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Study a Verse

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

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 ›

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 2.88

ভাগবত — শ্লোকময়,     টীকা তার সংস্কৃত হয়,

তবু কৈছে বুঝে ত্রিভুবন ।

ইহাঁ শ্লোক দুই চারি,     তার ব্যাখ্যা ভাষা করি,

কেনে না বুঝিবে সর্বজন ॥ ৮৮ ॥

bhāgavata — śloka-maya, ṭīkā tāra saṁskṛta haya,

tabu kaiche bujhe tri-bhuvana

ihāṅ śloka dui cāri, tāra vyākhyā bhāṣā kari,

kene nā bujhibe sarva-jana

Translation

In reply to those critics who say that Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta is full of Sanskrit verses, it can be said that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also full of Sanskrit verses, as are the commentaries on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Nonetheless, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam can be understood by everyone, as well as by advanced devotees who study the Sanskrit commentaries. Why, then, will people not understand the Caitanya-caritāmṛta? There are only a few Sanskrit verses, and these have been explained in the Bengali vernacular. What is the difficulty in understanding?

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.

Sanskrit Verses Need Not Prevent Understanding

  1. 1

    Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and its commentaries contain Sanskrit verses. Nevertheless, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam can be understood by everyone.

  2. 2

    Advanced devotees also study its Sanskrit commentaries. The presence of Sanskrit does not make the text inaccessible.

  3. 3

    Caitanya-caritāmṛta contains only a few Sanskrit verses, and these are explained in Bengali. Their presence is therefore no reason to assume the book cannot be understood.

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. bhāgavataŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam
  2. śloka-mayafull of Sanskrit verses
  3. ṭīkācommentaries
  4. tāraof that
  5. saṁskṛtaSanskrit language
  6. hayathere are
  7. tabustill
  8. kaichehow
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do unfamiliar words make me hesitate to study, even when explanations are available?

Practice

Reread one passage you found difficult today, using its supplied translation or explanation rather than skipping it.

Live this todaySanskrit Verses Need Not Prevent UnderstandingThis 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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