1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta with its Bengali, transliteration, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by līlā and chapter

Madhya-līlā · 25 chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

How to study this verse, in six steps

1Say the verse. Read the transliteration aloud, slowly.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each word and its meaning.
3Read the translation. Ask: what is happening here, and who is it about?
4Read the purport slowly. Read it twice. Don't rush.
5See Lord Caitanya as Kṛṣṇa. Remember who is acting in the pastime.
6Take one thing into your day. Note one point and one practice.

Read the full guide: how to read Caitanya Caritamrta ›

Madhya-līlā · Chapter 18: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Visit to Śrī Vṛndāvana

Madhya 18.11 Madhya 18.13

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 18.12

শ্রীরাধেব হরেস্তদীয়সরসী প্রেষ্ঠাদ্ভুতৈঃ স্বৈর্গুণৈ-

র্যস্যাং শ্রীযুত-মাধববেন্দুরনিশং প্রীত্যা তয়া ক্রীড়তি ।

প্রেমাস্মিন্ বত রাধিকেব লভতে যস্যাং সকৃৎ স্নানকৃৎ

তস্যা বৈ মহিমা তথা মধুরিমা কেনাস্তু বর্ণ্যঃ ক্ষিতৌ ॥ ১২ ॥

śrī-rādheva hares tadīya-sarasī preṣṭhādbhutaiḥ svair guṇair

yasyāṁ śrī-yuta-mādhavendur aniśaṁ prītyā tayā krīḍati

premāsmin bata rādhikeva labhate yasyāṁ sakṛt snāna-kṛt

tasyā vai mahimā tathā madhurimā kenāstu varṇyaḥ kṣitau

Translation

“ ‘Because of its wonderful transcendental qualities, Rādhā-kuṇḍa is as dear to Kṛṣṇa as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. It was in that lake that the all-opulent Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa performed His pastimes with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī with great pleasure and transcendental bliss. Whoever bathes just once in Rādhā-kuṇḍa attains Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s loving attraction for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Who within this world can describe the glories and sweetness of Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa?’”

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Rādhā-kuṇḍa Is Dear to Kṛṣṇa

1
Because of its wonderful transcendental qualities, Rādhā-kuṇḍa is as dear to Kṛṣṇa as Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
2
The all-opulent Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa performed pastimes there with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in great pleasure and transcendental bliss.
3
Whoever bathes there just once attains Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī's loving attraction for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The translation asks who in this world can describe the lake's glories and sweetness.

How it feels

Overwhelmed recognition. Seeing the places of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes evokes extraordinary remembrance and ecstasy.

The mood of Madhya 18 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Madhya 18: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Visit to Śrī Vṛndāvana

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

In the village of Āriṭ-grāma, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu discovered the transcendental lakes known as Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa. He then saw the Deity Harideva at Govardhana Village.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in Madhya 18

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

śrī-rādhāŚrīmatī Rādhārāṇī
ivalike
hareḥof Kṛṣṇa
tadīyaHer
sarasīlake
preṣṭhāvery dear
adbhutaiḥby wonderful
svaiḥown

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: “rādhā-kuṇḍa”, “rādhārāṇī”

Concept links are an editorial study map; only the verse is the text itself.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which of these descriptions most helps you appreciate why Rādhā-kuṇḍa is dear to Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Write down one quality of Rādhā-kuṇḍa described here and reflect on it for a minute.

Live this todayRādhā-kuṇḍa Is Dear to KṛṣṇaThis 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.

Ask Caitanya CaritamrtaHave a question about CC Madhya 18.12? Get an answer from the verses themselves.

Next in Learn · 5 of 9 · 2 minAsk Caitanya CaritamrtaBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the book's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnLīlās & chapters