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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 20.332Madhya 20.334

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.333

ত্রেতায়াং রক্তবর্ণোঽসৌ চতুর্বাহুস্ত্রিমেখলঃ ।

হিরণ্যকেশস্ত্রয্যাত্মা স্রুক্‌স্রুবাদ্যুপলক্ষণঃ ॥ ৩৩৩ ॥

tretāyāṁ rakta-varṇo ’sau

catur-bāhus tri-mekhalaḥ

hiraṇya-keśas trayy-ātmā

sruk-sruvādy-upalakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

“ ‘In Tretā-yuga, the Lord appeared in a body that had a reddish hue and four arms. There were three distinctive lines on His abdomen, and His hair was golden. His form manifested the Vedic knowledge, and He bore the symbols of a sacrificial spoon, ladle and so on.’

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’s Appearance in Tretā-yuga

  1. 1

    In Tretā-yuga, the Lord appeared with a reddish body and four arms.

  2. 2

    He had three distinctive lines on His abdomen, and His hair was golden.

  3. 3

    His form manifested the Vedic knowledge. He bore the symbols of a sacrificial spoon, ladle and so on.

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:

At this time Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very pleased with him, and thus Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī received knowledge of the Absolute Truth from the Lord Himself. 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.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 20
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. tretāyāmin Tretā-yuga
  2. rakta-varṇaḥof a reddish color
  3. asauHe
  4. catuḥ-bāhuḥwith four arms
  5. tri-mekhalaḥhaving three circles on the abdomen
  6. hiraṇya-keśaḥhair colored like gold
  7. trayī-ātmāwhose form manifests the Vedas
  8. sruk-sruva-ādi-upalakṣaṇaḥdecorated with the sacrificial spoon, ladle and so on
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does the statement that His form manifested Vedic knowledge invite you to reflect on?

Practice

Write down the Lord’s color and two other features of His Tretā-yuga appearance.

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 Appearance in Tretā-yugaThis 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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