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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 17: The Lord Travels to Vṛndāvana
Madhya 17.128Madhya 17.130

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 17.129

প্রভু কহে, — “মায়াবাদী কৃষ্ণে অপরাধী ।

‘ব্রহ্ম’, ‘আত্মা’ ‘চৈতন্য’ কহে নিরবধি ॥ ১২৯ ॥

prabhu kahe, — “māyāvādī kṛṣṇe aparādhī

‘brahma’, ‘ātmā’ ‘caitanya’ kahe niravadhi

Translation

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “The Māyāvādī impersonalists are great offenders unto Lord Kṛṣṇa; therefore they simply utter the words ‘Brahman,’ ‘ātmā’ and ‘caitanya.’

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.

Offense Shapes How One Speaks

  1. 1

    Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave the reply.

  2. 2

    He stated that Māyāvādī impersonalists are great offenders unto Lord Kṛṣṇa.

  3. 3

    He explained that they therefore simply utter the words “Brahman,” “ātmā” and “caitanya.”

How it feels

Wonder and contagious joy. Even forest animals chant; nature seems drawn into the saṅkīrtana movement.

The mood of Madhya 17 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 17: The Lord Travels to Vṛndāvana

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

The Maharashtriyan brāhmaṇa was very sorry about this, and he brought the news to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, inquiring from Him why the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs did not utter the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. In reply, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that they were offenders and that one should not associate with them.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 17
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. prabhu kaheŚrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said
  2. māyāvādīthe impersonalists
  3. kṛṣṇeunto Kṛṣṇa
  4. aparādhīgreat offenders
  5. brahmabrahma
  6. ātmāātmā
  7. caitanyacaitanya
  8. kahesay
  9. niravadhiwithout stopping
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does the Lord’s reply prompt you to examine your attitude toward Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Before speaking about Kṛṣṇa today, pause and choose a respectful attitude.

4

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

Quoted in 3 lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 3 lectures

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayOffense Shapes How One SpeaksThis 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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