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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 25.114Madhya 25.116

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 25.115

যে ‘বিগ্রহ’ নাহি মানে, ‘নিরাকার’ মানে ।

তারে তিরস্করিবারে করিলা নির্ধারণে ॥ ১১৫ ॥

ye ‘vigraha’ nāhi māne, ‘nirākāra’ māne

tāre tiraskaribāre karilā nirdhāraṇe

Translation

“Impersonalists do not accept the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Personality of Godhead is stressed in this verse in order to impress upon them the necessity of accepting Him. Therefore the word ‘aham’ is mentioned three times. To stress something important, one repeats it three times.

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.

Accepting the Lord’s Personal Feature

  1. 1

    Impersonalists do not accept the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

  2. 2

    The verse stresses the Personality of Godhead to impress upon them the necessity of accepting Him.

  3. 3

    The word ‘aham’ is mentioned three times. Repeating something three times stresses its importance.

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:

From that day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became famous in the city of Vārāṇasī, and many important men in that city became His followers. By and by, one of the disciples of the great sannyāsī Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī became devoted to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and this devotee explained Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī and supported His views with various arguments.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 25
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. yeone who
  2. vigrahathat Personality of Godhead
  3. nāhi mānedoes not accept
  4. nirākāra māneconsiders impersonal
  5. tārehim
  6. tiraskaribārejust to chastise
  7. karilāhas done
  8. nirdhāraṇeascertainment
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Am I giving due attention to the text’s emphasis on the Lord as a person?

Practice

Write one sentence summarizing why ‘aham’ is repeated three times.

Live this todayAccepting the Lord’s Personal FeatureThis 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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