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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 25: How All the Residents of Vārāṇasī Became Vaiṣṇavas
Madhya 25.109Madhya 25.111

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 25.110

সৃষ্টির পূর্বে ষড়ৈশ্বর্যপূর্ণ আমি ত’ হইয়ে ।

‘প্রপঞ্চ’, ‘প্রকৃতি’, ‘পুরুষ’ আমাতেই লয়ে ॥ ১১০ ॥

sṛṣṭira pūrve ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa āmi ta’ ha-iye

‘prapañca’, ‘prakṛti’, ‘puruṣa’ āmātei laye

Translation

“ ‘Before the creation of the cosmic manifestation,’ the Lord said, ‘I existed, and the total material energy, material nature and the living entities all existed in Me.

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 Lord Existed Before Creation

  1. 1

    The Lord declares that He existed before the creation of the cosmic manifestation.

  2. 2

    The total material energy and material nature existed in Him.

  3. 3

    The living entities also existed in Him before the cosmic manifestation was created.

How it feels

Reconciliation and broad mercy. Opponents turn toward bhakti; the Lord returns to Purī and embraces devotees.

The mood of Madhya 25 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 25: How All the Residents of Vārāṇasī Became Vaiṣṇavas

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

At this time Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī and all his devotees approached the Lord. Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī immediately fell down at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and very much regretted his past behavior toward the Lord.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 25
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. sṛṣṭira pūrvebefore the creation of this cosmic manifestation
  2. ṣaṭ-aiśvarya-pūrṇafull of six opulences
  3. āmiI
  4. ta’ ha-iyeindeed existed
  5. prapañcathe total material energy
  6. prakṛtimaterial nature
  7. puruṣathe living entities
  8. āmātei layewere all existing in Me
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does this teaching deepen my sense of dependence on the Lord?

Practice

Take one quiet minute to reflect that the Lord existed before creation and that the living entities existed in Him.

Live this todayThe Lord Existed Before CreationThis 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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