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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 20.303Madhya 20.305

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.304

ভাস্বান্ যথাশ্মসকলেষু নিজেষু তেজঃ

স্বীয়ং কিয়ৎ প্রকটয়ত্যপি তদ্বদত্র ।

ব্রহ্মা য এষ জগদণ্ডবিধানকর্তা

গোবিন্দমাদিপুরুষং তমহং ভজামি ॥ ৩০৪ ॥

bhāsvān yathāśma-sakaleṣu nijeṣu tejaḥ

svīyaṁ kiyat prakaṭayaty api tadvad atra

brahmā ya eṣa jagad-aṇḍa-vidhāna-kartā

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

Translation

“ ‘The sun manifests his brilliance in a gem, although it is stone. Similarly, the original Personality of Godhead, Govinda, manifests His special power in a pious living entity. Thus the living entity becomes Brahmā and manages the affairs of the universe. Let me worship Govinda, the original Personality of Godhead.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Govinda Empowers Brahmā

  1. 1

    The sun manifests its brilliance in a gem, although the gem is stone.

  2. 2

    Similarly, Govinda manifests His special power in a pious living entity. That living entity becomes Brahmā and manages the universe.

  3. 3

    The prayer offers worship to Govinda, the original Personality of Godhead, who is the source of this power.

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:

First they discussed the constitutional position of the living entities, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained to Sanātana Gosvāmī how the living entity is one of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s energies. After this, the Lord explained the way of devotional service.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 20
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. bhāsvānthe illuminating sun
  2. yathāas
  3. aśma-sakaleṣuin various types of precious stones
  4. nijeṣuhis own
  5. tejaḥbrilliance
  6. svīyamhis own
  7. kiyatto some extent
  8. prakaṭayatimanifests
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does the example of sunlight in a gem help you understand about Brahmā’s power?

Practice

Offer the verse’s short prayer today: “Let me worship Govinda, the original Personality of Godhead.”

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 todayGovinda Empowers BrahmāThis 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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