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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

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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 21.8Madhya 21.10

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 21.9

কো বেত্তি ভূমন্‌ ভগবন্‌ পরাত্মন্‌

যোগেশ্বরোতীর্ভবতস্ত্রিলোক্যাম্‌ ।

ক্ব বা কথং বা কতি বা কদেতি

বিস্তারয়ন্‌ ক্রীড়সি যোগমায়াম্‌ ॥ ৯ ॥

ko vetti bhūman bhagavan parātman

yogeśvarotīr bhavatas tri-lokyām

kva vā kathaṁ vā kati vā kadeti

vistārayan krīḍasi yoga-māyām

Translation

“ ‘O supreme great one! O Supreme Personality of Godhead! O Supersoul, master of all mystic power! Your pastimes are taking place continuously in these worlds, but who can estimate where, how and when You are employing Your spiritual energy and performing Your pastimes? No one can understand the mystery of these activities.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Mystery of the Lord’s Pastimes

  1. 1

    The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supersoul and master of all mystic power.

  2. 2

    His pastimes are taking place continuously in these worlds.

  3. 3

    No one can estimate where, how and when He employs His spiritual energy and performs His pastimes.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of CC Madhya 21.9 quotesSB 10.14.21

This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.21).

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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. kaḥwho
  2. vettiknows
  3. bhūmanO supreme great one
  4. bhagavanO Supreme Personality of Godhead
  5. para-ātmanO Supersoul
  6. yoga-īśvaraO master of mystic power
  7. ūtīḥpastimes
  8. bhavataḥof Your Lordship
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I approach the Lord’s pastimes without expecting to understand everything?

Practice

Read the translation slowly once, pausing to acknowledge the mystery of the Lord’s activities.

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 Mystery of the Lord’s PastimesThis 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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