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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 24: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse
Madhya 24.53Madhya 24.55

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 24.54

কস্যানুভাবোঽস্য ন দেব বিদ্মহে

তবাঙ্ঘ্রিরেণুস্পরশাধিকারঃ ।

যদ্বাঞ্ছয়া শ্রীর্ললনাচরত্তপো

বিহায় কামান্‌ সুচিরং ধৃতব্রতা ॥ ৫৪ ॥

kasyānubhāvo ’sya na deva vidmahe

tavāṅghri-reṇu-sparaśādhikāraḥ

yad-vāñchayā śrīr lalanācarat tapo

vihāya kāmān su-ciraṁ dhṛta-vratā

Translation

“ ‘O Lord, we do not know how the serpent Kāliya attained such an opportunity to be touched by the dust of Your lotus feet. For this end, the goddess of fortune performed austerities for centuries, giving up all other desires and taking austere vows. Indeed, we do not know how this serpent Kāliya got such an opportunity.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The rare gift of Kṛṣṇa’s foot dust

  1. 1

    The wives of the serpent Kāliya spoke this verse. They marvelled that Kāliya had been touched by the dust of the Lord’s lotus feet.

  2. 2

    The goddess of fortune performed austerities for centuries to obtain that opportunity.

  3. 3

    She gave up all other desires and took austere vows. Kāliya’s wives express their wonder at how he received such an opportunity.

Key points from the purport
  • This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.16.36) was spoken by the wives of the Kāliya serpent.

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 24.54 quotesSB 10.16.36

This verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.16.36) was spoken by the wives of the Kāliya serpent.

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

Intellectual wonder humbled. Many explanations converge on the attractiveness of devotion; a hunter’s heart is transformed.

The mood of Madhya 24 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 24: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse

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

According to Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī’s request, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained the well-known Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam verse beginning ātmārāmāś ca munayaḥ. He explained this verse in sixty-one different ways.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 24
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. kasyaof what
  2. anubhāvaḥa result
  3. asyaof the serpent (Kāliya)
  4. nanot
  5. devaO Lord
  6. vidmahewe know
  7. tava-aṅghriof Your lotus feet
  8. reṇuof the dust
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Śaraṇāgati · Taking shelter

    Turning toward Kṛṣṇa through shelter, surrender, dependence on guru, and unconditional devotional fidelity. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “lotus feet”

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 the wonder of Kāliya’s wives help you appreciate the dust of the Lord’s lotus feet?

Practice

Write one sentence about why Kāliya’s wives considered this opportunity so precious.

Live this todayThe rare gift of Kṛṣṇa’s foot dustThis 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 24.54? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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