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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 25: How All the Residents of Vārāṇasī Became Vaiṣṇavas
Madhya 25.35Madhya 25.37

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 25.36

নাতঃ পরং পরম যদ্ভবতঃ স্বরূপ-

মানন্দমাত্রমবিকল্পমবিদ্ধবর্চঃ ।

পশ্যামি বিশ্বসৃজমেকমবিশ্বমাত্মন্

ভূতেন্দ্রিয়াত্মকমদস্ত উপাশ্রিতোঽস্মি ॥ ৩৬ ॥

nātaḥ paraṁ parama yad bhavataḥ svarūpam

ānanda-mātram avikalpam aviddha-varcaḥ

paśyāmi viśva-sṛjam ekam aviśvam ātman

bhūtendriyātmakam adas ta upāśrito ’smi

Translation

“ ‘O supreme one, the transcendental form I am now seeing is full of transcendental bliss. It is not contaminated by the external energy. It is full of effulgence. My Lord, there is no better understanding of You than this. You are the Supreme Soul and the creator of this material world, but You are not connected with this material world. You are completely different from created form and variety. I sincerely take shelter of that form of Yours which I am now seeing. This form is the original source of all living beings and their senses.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Take Shelter of the Lord’s Spiritual Form

  1. 1

    After meditating upon the Lord, Brahmā realized that His form is completely spiritual, full of bliss and effulgence, and untouched by the external energy.

  2. 2

    The Lord creates the material world but is not materially connected with it. His form is the original source of all living beings and their senses.

  3. 3

    Brahmā sincerely takes shelter of the form he sees. The purport calls this a better understanding of the Absolute Truth than the impersonal understanding.

Key points from the purport
  • This verse was spoken by Lord Brahmā, who perfectly realized the Supreme Personality of Godhead after meditating upon the Lord within the water of the Garbhodaka Ocean.
  • Brahmā realized that the form of the Lord is completely spiritual.
  • This is certainly a better understanding of the Absolute Truth than the impersonal understanding.

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 25.36 quotesSB 3.9.3

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.9.3).

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

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:

One day Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to take a bath at Pañcanada, and afterwards all His devotees began chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra in front of the temple of Bindu Mādhava. At this time Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī and all his devotees approached the Lord.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 25
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. nanot
  2. ataḥthan this
  3. parammore supreme
  4. paramaO supreme one
  5. yatwhich
  6. bhavataḥof Your Lordship
  7. svarūpamthe personal form
  8. ānandaof transcendental bliss
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: “shelter”

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

What does Brahmā’s prayer teach me about taking shelter of the Lord’s spiritual form?

Practice

Read the words ‘I sincerely take shelter of that form of Yours’ slowly as a prayer.

5

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

2 lectures given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayTake Shelter of the Lord’s Spiritual FormThis 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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