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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 20.298Madhya 20.300

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.299

মৎস্যাশ্বকচ্ছপনৃসিংহ-বরাহ-হংস-

রাজন্যবিপ্রবিবুধেষু কৃতাবতারঃ ।

ত্বং পাসি নস্ত্রিভুবনঞ্চ তথাধুনেশ

ভারং ভুবো হর যদূত্তম বন্দনং তে ॥ ২৯৯ ॥

matsyāśva-kacchapa-nṛsiṁha-varāha-haṁsa-

rājanya-vipra-vibudheṣu kṛtāvatāraḥ

tvaṁ pāsi nas tri-bhuvanaṁ ca tathādhuneśa

bhāraṁ bhuvo hara yadūttama vandanaṁ te

Translation

“ ‘O Lord of the universe, best of the Yadu dynasty, we are offering our prayers unto You mainly to diminish the heavy burden of the universe. Indeed, You diminished this burden formerly by incarnating in the form of a fish, a horse [Hayagrīva], a tortoise, a lion [Lord Nṛsiṁha], a boar [Lord Varāha] and a swan. You also incarnated as Lord Rāmacandra, Paraśurāma and Vāmana, the dwarf. You have always protected us demigods and the universe in this way. Now please continue.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord’s Incarnations Protect the Universe

  1. 1

    The demigods offer prayers to the Lord of the universe, the best of the Yadu dynasty, mainly to diminish the universe’s heavy burden.

  2. 2

    They recall His forms as a fish, Hayagrīva, a tortoise, Lord Nṛsiṁha, Lord Varāha and a swan, as well as Lord Rāmacandra, Paraśurāma and Vāmana.

  3. 3

    They remember that He has always protected them and the universe through these incarnations, and they ask Him to continue. The purport identifies this prayer as a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of CC Madhya 20.299 quotesSB 10.2.40

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.2.40).

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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 explained how Kṛṣṇa attained His permanent form when He reached youth. In this way Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained and described everything to Sanātana Gosvāmī.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 20
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. matsyain the form of a fish
  2. aśvain the form of a horse
  3. kacchapain the form of a tortoise
  4. nṛsiṁhain the form of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva
  5. varāhain the form of a boar
  6. haṁsain the form of a swan
  7. rājanyain the form of Lord Rāmacandra
  8. viprain the form of Lord Paraśurāma
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What stands out to you about a prayer asking for the protection of the whole universe?

Practice

Read the prayer slowly, pausing at its request that the Lord continue His protection.

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 Lord’s Incarnations Protect the UniverseThis 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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