1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta with its Bengali, transliteration, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by līlā and chapter

Madhya-līlā · 25 chapters

12345678910111213141516171819202122232425
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 8: Talks Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya
Madhya 8.151Madhya 8.153

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 8.152

‘অন্তরঙ্গা’, ‘বহিরঙ্গা’, ‘তটস্থা’ কহি যারে ।

অন্তরঙ্গা ‘স্বরূপ-শক্তি’ — সবার উপরে ॥ ১৫২ ॥

‘antaraṅgā’, ‘bahiraṅgā’, ‘taṭasthā’ kahi yāre

antaraṅgā ‘svarūpa-śakti’ — sabāra upare

Translation

“In other words, these are all potencies of God — internal, external and marginal. But the internal potency is the Lord’s personal energy and stands over the other two.

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 Internal Potency Stands Above the Others

  1. 1

    The internal, external and marginal potencies are all potencies of God.

  2. 2

    The internal potency is the Lord’s personal energy.

  3. 3

    The Lord’s internal potency stands over the external and marginal potencies.

How it feels

Deepening intimacy and revelation. Their exchange ascends from duty to pure love and the confidential moods of Vraja.

The mood of Madhya 8 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 8: Talks Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya

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

Then Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya explained unalloyed devotional service, love of Godhead, and serving the Lord in the moods of pure servitude, fraternity and parental love. Finally he spoke of serving the Lord in conjugal love.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 8
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. antaraṅgāinternal
  2. bahiraṅgāexternal
  3. taṭa-sthāmarginal
  4. kahiwe say
  5. yāreto whom
  6. antaraṅgāthe internal potency
  7. svarūpa-śaktithe personal energy
  8. sabāra upareabove all
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What distinguishes the internal potency from the other two?

Practice

Write one sentence identifying the Lord’s personal energy and its position among the three potencies.

Live this todayThe Internal Potency Stands Above the OthersThis 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 8.152? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 9 · 2 minAsk Caitanya CaritamrtaBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the book's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnLīlās & chapters