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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 20.324Madhya 20.326

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.325

স্বায়ংভুবে ‘যজ্ঞ’, স্বারোচিষে ‘বিভু’ নাম ।

ঔত্তমে ‘সত্যসেন’, তামসে ‘হরি’ অভিধান ॥ ৩২৫ ॥

svāyaṁbhuve ‘yajña’, svārociṣe ‘vibhu’ nāma

auttame ‘satyasena’, tāmase ‘hari’ abhidhāna

Translation

“In the Svāyambhuva-manvantara, the avatāra is named Yajña. In the Svārociṣa-manvantara, he is named Vibhu. In the Auttama-manvantara, He is named Satyasena, and in the Tāmasa-manvantara, He is named Hari.

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.

Names of Avatāras in Four Manvantaras

  1. 1

    In the Svāyambhuva-manvantara, the avatāra is named Yajña.

  2. 2

    In the Svārociṣa-manvantara, the avatāra is named Vibhu.

  3. 3

    In the Auttama-manvantara, the avatāra is named Satyasena. In the Tāmasa-manvantara, He is named Hari.

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. svāyaṁbhuvein the Svāyambhuva-manvantara
  2. yajñathe avatāra named Yajña
  3. svārociṣein the Svārociṣa-manvantara
  4. vibhuthe avatāra Vibhu
  5. nāmanamed
  6. auttamein the Auttama-manvantara
  7. satyasenathe avatāra named Satyasena
  8. tāmasein the Tāmasa-manvantara
  9. hariHari
  10. abhidhānanamed
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Nāma-saṅkīrtana · The holy name shared together

    Chanting the holy names as the yuga-dharma, the Lord’s public movement, and the opening prayer of Śikṣāṣṭaka. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “hari”

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

Which of these four names and its corresponding manvantara can you recall?

Practice

Write the four manvantara–avatāra pairs, then cover the names of the avatāras and try to recall them.

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 todayNames of Avatāras in Four ManvantarasThis 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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