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

12345678910111213141516171819202122232425
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 2.38Madhya 2.40

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 2.39

ক্ষণে বাহ্য হৈল মন,     আগে দেখে দুই জন,

তাঁরে পুছে, — আমি না চৈতন্য?

স্বপ্নপ্রায় কি দেখিনু,     কিবা আমি প্রলাপিনু,

তোমরা কিছু শুনিয়াছ দৈন্য? ॥ ৩৯ ॥

kṣaṇe bāhya haila mana, āge dekhe dui jana,

tāṅre puche, — āmi nā caitanya?

svapna-prāya ki dekhinu, kibā āmi pralāpinu,

tomarā kichu śuniyācha dainya?

Translation

In an instant, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu regained external consciousness and saw two persons before Him. Questioning them, He asked, “Am I conscious? What dreams have I been seeing? What craziness have I spoken? Have you heard some expressions of humility?”

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Returning to External Consciousness

  1. 1

    Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu regained external consciousness and saw two persons before Him.

  2. 2

    They were His secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara, and Rāya Rāmānanda. He was still speaking in the ecstasy of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.

  3. 3

    He questioned whether He was the same Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and asked about His consciousness, dreams and speech. He also asked whether they had heard expressions of humility.

Key points from the purport
  • When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu thus spoke in ecstasy, He saw two persons before Him.
  • One was His secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara, and the other was Rāya Rāmānanda.
  • Coming to His external consciousness, He saw them both present, and although He was still talking in the ecstasy of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, He immediately began to question whether He was the same Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

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

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:

Actually this Caitanya-caritāmṛta was compiled by the author during very old age. Fearing he might not be able to finish the book, he has included a synopsis of the antya-līlā here in the second chapter.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 2
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. kṣaṇein an instant
  2. bāhyaoutside
  3. hailabecame
  4. manathe mind
  5. āgein front
  6. dekhesees
  7. dui janatwo persons
  8. tāṅreunto them
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Dainya & humility · Making room for grace

    The humility expressed by the author, devotees, transformed scholars, renunciants, and the Śikṣāṣṭaka. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “humility”

  • 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”

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 do you notice about Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s questions as He returns to external consciousness?

Practice

Read His questions aloud once, then pause over His question about expressions of humility.

Live this todayReturning to External ConsciousnessThis 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 2.39? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
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