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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 21: The Opulence and Sweetness of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
Madhya 21.35Madhya 21.37

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 21.36

ব্রহ্মা, বিষ্ণু, হর, — এই সৃষ্ট্যাদি-ঈশ্বর ।

তিনে আজ্ঞাকারী কৃষ্ণের, কৃষ্ণ — অধীশ্বর ॥ ৩৬ ॥

brahmā, viṣṇu, hara, — ei sṛṣṭyādi-īśvara

tine ājñākārī kṛṣṇera, kṛṣṇa — adhīśvara

Translation

“The primary predominating deities of this material creation are Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu. Nonetheless, they simply carry out the orders of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is master of them all.

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.

The Principal Deities Carry Out Kṛṣṇa’s Orders

  1. 1

    Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu are the primary predominating deities of this material creation.

  2. 2

    They carry out the orders of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

  3. 3

    Kṛṣṇa is the master of them all.

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. brahmāLord Brahmā
  2. viṣṇuLord Viṣṇu
  3. haraand Lord Śiva
  4. eithey
  5. sṛṣṭi-ādi-īśvarathe masters of material creation, maintenance and dissolution
  6. tineall three of them
  7. ājñā-kārīorder carriers
  8. kṛṣṇeraof Lord Kṛṣṇa
  9. kṛṣṇaLord Kṛṣṇa
  10. adhīśvaratheir master
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does distinguishing the deities’ roles from Kṛṣṇa’s mastery clarify this teaching for me?

Practice

Write one sentence summarizing the relationship between Kṛṣṇa and the three primary predominating deities.

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 todayThe Principal Deities Carry Out Kṛṣṇa’s OrdersThis 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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