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Read one verse of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta with its Bengali, transliteration, word meanings, translation and study points.
Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.242
চত্বারো বাসুদেবাদ্যা নারায়ণনৃসিংহকৌ ।
হয়গ্রীবো মহাক্রোড়ো ব্রহ্মা চেতি নবোদিতাঃ ॥ ২৪২ ॥
catvāro vāsudevādyā
nārāyaṇa-nṛsiṁhakau
hayagrīvo mahākroḍo
brahmā ceti navoditāḥ
“ ‘The nine personalities mentioned are Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Nārāyaṇa, Nṛsiṁha, Hayagrīva, Varāha and Brahmā.’
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioThree study points drawn from the translation and purport.
The nine personalities are Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Nārāyaṇa, Nṛsiṁha, Hayagrīva, Varāha and Brahmā.
Sometimes, when there is a scarcity of living entities to take charge of Brahmā’s post, Mahā-Viṣṇu expands Himself as Lord Brahmā.
The Brahmā mentioned here is not a living entity. He is an expansion of Viṣṇu.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.
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
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
Learn the words of the verse.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
Why is it important to notice which Brahmā is meant here?
Write a short note beside Brahmā’s name: “Here, an expansion of Viṣṇu, not a living entity.”
His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.
1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.
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 20.242? Get an answer from the verses themselves.