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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 20.346Madhya 20.348

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.347

কলিং সভাজয়ন্ত্যার্যা গুণজ্ঞাঃ সারভাগিনঃ ।

যত্র সঙ্কীর্তনেনৈব সর্বস্বার্থোঽভিলভ্যতে ॥ ৩৪৭ ॥

kaliṁ sabhājayanty āryā

guṇa-jñāḥ sāra-bhāginaḥ

yatra saṅkīrtanenaiva

sarva-svārtho ’bhilabhyate

Translation

“ ‘Those who are advanced and highly qualified and are interested in the essence of life know the good qualities of Kali-yuga. Such people worship the Age of Kali because in this age one can advance in spiritual knowledge and attain life’s goal 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.

Recognize Kali-yuga’s Precious Opportunity

  1. 1

    Karabhājana Ṛṣi explained to Mahārāja Nimi the duty to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead through different processes in different yugas.

  2. 2

    Advanced and highly qualified people who seek the essence of life recognize Kali-yuga’s good qualities. They worship this age because of the opportunity it offers.

  3. 3

    Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in this age, one can advance in spiritual knowledge and attain life’s goal.

Key points from the purport
  • This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.36) spoken by the great sage Karabhājana Ṛṣi, one of the nine Yogendras.
  • The sage was informing Mahārāja Nimi about the people’s duty to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead according to different processes in different yugas.

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· 1

The purport of CC Madhya 20.347 quotesSB 11.5.36

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.36) spoken by the great sage Karabhājana Ṛṣi, one of the nine Yogendras.

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:

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. kalimKali-yuga
  2. sabhājayantiworship
  3. āryāḥadvanced people
  4. guṇa-jñāḥappreciating this good quality of Kali-yuga
  5. sāra-bhāginaḥpersons who accept the essence of life
  6. yatrain which age
  7. saṅkīrtanenasimply by performing the saṅkīrtana-yajña, the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra
  8. evacertainly
  9. sarva-sva-arthaḥall interests of life
  10. abhilabhyateare achieved
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: “chanting”

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 might recognizing this opportunity change your attitude toward chanting?

Practice

Chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra for a few minutes today, appreciating the opportunity this age offers.

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 todayRecognize Kali-yuga’s Precious OpportunityThis 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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