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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

1Say the verse. Read the transliteration aloud, slowly.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each word and its meaning.
3Read the translation. Ask: what is happening here, and who is it about?
4Read the purport slowly. Read it twice. Don't rush.
5See Lord Caitanya as Kṛṣṇa. Remember who is acting in the pastime.
6Take one thing into your day. Note one point and one practice.

Read the full guide: how to read Caitanya Caritamrta ›

Madhya-līlā · Chapter 21: The Opulence and Sweetness of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Madhya 21.130 Madhya 21.132

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 21.131

বিপুলায়তারুণ, মদন-মদ-ঘূর্ণন,

মন্ত্রী যার এ দুই নয়ন ।

লাবণ্যকেলি-সদন, জন-নেত্র-রসায়ন,

সুখময় গোবিন্দ-বদন ॥ ১৩১ ॥

vipulāyatāruṇa, madana-mada-ghūrṇana,

mantrī yāra e dui nayana

lāvaṇya-keli-sadana, jana-netra-rasāyana,

sukhamaya govinda-vadana

Translation

“Kṛṣṇa has two reddish, widely spread eyes. These are ministers of the king, and they subdue the pride of Cupid, who also has beautiful eyes. That face of Govinda, which is full of happiness, is the home of the pastimes of beauty, and it is very pleasing to everyone’s eyes.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Govinda’s Face Is the Home of Beauty

1
Kṛṣṇa’s two reddish, widely spread eyes are described as ministers of the king.
2
His eyes subdue the pride of Cupid, who also has beautiful eyes.
3
Govinda’s face is full of happiness and is the home of the pastimes of beauty. It is very pleasing to everyone’s eyes.

How it feels

Awe becoming attraction. The Lord’s vast opulence is placed beside the intimate sweetness of Kṛṣṇa.

The mood of Madhya 21 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Madhya 21: The Opulence and Sweetness of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa

From Śrīla Prabhupāda's chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In this chapter the author of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta has presented some nice poems about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s superexcellent beauty. Throughout the rest of the chapter, our intimate relationship ( sambandha ) with Kṛṣṇa is described.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in Madhya 21

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

vipula-āyatabroad and spread
aruṇareddish
madana-madathe pride of Cupid
ghūrṇanabewildering
mantrīministers
yārawhose
ethese
duitwo

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

Audārya · Love that moves outward
The freely offered gift of bhakti and prema, especially through nāma-saṅkīrtana and Mahāprabhu’s compassionate dealings. · In the Prema Atlas
In this verse: “to everyone”

Concept links are an editorial study map; only the verse is the text itself.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Which feature of Govinda’s happy face draws your attention in this description?

Practice

Spend one quiet minute reflecting on the words “full of happiness” as they describe Govinda’s face.

Live this todayGovinda’s Face Is the Home of BeautyThis 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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