিভং গতোত্তরীয়ঃ ॥ ১৪৫ ॥

sva-nigamam apahāya mat-pratijñām

ṛtam adhikartum avapluto ratha-sthaḥ

dhṛta-ratha-caraṇo ’bhyayāc calad-gur

harir iva hantum ibhaṁ gatottarīyaḥ

Translation

“ ‘Intending to make my promise true, Lord Kṛṣṇa broke His own promise not to take up a weapon at Kurukṣetra. With His outer garment falling off, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa jumped from His chariot, picked up a wheel and came running at me to kill me. Indeed, He rushed at me like a lion going to kill an elephant, and He caused the whole earth to tremble.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Acts to Fulfill Bhīṣma’s Promise

  1. 1

    Lord Kṛṣṇa promised not to fight in the Battle of Kurukṣetra or even take up a weapon.

  2. 2

    Bhīṣma wanted to keep his own promise to break the Lord’s promise. To make Bhīṣma’s promise true, Kṛṣṇa immediately got down from the chariot and picked up a chariot wheel.

  3. 3

    Kṛṣṇa rushed forward to kill Bhīṣma, with His outer garment falling off. He rushed like a lion going to kill an elephant, causing the whole earth to tremble.

Key points from the purport
  • Lord Kṛṣṇa promised not to fight in the Battle of Kurukṣetra or even take up a weapon.
  • But when Bhīṣma wanted to keep his own promise to break the promise of the Lord, the Lord immediately got down from the chariot, and to make Bhīṣma’s promise true He picked up a chariot wheel and rushed forward to kill him.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of CC Madhya 16.145 quotesSB 1.9.37

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.9.37).

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Yearning and deferral. Attempts, delays, meetings, and farewells heighten the desire to reach Vraja.

The mood of Madhya 16 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 16: The Lord’s Attempt to Go to Vṛndāvana

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

When the devotees bade farewell to the Lord, the Lord was determined to go to Vṛndāvana, and on the day of Vijaya-daśamī, He departed. Mahārāja Pratāparudra made various arrangements for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s trip to Vṛndāvana.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 16
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. sva-nigamamHis own promise not to take a weapon and fight on behalf of the Pāṇḍavas
  2. apahāyagiving up
  3. mat-pratijñāmmy promise
  4. ṛtamtrue
  5. adhikartumto make more
  6. avaplutaḥhaving jumped down
  7. ratha-sthaḥwho was on the chariot (Lord Kṛṣṇa)
  8. dhṛtawho took up
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does Kṛṣṇa’s immediate action deepen your understanding of His wish to fulfill Bhīṣma’s promise?

Practice

Reread the passage and identify the purpose behind Kṛṣṇa’s taking up the wheel.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Acts to Fulfill Bhīṣma’s PromiseThis 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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