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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 20.344Madhya 20.346

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.345

কৃতে যদ্ধ্যায়তো বিষ্ণুং ত্রেতায়াং যজতো মখৈঃ ।

দ্বাপরে পরিচর্যায়াং কলৌ তদ্ধরিকীর্তনাৎ ॥ ৩৪৫ ॥

kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ

tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ

dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ

kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt

Translation

“ ‘Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṇu, in Tretā-yuga by performing sacrifices and in Dvāpara-yuga by serving the Lord’s lotus feet can also be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Chanting Fulfills the Practices of Earlier Ages

  1. 1

    Satya-yuga’s practice was meditation on Viṣṇu, Tretā-yuga’s was sacrifice, and Dvāpara-yuga’s was service to the Lord’s lotus feet.

  2. 2

    The purport explains that one should meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa. It warns against imaginary forms and impersonal objects chosen without reference to the śāstras.

  3. 3

    In Kali-yuga, the results of those earlier practices can be obtained simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.

Key points from the purport
  • At the present moment in Kali-yuga there are many false meditators who concoct some imaginary form and try to meditate upon it.
  • One has to meditate upon Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Kṛṣṇa.
  • Lord Kṛṣṇa has condemned them in the Bhagavad-gītā (12.5):

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 2

The purport of CC Madhya 20.345 quotesSB 12.3.52

This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (12.3.52).

The purport of CC Madhya 20.345 quotesBG 12.5

Lord Kṛṣṇa has condemned them in the Bhagavad-gītā (12.5):

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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:

While discussing the Absolute Truth, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Lord analyzed Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, as well as the expansions of the Lord called svayaṁ-rūpa, tad-ekātma and āveśa, which are divided into various branches known as vaibhava and prābhava. Thus the Lord described the many forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 20
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. kṛtein Satya-yuga
  2. yatwhich
  3. dhyāyataḥfrom meditation
  4. viṣṇumon Lord Viṣṇu
  5. tretāyāmin Tretā-yuga
  6. yajataḥfrom worshiping
  7. makhaiḥby performing sacrifices
  8. dvāparein the Age of Dvāpara
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Sevā · Love translated into service

    Devotional service expressed through cleansing, caring, teaching, honoring others, and living as Kṛṣṇa’s servant. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “serving”, “service”

  • 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: “chanting”

  • 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

Why is it important to know the proper object of meditation rather than invent one?

Practice

Spend a few minutes chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra today.

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 todayChanting Fulfills the Practices of Earlier AgesThis 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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