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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 20.260Madhya 20.262

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.261

ঈশ্বরের শক্ত্যে সৃষ্টি করয়ে প্রকৃতি ।

লৌহ যেন অগ্নিশক্ত্যে পায় দাহ-শক্তি ॥ ২৬১ ॥

īśvarera śaktye sṛṣṭi karaye prakṛti

lauha yena agni-śaktye pāya dāha-śakti

Translation

“Dull matter alone cannot create anything. The material energy produces the creation by the power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Iron itself has no power to burn, but when iron is placed in fire, it is empowered to burn.

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.

Material Energy Creates Through the Lord’s Power

  1. 1

    Dull matter alone cannot create anything.

  2. 2

    The material energy produces the creation by the power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  3. 3

    Iron itself has no power to burn. When placed in fire, it becomes empowered to burn.

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. īśvarera śaktyeby the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
  2. sṛṣṭicreation
  3. karayedoes
  4. prakṛtimaterial energy
  5. lauhairon
  6. yenaas
  7. agni-śaktyeby the power of fire
  8. pāyagets
  9. dāha-śaktithe power to burn
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does the example of iron in fire help you understand the material energy’s dependence on the Lord?

Practice

Explain the iron-and-fire example in one sentence, noting how it illustrates power received from another source.

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 todayMaterial Energy Creates Through the Lord’s PowerThis 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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