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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 20.300Madhya 20.302

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.301

ব্রহ্মা, বিষ্ণু, শিব, — তিন গুণ অবতার ।

ত্রিগুণ অঙ্গীকরি’ করে সৃষ্ট্যাদি-ব্যবহার ॥ ৩০১ ॥

brahmā, viṣṇu, śiva, — tina guṇa avatāra

tri-guṇa aṅgīkari’ kare sṛṣṭy-ādi-vyavahāra

Translation

“There are three functions within this material world. Everything here is created, everything is maintained for some time, and everything is finally dissolved. The Lord therefore incarnates Himself as the controllers of the three qualities — sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa [goodness, passion and ignorance]. Thus the transactions of the material world take place.

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 Lord Controls the Three Material Qualities

  1. 1

    Everything in the material world is created, maintained for some time and finally dissolved.

  2. 2

    The Lord incarnates Himself as the controllers of sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa—goodness, passion and ignorance.

  3. 3

    Through this control of the three qualities, the transactions of the material world take place.

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. brahmā, viṣṇu, śivaLord Brahmā, Lord Viṣṇu and Lord Śiva
  2. tinathree
  3. guṇa avatārathe incarnations of the material qualities
  4. tri-guṇathe three qualities of material nature
  5. aṅgīkari’accepting
  6. karedoes
  7. sṛṣṭi-ādi-vyavahāratransactions in reference to the creation, maintenance and dissolution
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does this description shape your understanding of things that are maintained only for some time?

Practice

Choose one material object around you and reflect on its creation, temporary maintenance and eventual dissolution.

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 Controls the Three Material QualitiesThis 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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