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 2.80Madhya 2.82

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 2.81

আপনে করি’ আস্বাদনে,     শিখাইল ভক্তগণে,

প্রেমচিন্তামণির প্রভু ধনী ।

নাহি জানে স্থানাস্থান,     যারে তারে কৈল দান,

মহাপ্রভু — দাতা-শিরোমণি ॥ ৮১ ॥

āpane kari’ āsvādane, śikhāila bhakta-gaṇe,

prema-cintāmaṇira prabhu dhanī

nāhi jāne sthānāsthāna, yāre tāre kaila dāna,

mahāprabhu — dātā-śiromaṇi

Translation

By personally tasting the mellows of love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught His direct disciples the process. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is a wealthy capitalist possessing the touchstone of love of God. Not considering whether one is a proper or improper recipient, He gives His treasure to anyone and everyone. Thus He is the most munificent.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Love of Godhead Is Freely Distributed

  1. 1

    Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s treasure is the touchstone of love of Godhead. Although He distributes it without limit, His treasure remains undiminished.

  2. 2

    He gives this treasure to everyone, without considering whether the recipient is proper or improper. His devotees learned from Him to distribute it generously throughout the world.

  3. 3

    Following His footsteps and those of His confidential devotees, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement distributes love of Godhead through chanting the holy names of the Lord.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s capital is the touchstone of love of Godhead, and consequently He is a great owner of that transcendental treasure.
  • Similarly, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although distributing love of Godhead unlimitedly, still remained the supreme owner of this transcendental opulence.
  • This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, following in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His confidential devotees, is also trying to distribute love of Godhead all over the world through the chanting of the holy names of the Lord — Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

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:

At that time the author, Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī, met Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, by whose mercy he also could memorize all the notes. In this way the author was able to complete this transcendental literature, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 2
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. āpanepersonally
  2. kari’doing
  3. āsvādanetasting
  4. śikhāilaHe taught
  5. bhakta-gaṇeto His direct disciples
  6. prema-cintāmaṇiraof the touchstone of love of Godhead
  7. prabhuthe Lord
  8. dhanīcapitalist
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Audārya · Love that moves outward

    The freely offered gift of bhakti and prema, especially through nāma-saṅkīrtana and Mahāprabhu’s compassionate dealings. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “distributes”, “generously”, “to everyone”

  • Prema · Love of Godhead

    The culminating devotional purpose that unites the narration: bestowed, cultivated, taught, celebrated, and tasted. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “love of godhead”

  • Bhāva & rasa · The language of sacred feeling

    Transcendental devotional moods and relationships, discussed explicitly in Rāmānanda’s dialogue and the teachings on prema. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “mellows”

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

How does His generosity encourage me to receive and share the holy names?

Practice

Today, chant: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

Live this todayLove of Godhead Is Freely DistributedThis 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 2.81? 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