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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 20.256Madhya 20.258

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.257

যদ্যপি অসৃজ্য নিত্য চিচ্ছক্তিবিলাস ।

তথাপি সঙ্কর্ষণ-ইচ্ছায় তাহার প্রকাশ ॥ ২৫৭ ॥

yadyapi asṛjya nitya cic-chakti-vilāsa

tathāpi saṅkarṣaṇa-icchāya tāhāra prakāśa

Translation

“Although there is no question of creation as far as the spiritual world is concerned, the spiritual world is nonetheless manifested by the supreme will of Saṅkarṣaṇa. The spiritual world is the abode of the pastimes of the eternal spiritual energy.

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.

The Spiritual World Is Manifested, Not Created

  1. 1

    There is no question of creation as far as the spiritual world is concerned.

  2. 2

    Nonetheless, the spiritual world is manifested by the supreme will of Saṅkarṣaṇa.

  3. 3

    The spiritual world is the abode of the pastimes of the eternal spiritual energy.

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:

Thus the Lord described the many forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He also described the incarnations of God within the material world, incarnations such as the puruṣa-avatāras, manvantara-avatāras, guṇa-avatāras and śaktyāveśa-avatāras.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 20
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. yadyapialthough
  2. asṛjyathere is no question of creation
  3. nityaeternal
  4. cit-śakti-vilāsapastimes of the eternal spiritual energy
  5. tathāpistill
  6. saṅkarṣaṇa-icchāyaby the will of Saṅkarṣaṇa
  7. tāhāraof the spiritual world
  8. prakāśamanifestation
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What distinction does this verse make between creation and manifestation of the spiritual world?

Practice

Read the translation twice, noticing how it describes both manifestation and eternal spiritual energy.

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 todayThe Spiritual World Is Manifested, Not CreatedThis 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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