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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 21.6Madhya 21.8

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 21.7

অনন্ত বৈকুণ্ঠ-পরব্যোম যার দলশ্রেণী ।

সর্বোপরি কৃষ্ণলোক ‘কর্ণিকার’ গণি ॥ ৭ ॥

ananta vaikuṇṭha-paravyoma yāra dala-śreṇī

sarvopari kṛṣṇaloka ‘karṇikāra’ gaṇi

Translation

“The shape of the spiritual sky is compared to a lotus flower. The topmost region of that flower is called the whorl, and within that whorl is Kṛṣṇa’s abode. The petals of the spiritual lotus flower consist of many Vaikuṇṭha planets.

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.

Kṛṣṇa’s Abode Within the Spiritual Lotus

  1. 1

    The shape of the spiritual sky is compared to a lotus flower.

  2. 2

    Its topmost region is called the whorl, and Kṛṣṇa’s abode is within that whorl.

  3. 3

    The petals of this spiritual lotus consist of many Vaikuṇṭha planets.

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 Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu fully describes Kṛṣṇaloka, the spiritual sky, the Causal Ocean and the material world, which consists of innumerable universes. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then describes Lord Brahmā’s interview with Kṛṣṇa at Dvārakā and the Lord’s curbing the pride of Brahmā.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 21
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. anantaunlimited
  2. vaikuṇṭhaVaikuṇṭha planets
  3. para-vyomathe spiritual sky
  4. yāraof which
  5. dala-śreṇīthe bunches of outlying petals
  6. sarva-upariin the topmost portion of the spiritual sky
  7. kṛṣṇa-lokathe abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa
  8. karṇikāra gaṇiwe consider the whorl of the lotus flower
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does the lotus comparison help me remember the place of Kṛṣṇa’s abode?

Practice

Sketch a simple lotus, labeling the whorl as containing Kṛṣṇa’s abode and the petals as Vaikuṇṭha planets.

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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 todayKṛṣṇa’s Abode Within the Spiritual LotusThis 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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