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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 20.309Madhya 20.311

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.310

ক্ষীরং যথা দধি বিকারবিশেষযোগাৎ

সংজায়তে ন তু ততঃ পৃথগস্তি হেতোঃ ।

যঃ শম্ভুতামপি তথা সমুপৈতি কার্যাদ্

গোবিন্দমাদিপুরুষং তমহং ভজামি ॥ ৩১০ ॥

kṣīraṁ yathā dadhi vikāra-viśeṣa-yogāt

sañjāyate na tu tataḥ pṛthag asti hetoḥ

yaḥ śambhutām api tathā samupaiti kāryād

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

Translation

“ ‘Milk changes into yogurt when mixed with a yogurt culture, but actually it is constitutionally nothing but milk. Similarly, Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, assumes the form of Lord Śiva [Śambhu] for the special purpose of material transactions. I offer my obeisances at His lotus feet.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Govinda Assumes Śambhu’s Form

  1. 1

    Milk changes into yogurt when mixed with a yogurt culture, yet constitutionally it is nothing but milk.

  2. 2

    Similarly, Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, assumes the form of Lord Śiva, Śambhu, for the special purpose of material transactions.

  3. 3

    The prayer concludes by offering obeisances at Govinda’s lotus feet.

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. kṣīrammilk
  2. yathāas
  3. dadhiyogurt
  4. vikāra-viśeṣawith a special transforming agent
  5. yogātby mixing
  6. sañjāyateis transformed into
  7. nanot
  8. tubut
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: “lotus feet”

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

How does this comparison help you appreciate Govinda as the source of Śambhu’s form?

Practice

Offer a brief prayer of obeisance to Govinda at His lotus feet, following the verse’s conclusion.

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 todayGovinda Assumes Śambhu’s FormThis 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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