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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 20.165Madhya 20.167

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.166

‘স্বয়ংরূপ’ ‘স্বয়ংপ্রকাশ,’ — দুই রূপে স্ফূর্তি ।

স্বয়ংরূপে — এক ‘কৃষ্ণ’ ব্রজে গোপমূর্তি ॥ ১৬৬ ॥

‘svayaṁ-rūpa’ ‘svayaṁ-prakāśa’ — dui rūpe sphūrti

svayaṁ-rūpe — eka ‘kṛṣṇa’ vraje gopa-mūrti

Translation

“The original form of the Lord [svayaṁ-rūpa] is exhibited in two forms — svayaṁ-rūpa and svayaṁ-prakāśa. In His original form as svayaṁ-rūpa, Kṛṣṇa is observed as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana.

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’s Original Form in Vṛndāvana

  1. 1

    The original form of the Lord is exhibited in two forms: svayaṁ-rūpa and svayaṁ-prakāśa.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa’s original form is called svayaṁ-rūpa.

  3. 3

    In His svayaṁ-rūpa, Kṛṣṇa is observed as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana.

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. svayam-rūpathe original form of the Lord
  2. svayam-prakāśathe personal manifestation
  3. dui rūpein two forms
  4. sphūrtiexhibition
  5. svayam-rūpein the original form
  6. ekaone
  7. kṛṣṇaKṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  8. vrajein Vṛndāvana
  9. gopa-mūrtithe cowherd boy
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Vraja-smaraṇa · Remembrance of Vṛndāvana

    The remembered sweetness of Vraja that colors Mahāprabhu’s pilgrimage, Ratha-yātrā, and later states of separation. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “vṛndāvana”, “cowherd”

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 this description help you understand Kṛṣṇa’s original form?

Practice

Read the translation once more, then recall Kṛṣṇa as a cowherd boy in Vṛndāvana.

5

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’s Original Form in VṛndāvanaThis 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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