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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 2: The Ecstatic Manifestations of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
Madhya 2.33Madhya 2.35

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 2.34

কৃষ্ণ-কর-পদতল,     কোটিচন্দ্র-সুশীতল,

তার স্পর্শ যেন স্পর্শমণি ।

তার স্পর্শ নাহি যার,     সে যাউক্ ছারখার,

সেই বপু লৌহ-সম জানি ॥ ৩৪ ॥

kṛṣṇa-kara-pada-tala, koṭi-candra-suśītala,

tāra sparśa yena sparśa-maṇi

tāra sparśa nāhi yāra, se yāuk chārakhāra,

sei vapu lauha-sama jāni

Translation

“The palms of Kṛṣṇa’s hands and the soles of His feet are so cool and pleasant that they can be compared only to the light of millions of moons. One who has touched such hands and feet has indeed tasted the effects of touchstone. If one has not touched them, his life is spoiled, and his body is like iron.”

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.

Kṛṣṇa’s Touch Is Cool and Transforming

  1. 1

    The palms of Kṛṣṇa’s hands and the soles of His feet are wonderfully cool and pleasant.

  2. 2

    Their coolness is compared only to the light of millions of moons.

  3. 3

    Touching His hands and feet is compared to experiencing the effects of touchstone. Without that touch, one’s life is described as spoiled and one’s body as iron.

How it feels

Overwhelming divine separation. A preview of the last years reveals the Lord’s intense separation from Kṛṣṇa.

The mood of Madhya 2 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 2: The Ecstatic Manifestations of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

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

The author expects that reading the pastimes of the Lord will gradually help a person awaken his dormant love of Kṛṣṇa. Actually this Caitanya-caritāmṛta was compiled by the author during very old age.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 2
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. kṛṣṇaof Lord Kṛṣṇa
  2. karathe palms
  3. pada-talathe soles of His feet
  4. koṭi-candralike the light of millions of moons
  5. su-śītalacool and pleasing
  6. tāraof them
  7. sparśathe touch
  8. yenalike
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does the contrast between touchstone and iron express the value of Kṛṣṇa’s touch?

Practice

Spend one quiet minute reflecting on the description of Kṛṣṇa’s hands and feet as cool as the light of millions of moons.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa’s Touch Is Cool and TransformingThis 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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