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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 20: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī in the Science of the Absolute Truth
Madhya 20.156Madhya 20.158

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.157

জ্ঞান, যোগ, ভক্তি, — তিন সাধনের বশে ।

ব্রহ্ম, আত্মা, ভগবান্ — ত্রিবিধ প্রকাশে ॥ ১৫৭ ॥

jñāna, yoga, bhakti, — tina sādhanera vaśe

brahma, ātmā, bhagavān — trividha prakāśe

Translation

“There are three kinds of spiritual processes for understanding the Absolute Truth — the processes of speculative knowledge, mystic yoga and bhakti-yoga. According to these three processes, the Absolute Truth is manifested as Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.

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.

Three Processes for Understanding the Absolute Truth

  1. 1

    There are three spiritual processes for understanding the Absolute Truth: speculative knowledge, mystic yoga and bhakti-yoga.

  2. 2

    Through speculative knowledge, the Absolute Truth is manifested as Brahman; through mystic yoga, as Paramātmā.

  3. 3

    Through bhakti-yoga, the Absolute Truth is manifested as Bhagavān.

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:

While discussing the Absolute Truth, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord analyzed Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, as well as the expansions of the Lord called svayaṁ-rūpa, tad-ekātma and āveśa, which are divided into various branches known as vaibhava and prābhava. Thus the Lord described the many forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 20
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. jñānaknowledge
  2. yogamystic power
  3. bhaktidevotional service
  4. tinathree
  5. sādhaneraof the processes of spiritual life
  6. vaśeunder the control
  7. brahmaimpersonal Brahman
  8. ātmālocalized Paramātmā
  9. bhagavānthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  10. tri-vidha prakāśethree kinds of manifestation
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does this verse connect each spiritual process with an understanding of the Absolute Truth?

Practice

Write the three processes, placing Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān beside the corresponding process.

4

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

2 lectures given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayThree Processes for Understanding the Absolute TruthThis 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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