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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 20.160Madhya 20.162

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.161

পরমাত্মা যেঁহো, তেঁহো কৃষ্ণের এক অংশ ।

আত্মার ‘আত্মা’ হয় কৃষ্ণ সর্ব-অবতংস ॥ ১৬১ ॥

paramātmā yeṅho, teṅho kṛṣṇera eka aṁśa

ātmāra ‘ātmā’ haya kṛṣṇa sarva-avataṁsa

Translation

“The Paramātmā, the Supersoul feature, is a plenary portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the original soul of all living entities. Kṛṣṇa is the source of the Paramātmā.

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.

Kṛṣṇa Is the Source of Paramātmā

  1. 1

    Paramātmā is the Supersoul feature.

  2. 2

    The Supersoul is a plenary portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original soul of all living entities.

  3. 3

    Kṛṣṇa is the source of the Paramātmā.

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:

Thus the Lord described the many forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He also described the incarnations of God within the material world, incarnations such as the puruṣa-avatāras, manvantara-avatāras, guṇa-avatāras and śaktyāveśa-avatāras.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 20
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. paramātmāthe Supersoul within the heart
  2. yeṅhowho
  3. teṅhoHe
  4. kṛṣṇeraof Lord Kṛṣṇa
  5. ekaone
  6. aṁśaplenary portion
  7. ātmāraof the soul
  8. ātmāthe soul
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does this verse clarify the relationship between Kṛṣṇa and Paramātmā?

Practice

Write one sentence summarizing the relationship: “Kṛṣṇa is the source of Paramātmā, the Supersoul.”

4

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Is the Source of ParamātmāThis 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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