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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 22: The Process of Devotional Service
Madhya 22.8Madhya 22.10

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 22.9

স্বাংশ-বিস্তার — চতুর্ব্যূহ, অবতারগণ ।

বিভিন্নাংশ জীব — তাঁর শক্তিতে গণন ॥ ৯ ॥

svāṁśa-vistāra — catur-vyūha, avatāra-gaṇa

vibhinnāṁśa jīva — tāṅra śaktite gaṇana

Translation

“Expansions of His personal self — like the quadruple manifestations of Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Vāsudeva — descend as incarnations from Vaikuṇṭha to this material world. The separated expansions are the living entities. Although they are expansions of Kṛṣṇa, they are counted among His different potencies.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Personal Expansions and Living Entities Are Distinct

  1. 1

    The Lord’s personal expansions are known as viṣṇu-tattva. They descend as incarnations from Vaikuṇṭha to this material world.

  2. 2

    The separated expansions, the living entities, are known as jīva-tattva.

  3. 3

    Although living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are counted among His many potencies.

Key points from the purport
  • The personal expansions are known as viṣṇu-tattva, and the separated expansions are known as jīva-tattva.
  • Although the jīvas (living entities) are part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are still counted among His multipotencies.
  • This is fully described by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.5):

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

Connected verses· 1

The purport of CC Madhya 22.9 quotesBG 7.5

This is fully described by Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.5):

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

Trust and resolution. Devotional practice and association offer a steady path for awakening love.

The mood of Madhya 22 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 22: The Process of Devotional Service

From Śrīla Prabhupāda's chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In the beginning He describes the truth about the living entity and the superexcellence of devotional service. He then describes the uselessness of mental speculation and mystic yoga.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 22
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. sva-aṁśa-vistārathe expansion of His personal forms
  2. catur-vyūhaHis quadruple form
  3. avatāra-gaṇathe incarnations
  4. vibhinna-aṁśaHis separated forms
  5. jīvathe living entities
  6. tāṅraHis
  7. śaktitein the category of potency
  8. gaṇanacalculating
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Vipralambha · Love in separation

    Separation that intensifies remembrance and longing; especially central to the confidential pastimes at Purī. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “separated”

Concept links are an editorial study map; only the verse is the text itself.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does seeing yourself as part and parcel of the Lord shape your understanding of your relationship with Him?

Practice

Write one sentence distinguishing viṣṇu-tattva from jīva-tattva.

5

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

1 lecture given on it · quoted in 1 more lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 1 other lecture

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayPersonal Expansions and Living Entities Are DistinctThis 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 22.9? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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