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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

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 ›

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 8.156

হ্লাদিনী সন্ধিনী সম্বিৎ ত্বয্যেকা সর্বসংশ্রয়ে ।

হ্লাদতাপকরী মিশ্রা ত্বয়ি নো গুণবর্জিতে ॥ ১৫৬ ॥

hlādinī sandhinī samvit

tvayy ekā sarva-saṁśraye

hlāda-tāpa-karī miśrā

tvayi no guṇa-varjite

Translation

“ ‘My dear Lord, You are the transcendental reservoir of all transcendental qualities. Your pleasure potency, existence potency and knowledge potency are actually all one internal spiritual potency. The conditioned soul, although actually spiritual, sometimes experiences pleasure, sometimes pain and sometimes a mixture of pain and pleasure. This is due to his being touched by matter. But because You are above all material qualities, these are not found in You. Your superior spiritual potency is completely transcendental, and for You there is no such thing as relative pleasure, pleasure mixed with pain, or pain itself.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord’s Potency Is Beyond Material Qualities

  1. 1

    The Lord is the transcendental reservoir of all transcendental qualities. His pleasure, existence, and knowledge potencies are one internal spiritual potency.

  2. 2

    The conditioned soul is actually spiritual, but contact with matter brings pleasure, pain, and mixtures of both.

  3. 3

    The Lord and His superior spiritual potency are completely transcendental. In Him there is no relative pleasure, pleasure mixed with pain, or pain itself.

Key points from the purport
  • This is a quotation from the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.12.69).

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

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:

He then spoke of detached action, knowledge mixed with devotional service, and finally the spontaneous loving service of the Lord. After hearing Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya recite some verses, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the principle of pure devotional service devoid of all kinds of speculation.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 8
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. hlādinīthat which generates pleasure
  2. sandhinīthe potency of existence
  3. samvitthe potency of knowledge
  4. tvayiunto You
  5. ekāprincipal internal potency
  6. sarva-saṁśrayeYou are the reservoir of all potencies
  7. hlādapleasure
  8. tāpa-karīgenerator of pains
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does this teaching help you distinguish your changing experiences from the Lord’s transcendental nature?

Practice

When you notice pleasure or pain today, pause and recall that the Lord is above these material conditions.

Live this todayThe Lord’s Potency Is Beyond Material QualitiesThis 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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