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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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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 20: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī in the Science of the Absolute Truth
Madhya 20.143Madhya 20.145

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.144

বেদাদি সকল শাস্ত্রে কৃষ্ণ — মুখ্য সম্বন্ধ ।

তাঁর জ্ঞানে আনুষঙ্গে যায় মায়াবন্ধ ॥ ১৪৪ ॥

vedādi sakala śāstre kṛṣṇa — mukhya sambandha

tāṅra jñāne ānuṣaṅge yāya māyā-bandha

Translation

“In all revealed scriptures, beginning with the Vedas, the central point of attraction is Kṛṣṇa. When complete knowledge of Him is realized, the bondage of māyā, the illusory energy, is automatically broken.

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.

Knowing Kṛṣṇa Breaks Māyā’s Bondage

  1. 1

    All revealed scriptures, beginning with the Vedas, have Kṛṣṇa as their central point of attraction.

  2. 2

    The verse directs attention to realizing complete knowledge of Kṛṣṇa.

  3. 3

    When complete knowledge of Him is realized, the bondage of māyā, the illusory energy, is automatically broken.

How it feels

Humility and restored identity. A seeker relinquishes status, asks fundamental questions, and receives sambandha knowledge.

The mood of Madhya 20 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 20: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī in the Science of the Absolute Truth

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

At this time Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased with him, and thus Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī received knowledge of the Absolute Truth from the Lord Himself. First they discussed the constitutional position of the living entities, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained to Sanātana Gosvāmī how the living entity is one of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s energies.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 20
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. veda-ādibeginning with the Vedas
  2. sakalaall
  3. śāstrein the revealed scriptures
  4. kṛṣṇaLord Kṛṣṇa
  5. mukhyachief
  6. sambandhacentral point or central attraction
  7. tāṅra jñāneby knowledge of Him
  8. ānuṣaṅgesimultaneously
  9. yāyagoes away
  10. māyā-bandhathe bondage of material existence
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I keep understanding Kṛṣṇa at the center of my scriptural study?

Practice

Reread this translation today and write one sentence about its connection between knowing Kṛṣṇa and freedom from māyā.

4

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

3 lectures given on it · quoted in 1 more lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Show 1 more lecture on it
Quoted in 1 other lecture

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayKnowing Kṛṣṇa Breaks Māyā’s BondageThis 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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