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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 20.191

এই চারি হৈতে চব্বিশ মূর্তি পরকাশ ।

অস্ত্রভেদে নাম-ভেদ — বৈভববিলাস ॥ ১৯১ ॥

ei cāri haite cabbiśa mūrti parakāśa

astra-bhede nāma-bheda — vaibhava-vilāsa

Translation

“From the original quadruple expansions, twenty-four forms are manifested. They differ according to the placement of the weapons in Their four hands. They are called vaibhava-vilāsa.

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.

Twenty-four Forms Called Vaibhava-vilāsa

  1. 1

    Twenty-four forms are manifested from the original quadruple expansions.

  2. 2

    These forms differ according to the placement of the weapons in Their four hands.

  3. 3

    They are called vaibhava-vilāsa.

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. ei cāri haitefrom these four
  2. cabbiśatwenty-four
  3. mūrtiforms
  4. parakāśamanifestation
  5. astra-bhedeaccording to the different weapons
  6. nāma-bhedathe difference of names
  7. vaibhava-vilāsathe vaibhava pastime expansions
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does the placement of the weapons help distinguish these forms?

Practice

Write one sentence linking the original quadruple expansions with the twenty-four vaibhava-vilāsa forms.

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 todayTwenty-four Forms Called Vaibhava-vilāsaThis 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.

Ask Caitanya CaritamrtaHave a question about CC Madhya 20.191? Get an answer from the verses themselves.