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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 20.290Madhya 20.292

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.291

ব্রহ্মা, বিষ্ণু, শিব — তাঁর গুণ-অবতার ।

সৃষ্টি-স্থিতি-প্রলয়ের তিনের অধিকার ॥ ২৯১ ॥

brahmā, viṣṇu, śiva — tāṅra guṇa-avatāra

sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralayera tinera adhikāra

Translation

“Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva are His three incarnations of the material qualities. Creation, maintenance and destruction respectively are under the charge of these three personalities.

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.

Three Incarnations, Three Cosmic Responsibilities

  1. 1

    Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva are the Lord’s three incarnations of the material qualities.

  2. 2

    Creation is under Brahmā’s charge, and maintenance is under Viṣṇu’s charge.

  3. 3

    Destruction is under Śiva’s charge.

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:

He also described the incarnations of God within the material world, incarnations such as the puruṣa-avatāras, manvantara-avatāras, guṇa-avatāras and śaktyāveśa-avatāras. The Lord also discussed the divisions of Kṛṣṇa’s different ages, such as bālya and paugaṇḍa, and the different pastimes of the different ages.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 20
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. brahmāLord Brahmā
  2. viṣṇuLord Viṣṇu
  3. śivaLord Śiva
  4. tāṅraof Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu
  5. guṇa-avatāraincarnations of the material qualities
  6. sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralayeraof the three functions, namely creation, maintenance and dissolution
  7. tinera adhikārathere is control by the three deities (Lord Brahmā, Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Śiva)
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Can you distinguish the responsibility entrusted to each of these three personalities?

Practice

Write three pairs from memory: Brahmā—creation, Viṣṇu—maintenance, and Śiva—destruction.

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 todayThree Incarnations, Three Cosmic ResponsibilitiesThis 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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