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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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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 20.292Madhya 20.294

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.293

এই ত’ দ্বিতীয়-পুরুষ — ব্রহ্মাণ্ডের ঈশ্বর ।

মায়ার ‘আশ্রয়’ হয়, তবু মায়া-পার ॥ ২৯৩ ॥

ei ta’ dvitīya-puruṣa — brahmāṇḍera īśvara

māyāra ‘āśraya’ haya, tabu māyā-pāra

Translation

“This second Personality of Godhead, known as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, is the master of each and every universe and the shelter of the external energy. Nonetheless, He remains beyond the touch of the external 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.

Sheltering External Energy Yet Remaining Untouched

  1. 1

    The second Personality of Godhead is known as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.

  2. 2

    He is the master of each and every universe and the shelter of the external energy.

  3. 3

    Although He shelters the external energy, He remains beyond its touch.

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. ei ta’in this way
  2. dvitīya-puruṣathe second Personality of Godhead
  3. brahmāṇḍera īśvarathe master of the universe
  4. māyāraof the external, material energy
  5. āśraya hayabecomes the shelter
  6. tabustill
  7. māyā-pārais beyond the touch of the material energy
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Śaraṇāgati · Taking shelter

    Turning toward Kṛṣṇa through shelter, surrender, dependence on guru, and unconditional devotional fidelity. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “shelter”

Concept links are an editorial study map; only the verse is the text itself.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What stands out to you about His sheltering the external energy while remaining untouched by it?

Practice

Write one sentence recalling both truths: Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu shelters the external energy and remains beyond its touch.

5

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 todaySheltering External Energy Yet Remaining UntouchedThis 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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