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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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Madhya-līlā · 25 chapters

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 ›

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 21.25

“যে কহে — ‘কৃষ্ণের বৈভব মুঞি সব জানোঁ’ ।

সে জানুক, — কায়মনে মুঞি এই মানোঁ ॥ ২৫ ॥

“ye kahe — ‘kṛṣṇera vaibhava muñi saba jānoṅ’

se jānuka, — kāya-mane muñi ei mānoṅ

Translation

“Lord Brahmā said, ‘If someone says that he knows everything about Kṛṣṇa’s opulence, let him think that way. But as far as I am concerned, with my body and mind I consider it in this way.

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.

Brahmā Does Not Claim Complete Knowledge

  1. 1

    Lord Brahmā acknowledges that someone may claim to know everything about Kṛṣṇa’s opulence.

  2. 2

    He lets that person think that way rather than making the same claim himself.

  3. 3

    Brahmā introduces his own understanding, considered with his body and mind.

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:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then describes Lord Brahmā’s interview with Kṛṣṇa at Dvārakā and the Lord’s curbing the pride of Brahmā. There is also a description of one of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes with Brahmā.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 21
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. ye kaheif anyone says
  2. kṛṣṇeraof Lord Kṛṣṇa
  3. vaibhavaopulences
  4. muñiI
  5. sabaall
  6. jānoṅknow
  7. se jānukalet him know
  8. kāya-maneby my body and mind
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can Brahmā’s attitude help me be more modest about what I understand?

Practice

Before studying today, pause and acknowledge that you do not know everything about Kṛṣṇa’s opulence.

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 todayBrahmā Does Not Claim Complete KnowledgeThis 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.

Ask Caitanya CaritamrtaHave a question about CC Madhya 21.25? Get an answer from the verses themselves.