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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 20.225Madhya 20.227

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.226

পরব্যোমে বাসুদেবাদি — নিজ নিজ অস্ত্রধর ।

তাঁর মত কহি, যে-সব অস্ত্রকর ॥ ২২৬ ॥

paravyome vāsudevādi — nija nija astra-dhara

tāṅra mata kahi, ye-saba astra-kara

Translation

“Thus in the spiritual sky the expansions, headed by Vāsudeva, hold weapons in Their own respective order. I am repeating the opinion of the Siddhārtha-saṁhitā in describing Them.

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.

Expansions in the Spiritual Sky

  1. 1

    The expansions in the spiritual sky are headed by Vāsudeva.

  2. 2

    Each expansion holds weapons in His own respective order.

  3. 3

    This description repeats the account given in the Siddhārtha-saṁhitā.

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. para-vyomein the spiritual sky
  2. vāsudeva-ādibeginning with Lord Vāsudeva
  3. nija nijaTheir own respective
  4. astra-dharaholding of different weapons
  5. tāṅra mata kahiI am speaking the opinion of the Siddhārtha-saṁhitā
  6. ye-sabaall
  7. astra-karaweapons in the different hands
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does this verse help me remember about the expansions and Their weapon arrangements?

Practice

Write one sentence noting where these expansions are and which book describes Their arrangements.

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 todayExpansions in the Spiritual SkyThis 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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