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Study a Verse

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 21: The Opulence and Sweetness of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
Madhya 21.135Madhya 21.137

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 21.136

মধুরং মধুরং বপুরস্য বিভোর্মধুরং মধুরং বদনং মধুরম্‌ ।

মধুগন্ধি মৃদুস্মিতমেতদহো মধুরং মধুরং মধুরং মধুরম্‌ ॥ ১৩৬ ॥

madhuraṁ madhuraṁ vapur asya vibhor

madhuraṁ madhuraṁ vadanaṁ madhuram

madhu-gandhi mṛdu-smitam etad aho

madhuraṁ madhuraṁ madhuraṁ madhuram

Translation

“ ‘O my Lord, the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa is very sweet, and His face is even sweeter than His body. But His soft smile, which has the fragrance of honey, is sweeter still.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa’s Soft Smile Is Sweetest

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental body is very sweet, and His face is even sweeter.

  2. 2

    His soft smile has the fragrance of honey and is sweeter still.

  3. 3

    This verse is quoted from the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura.

Key points from the purport
  • This verse is quoted from the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta (92), by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura.

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

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

Further reading

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 summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 21
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. madhuramsweet
  2. madhuramsweet
  3. vapuḥthe transcendental form
  4. asyaHis
  5. vibhoḥof the Lord
  6. madhuramsweet
  7. madhuramsweet
  8. vadanamface
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What do you notice about the progression from Kṛṣṇa’s body to His face to His smile?

Practice

Read this prayer aloud once, pausing at each description of sweetness.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa’s Soft Smile Is SweetestThis 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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