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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 25.53Madhya 25.55

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 25.54

‘বেদান্ত’-মতে, — ব্ৰহ্ম ‘সাকার’ নিরূপণ ।

‘নির্গুণ’ ব্যতিরেকে তিঁহো হয় ত’ ‘সগুণ’ ॥ ৫৪ ॥

‘vedānta’-mate, — brahma ‘sākāra’ nirūpaṇa

‘nirguṇa’ vyatireke tiṅho haya ta’ ‘saguṇa’

Translation

“According to Vedānta philosophy, the Absolute Truth is a person. When the word ‘nirguṇa’ [‘without qualities’] is used, it is to be understood that the Lord has attributes that are totally spiritual.

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's Attributes Are Totally Spiritual

  1. 1

    According to Vedānta philosophy, the Absolute Truth is a person.

  2. 2

    The word “nirguṇa,” meaning “without qualities,” must be understood in light of the Lord's spiritual attributes.

  3. 3

    Nirguṇa does not mean that the Lord lacks all attributes. His attributes are totally spiritual.

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:

He invited all the sannyāsīs to his house to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and this incident has been described in the seventh chapter of the Ādi-līlā. From that day, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became famous in the city of Vārāṇasī, and many important men in that city became His followers.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 25
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. vedānta-mateaccording to Vedānta philosophy
  2. brahmathe Absolute Truth
  3. sa-ākāra nirūpaṇaestablished as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a person
  4. nirguṇawithout material qualifications
  5. vyatirekeby indirect explanations
  6. tiṅhothe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  7. hayais
  8. ta’indeed
  9. sa-guṇafully qualified with spiritual attributes
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Does the word “nirguṇa” lead me to imagine no attributes, or attributes that are totally spiritual?

Practice

Write this reminder: “Nirguṇa: the Lord's attributes are totally spiritual.”

Live this todayThe Lord's Attributes Are Totally SpiritualThis 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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