1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta with its Bengali, transliteration, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by līlā and chapter

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 20.238

কেশব-ভেদে পদ্মশঙ্খগদাচক্রধর ।

মাধব-ভেদে চক্রগদাশঙ্খপদ্মকর ॥ ২৩৮ ॥

keśava-bhede padma-śaṅkha-gadā-cakra-dhara

mādhava-bhede cakra-gadā-śaṅkha-padma-kara

Translation

“Keśava is described differently as holding the lotus, conch, club and disc, and Mādhava is described as holding the disc, club, conch and lotus in His hands.

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.

Keśava and Mādhava Hold Different Arrangements

  1. 1

    Keśava is described as holding the lotus, conch, club and disc.

  2. 2

    Mādhava is described as holding the disc, club, conch and lotus.

  3. 3

    Both descriptions name the same four objects, but their order differs.

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:

For his garment, he used an old cloth of Tapana Miśra’s. Later, he exchanged his valuable blanket for a torn quilt.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 20
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. keśava-bhedeaccording to the different opinion about Lord Keśava
  2. padmalotus
  3. śaṅkhaconch
  4. gadāclub
  5. cakraand disc
  6. dharaholding
  7. mādhava-bhedeaccording to the different opinion about the bodily features of Lord Mādhava
  8. cakradisc
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What difference do I notice between these descriptions of Keśava and Mādhava?

Practice

Read both arrangements aloud once, noticing the order of the four objects.

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 todayKeśava and Mādhava Hold Different ArrangementsThis 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 20.238? Get an answer from the verses themselves.