Sri Caitanya-caritamrta: Madhya-lila
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter 24
The Sixty-One Explanations of the Atmarama Verse
The following summary of this chapter is given by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya. According to Sri Sanatana Gosvami’s request, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained the well-known Srimad-Bhagavatam verse beginning atmaramas ca munayo. He explained this verse in sixty-one different ways. He analyzed all the words and described each word with its different connotations. Adding the words ca and api, He described all the different meanings of the verse. He then concluded that all classes of transcendentalists (jnanis, karmis, yogis) utilize this verse according to their own interpretation, but if they gave up this process and surrendered to Krsna, as indicated by the verse itself, they would be able to comprehend the real meaning of the verse. In this regard, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu narrated a story about how the great sage Narada converted a hunter into a great Vaisnava, and how this was appreciated by Narada’s friend Parvata Muni. Sanatana Gosvami then offered a prayer to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained the glory of Srimad-Bhagavatam. After this, the Lord gave Sanatana Gosvami a synopsis of Hari-bhakti-vilasa, which Sanatana Gosvami later developed into the guiding principle of all Vaisnavas.
Madhya24.1
TEXT 1
atmarameti padyarkasy-
arthamsun yah prakasayan
jagat-tamo jaharavyat
sa caitanyodayacalah
SYNONYMS
atmarama-iti—beginning with the word atmarama; padya—verse; arkasya—of the sunlike; artha-amsun—the shining rays of different meanings; yah—who; prakasayan—manifesting; jagat-tamah—the darkness of the material world; jahara—eradicated; avyat—may protect; sah—He; caitanya-udaya-acalah—Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is like the eastern horizon, where the sun rises.
TRANSLATION
May Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu be glorified. It was He who acted as the eastern horizon where the sun of the atmarama verse rises and manifests its rays in the form of different meanings and thus eradicates the darkness of the material world. May He protect the universe.
Madhya24.2
TEXT 2
jaya jaya sri-caitanya jaya nityananda
jayadvaita-candra jaya gaura-bhakta-vrnda
SYNONYMS
jaya jaya—all glories; sri-caitanya—to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu; jaya—all glories; nityananda—to Lord Nityananda; jaya—all glories; advaita-candra—to Advaita Acarya; jaya—all glories; gaura-bhakta-vrnda—to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
TRANSLATION
All glories to Lord Caitanya! All glories to Lord Nityananda! All glories to Advaitacandra! And all glories to all the devotees of Lord Caitanya!
Madhya24.3
TEXT 3
tabe sanatana prabhura carane dhariya
punarapi kahe kichu vinaya kariya
SYNONYMS
tabe—thereafter; sanatana—Sanatana Gosvami; prabhura carane dhariya—catching the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu; punarapi—again; kahe—says; kichu—something; vinaya kariya—with great humility.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, Sanatana Gosvami clasped the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and humbly submitted the following petition.
Madhya24.4
TEXT 4
’purve suniyachon, tumi sarvabhauma-sthane
eka sloke athara artha kairacha vyakhyane
SYNONYMS
purve—formerly; suniyachon—I heard; tumi—You; sarvabhauma-sthane—at the place of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; eka sloke—in one verse; athara artha—eighteen meanings; kairacha vyakhyane—have explained.
TRANSLATION
Sanatana Gosvami said, "My Lord, I have heard that previously, at the home of Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, You explained the atmarama verse in eighteen different ways.
Madhya24.5
TEXT 5
atmaramas ca munayo
nirgrantha apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukim bhaktim
ittham-bhuta-guno harih
SYNONYMS
atma-aramah—persons who take pleasure in being transcendentally situated in the service of the Lord; ca—also; munayah—great saintly persons who have completely rejected material aspirations, fruitive activities and so forth; nirgranthah—without interest in any material desire; api—certainly; urukrame—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, whose activities are wonderful; kurvanti—do; ahaitukim—causeless, or without material desires; bhaktim—devotional service; ittham-bhuta—so wonderful as to attract the attention of the self-satisfied; gunah—who has transcendental qualities; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
" ’Those who are self-satisfied and unattracted by external material desires are also attracted to the loving service of Sri Krsna, whose qualities are transcendental and whose activities are wonderful. Hari, the Personality of Godhead, is called Krsna because He has such transcendentally attractive features.’
PURPORT
This is the famous atmarama verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.7.10).
Madhya24.6
TEXT 6
ascarya suniya mora utkanthita mana
krpa kari’ kaha yadi, judaya sravana’
SYNONYMS
ascarya—wonderful; suniya—hearing; mora—my; utkanthita—desirous; mana—mind; krpa kari’-showing Your causeless mercy; kaha yadi—if You speak; judaya—pleases; sravana—the ear.
TRANSLATION
“I have heard this wonderful story and am therefore very inquisitive to hear it again. If You would kindly repeat it, I would be very pleased to hear.”
Madhya24.7
TEXT 7
prabhu kahe,--"ami vatula, amara vacane
sarvabhauma vatula taha satya kari’ mane
SYNONYMS
prabhu kahe—Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; ami—I; vatula—a madman; amara vacane—in My words; sarvabhauma—Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya; vatula—another madman; taha—that (My explanation); satya kari’ mane—took as truth.
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "I am one madman, and Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya is another. Therefore he took My words to be the truth.
Madhya24.8
TEXT 8
kiba pralapilana, kichu nahika smarane
tomara sanga-bale yadi kichu haya mane
SYNONYMS
kiba—what; pralapilana—I have said; kichu—anything; nahika—there is not; smarane—in memory; tomara—of you; sanga-bale—by the strength of association; yadi—if; kichu—something; haya—there is; mane—in My mind.
TRANSLATION
"I do not recall what I spoke in that connection, but if something comes to My mind due to association with you, I shall explain it.
Madhya24.9
TEXT 9
sahaje amara kichu artha nahi bhase
toma-sabara sanga-bale ye kichu prakase
SYNONYMS
sahaje—generally; amara—My; kichu—any; artha—meaning; nahi bhase—does not manifest; toma-sabara sanga-bale—by the strength of your association; ye—which; kichu—something; prakase—manifests.
TRANSLATION
"Generally by Myself I cannot give an explanation, but by the strength of your association something may manifest itself.
Madhya24.10
TEXT 10
ekadasa pada ei sloke sunirmala
prthak nana artha pade kare jhalamala
SYNONYMS
ekadasa pada—eleven words; ei—this; sloke—in the verse; su-nirmala—very clear; prthak—separately; nana—various; artha—meanings; pade—in each word; kare jhalamala—are glittering.
TRANSLATION
"There are eleven clear words in this verse, but when they are studied separately, various meanings glitter from each word.
PURPORT
The eleven separate words are (1) atmaramah, (2) ca, (3) munayah, (4) nirgranthah, (5) api, (6) urukrame, (7) kurvanti, (8) ahaitukim, (9) bhaktim, (10) ittham-bhuta-gunah, and (11) harih. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu will explain the different connotations and imports of these words.
Madhya24.11
TEXT 11
’atma’-sabde brahma, deha, mana, yatna, dhrti
buddhi, svabhava,--ei sata artha-prapti
SYNONYMS
atma-sabde—by the word atma; brahma—the Absolute Truth; deha—the body; mana—the mind; yatna—endeavor; dhrti—firmness; buddhi—intelligence; sva-bhava—nature; ei sata—these seven; artha-prapti—obtainment of meanings.
TRANSLATION
"The seven different meanings of the word atma are the Absolute Truth, the body, the mind, endeavor, firmness, intelligence and nature.
Madhya24.12
TEXT 12
"atma deha-mano-brahma-svabhava-dhrti-buddhisu
prayatne ca" iti xxx
SYNONYMS
atma—the word atma; deha—the body; manah—the mind; brahma—the Absolute Truth; sva-bhava—nature; dhrti—firmness; buddhisu—in the sense of intelligence; prayatne—in endeavor; ca—and; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
" ’The following are synonyms of the word atma: the body, mind, Absolute Truth, natural characteristics, firmness, intelligence and endeavor.’
PURPORT
This is a quotation from the Visva-prakasa dictionary.
Madhya24.13
TEXT 13
ei sate rame yei, sei atmarama-gana
atmarama-ganera age kariba ganana
SYNONYMS
ei sate—in these seven items; rame—enjoy; yei—those who; sei—they; atmarama-gana—atmaramas; atmarama-ganera—of the atmaramas; age—later; kariba ganana—shall make a count.
TRANSLATION
"The word atmarama refers to one who enjoys these seven items [the Absolute Truth, body, mind, and so on]. Later, I shall enumerate the atmaramas.
Madhya24.14
TEXT 14
’muni’-adi sabdera artha suna, sanatana
prthak prthak artha pache kariba milana
SYNONYMS
muni—the word muni; adi—and the other; sabdera—of the words; artha—the meaning; suna—hear; sanatana—My dear Sanatana; prthak prthak—separately; artha—meaning; pache—after; kariba milana—I shall combine.
TRANSLATION
"My dear Sanatana, first hear the meanings of the other words, beginning with the word muni. I shall first explain their separate meanings, then combine them.
Madhya24.15
TEXT 15
’muni’-sabde manana-sila, ara kahe mauni
tapasvi vrati, yati, ara rsi, muni
SYNONYMS
muni-sabde—by the word muni; manana-sila—who is thoughtful; ara—also; kahe—it means; mauni—one who is silent; tapasvi—an ascetic; vrati—one who keeps great vows; yati—one in the renounced order of life; ara—and; rsi—a saintly person; muni—they are called muni.
TRANSLATION
"The word muni refers to one who is thoughtful, one who is grave or silent, an ascetic, one who keeps great vows, one in the renounced order, a saint. These are the different meanings of the word muni.
Madhya24.16
TEXT 16
’nirgrantha’-sabde kahe, avidya-granthi-hina
vidhi-nisedha-veda-sastra-jnanadi-vihina
SYNONYMS
nirgrantha—nirgrantha; sabde-by the word; kahe—one means; avidya—of ignorance; granthi-hina—without any knot; vidhi-nisedha—regulative principles of rules and restrictions; veda-sastra—the Vedic literature; jnana-adi—knowledge, and so on; vihina—without.
TRANSLATION
"The word nirgrantha refers to one who is liberated from the material knots of ignorance. It also refers to one who is devoid of all regulative principles enjoined in the Vedic literature. It also refers to one who does not have knowledge.
Madhya24.17
TEXT 17
murkha, nica, mleccha adi sastra-rikta-gana
dhana-sancayi--nirgrantha, ara ye nirdhana
SYNONYMS
murkha—foolish, illiterate persons; nica—lowborn; mleccha—unclean persons with no principles; adi—and others; sastra-rikta-gana—persons devoid of all regulative principles stated in sastra; dhana-sancayi—capitalist (one who gathers wealth); nirgrantha—called nirgrantha; ara—also; ye—anyone who; nirdhana—without riches.
TRANSLATION
"Nirgrantha also refers to one who is illiterate, lowborn, misbehaved, unregulated and devoid of respect for Vedic literature. The word also refers to one who is a capitalist and to one who has no riches.
Madhya24.18
TEXT 18
nir niscaye nis kramarthe
nir nirmana-nisedhayoh
grantho dhane ’tha sandarbhe
varna-sangrathane ’pi ca
SYNONYMS
nih—the prefix nih; niscaye—in the sense of ascertainment; nih—the prefix nih; krama-arthe—in the meaning of succession; nih—the prefix nih; nirmana—in the sense of forming; nisedhayoh—in the sense of forbidding; granthah—the word grantha; dhane—in the sense of wealth; atha—also; sandarbhe—thesis; varna-sangrathane—in the sense of tying together words; api—also; ca—and.
TRANSLATION
" ’The prefix nih may be used for a sense of ascertainment, gradation, construction or forbidding. The word grantha means riches, thesis and composition.’
PURPORT
This is another quotation from the Visva-prakasa dictionary.
Madhya24.19
TEXT 19
’urukrama’-sabde kahe, bada yanra krama
’krama’-sabde kahe ei pada-viksepana
SYNONYMS
urukrama—urukrama; sabde-by this word; kahe—one means; bada—great; yanra—whose; krama—step; krama-sabde—in this word krama; kahe—one means; ei—this; pada-viksepana—throwing forth of the foot.
TRANSLATION
"The word urukrama refers to one whose krama [step] is great. The word krama means ’throwing the foot forward,’ that is, ’step.’
Madhya24.20
TEXT 20
sakti, kampa, paripati, yukti, saktye akramana
carana-calane kanpaila tribhuvana
SYNONYMS
sakti—power; kampa—trembling; paripati—method; yukti—argument; saktye—with great force; akramana—attacking; carana-calane—by moving the foot; kanpaila—caused to tremble; tri-bhuvana—the three worlds.
TRANSLATION
"Krama also means power, trembling, a systematic method, argument, and a forcible attack by stepping forward. Thus Vamana caused the three worlds to tremble.
PURPORT
Uru means very great, and krama means step. When Lord Vamanadeva was offered three steps of land, He expanded His three steps by covering the entire universe. In this way the three worlds trembled, and therefore Sri Vamanadeva, the incarnation of Lord Visnu, is referred to as Urukrama.
Madhya24.21
TEXT 21
visnor nu virya-gananam katamo ’rhatiha
yah parthivany api kavir vimame rajamsi
caskambha yah sva-ramhasaskhalata triprstham
yasmat trisamya-sadanad urukampayanam
SYNONYMS
visnoh—of Lord Visnu; nu—certainly; virya-gananam—a counting of the different potencies; katamah—who; arhati—is able to do; iha—in this world; yah—who; parthivani—of the element earth; api—although; kavih—a learned person; vimame—has counted; rajamsi—the atoms; caskambha—captured; yah—who; sva—His own; ramhasa—by potency; askhalata—without hindrances; tri-prstham—the topmost planet (Satyaloka); yasmat—from some cause; tri-samya—where there is equilibrium of the three gunas; sadanat—from the place (from the root of the material world); urukampayanam—trembling greatly.
TRANSLATION
" ’Even if a learned man is able to count all the minute atoms in this material world, he still cannot count the potencies of Lord Visnu. In the form of the Vamana incarnation, Lord Visnu, without hindrance, captured all the planets, beginning from the root of the material world up to Satyaloka. Indeed, He caused every planetary system to tremble by the force of His steps.’
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.7.40). In the Rg Veda mantra (1.2.154.1), it is said:
om visnor nu viryani kam pravocam
yah parthivani vimame rajamsi
yo ’skambhayad uttaram sadhastham
vicakramanas tredhorugayah
Madhya24.22
TEXT 22
vibhu-rupe vyape, saktye dharana-posana
madhurya-saktye goloka, aisvarye paravyoma
SYNONYMS
vibhu-rupe—in His all-pervasive feature; vyape—expands; saktye—by His potency; dharana-posana—maintaining and nourishing; madhurya-saktye—by His potency of conjugal love; goloka—the planetary system Goloka Vrndavana; aisvarye—and by opulence; para-vyoma—the spiritual world.
TRANSLATION
"Through His all-pervasive feature, the Supreme Personality of Godhead expanded the entire creation. He is holding and maintaining this creation by His extraordinary potency. By His conjugal potency, He maintains the planetary system known as Goloka Vrndavana. Through His six opulences, He maintains many Vaikuntha planets.
PURPORT
In His gigantic form, Lord Krsna has covered the creation. He holds all the planetary systems and maintains them by His inconceivable potencies. Similarly, He is maintaining His personal abode, Goloka Vrndavana, through His conjugal love, and He is maintaining the spiritual world containing the Vaikuntha planets by His opulences.
Madhya24.23
TEXT 23
maya-saktye brahmandadi-paripati-srjana
’urukrama’-sabdera ei artha nirupana
SYNONYMS
maya-saktye—by His external potency; brahmanda-adi—of material universes and so on; paripati—an orderly arrangement; srjana—creating; urukrama-sabdera—of the word urukrama; ei—this; artha—of the meaning; nirupana—ascertainment.
TRANSLATION
"The word urukrama indicates the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who, by His external potency, has perfectly created innumerable universes.
Madhya24.24
TEXT 24
“kramah saktau paripatyam kramas calana-kampayoh”
SYNONYMS
kramah—the word krama; saktau—in the meaning of potency; paripatyam—in the meaning of systematic arrangement; kramah—the word krama; calana—in moving; kampayoh—or in trembling.
TRANSLATION
" ’These are the different meanings of the word krama. It is used in the sense of potency, systematic arrangement, step, moving or trembling.’
PURPORT
This is a quotation from the Visva-prakasa dictionary. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is all-pervasive. Not only does He carry the three worlds by His inconceivable energy, but He maintains them also. He is also maintaining His spiritual planet, Goloka Vrndavana, by His conjugal love, and He is maintaining the Vaikunthalokas by His opulences. He maintains these material universes through the external energy. Material universes are perfectly situated because they are created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Madhya24.25
TEXT 25
’kurvanti’-pada ei parasmaipada haya
krsna-sukha-nimitta bhajane tatparya kahaya
SYNONYMS
kurvanti—they do (for others); pada—the word; ei—this; parasmaipada—a verb form indicating things done for others; haya—is; krsna-sukha-nimitta—to satisfy Krsna; bhajane—in devotional service; tatparya—the purport; kahaya—is said.
TRANSLATION
"The word kurvanti, which means ’they do something for others,’ is a form of the verb ’things done for others.’ It is used in connection with devotional service, which must be executed for the satisfaction of Krsna. That is the purport of the word kurvanti.
PURPORT
In Sanskrit the verb “to do” has two forms, technically called parasmaipada and atmanepada. When things are done for one’s personal satisfaction, the form is called atmanepada. In that case, the word “do” in English is kurvante in Sanskrit. When things are done for others, the verb form changes to kurvanti. Thus Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu informed Sanatana Gosvami that in the atmarama verse the verb kurvanti means that things should be done only for the satisfaction of Krsna. This is supported by the grammarian Panini. The verb is formed as atmanepada when the work is to be done for one’s own benefit, and when it is done for others, it is called parasmaipada. Thus the verb is formed according to whether something is done for one’s self-satisfaction or for another’s satisfaction.
Madhya24.26
TEXT 26
“svaritanitah kartrabhipraye kriya-phale”
SYNONYMS
svarita-nitah—of verbs having an indicatory n or a svarita accent; kartr-abhipraye—is meant for the agent; kriya-phale—when the fruit of the action.
TRANSLATION
" ’The terminations of the atmanepada are employed when the fruit of the action accrues to the agent of verbs having an indicatory n or a svarita accent.’
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Panini’s sutras (1.3.72).
Madhya24.27
TEXT 27
’hetu’-sabde kahe--bhukti-adi vanchantare
bhukti, siddhi, mukti--mukhya ei tina prakare
SYNONYMS
hetu—cause; sabde—by the word; kahe—it is said; bhukti—enjoying the result by oneself; adi—and so on; vancha-antare—because of a different ambition; bhukti—enjoying the result of action; siddhi—the perfection of doing something; mukti—liberation; mukhya—chief; ei—these; tina prakare—in three ways.
TRANSLATION
"The word hetu [cause] means that a thing is done for some motive. There can be three motives. One may act to enjoy the result personally, to achieve some material perfection, or to act in such a way that one may be liberated.
Madhya24.28
TEXT 28
eka bhukti kahe, bhoga--ananta-prakara
siddhi--astadasa, mukti--panca-vidhakara
SYNONYMS
eka—first; bhukti—material enjoyment by doing something; kahe—is known; bhoga—enjoyment; ananta-prakara—unlimited varieties; siddhi—the yogic perfections; astadasa—eighteen in number; mukti—liberation; panca-vidha-akara—five varieties.
TRANSLATION
"First we take the word bhukti [material enjoyment], which is of unlimited variety. We may also take the word siddhi [perfection], which has eighteen varieties. Similarly, the word mukti has five varieties.
Madhya24.29
TEXT 29
ei yanha nahi, taha bhakti--’ahaituki’
yaha haite vasa haya sri-krsna kautuki
SYNONYMS
ei—these; yanha—where; nahi—not existing; taha—that; bhakti—the platform of devotional service; ahaituki—unmotivated; yaha haite—by which; vasa haya—comes under control; sri-krsna—Lord Sri Krsna; kautuki—the most funny.
TRANSLATION
"Causeless devotional service is unmotivated by sense enjoyment, perfection or liberation. When one is freed from all these contaminations, he can bring Lord Krsna, who is very funny, under control.
Madhya24.30
TEXT 30
’bhakti’-sabdera artha haya dasa-vidhakara
eka--’sadhana’, ’prema-bhakti’--nava prakara
SYNONYMS
bhakti—bhakti; sabdera-of this word; artha—meanings; haya—are; dasa-vidha-akara—ten varieties; eka—one; sadhana—the execution of regulative devotional service; prema-bhakti—ecstatic love; nava prakara—nine kinds.
TRANSLATION
"There are ten meanings to the word bhakti, devotional service. One is execution of devotional service according to the regulative principles, and the other, called prema-bhakti [ecstatic love] has nine varieties.
PURPORT
The nine varieties are rati, prema, sneha, mana, pranaya, raga, anuraga, bhava and mahabhava-attraction, love, affection, adverse feelings, intimacy, attachment, subattachment, ecstatic love and sublime ecstatic love. For the execution of devotional service according to regulative principles, there is only one meaning.
Madhya24.31
TEXT 31
’rati’-laksana, ’prema’-laksana, ityadi pracara
bhava-rupa, mahabhava-laksana-rupa ara
SYNONYMS
rati—of attraction; laksana—the symptoms; prema—of love; laksana—the symptoms; iti-adi—and so on; pracara—are known; bhava-rupa—in the form of ecstatic love; maha-bhava—of higher ecstatic love; laksana-rupa—there are many symptoms; ara—other.
TRANSLATION
"Next are explained the symptoms of love of Godhead, which can be divided into nine varieties, beginning with attraction up to ecstatic love and finally up to the topmost ecstatic love [mahabhava].
Madhya24.32
TEXT 32
santa-bhaktera rati bade ’prema’-paryanta
dasya-bhaktera rati haya ’raga’-dasa-anta
SYNONYMS
santa-bhaktera—of devotees on the platform of neutrality; rati—attraction; bade—increases; prema-paryanta—up to love of Godhead; dasya-bhaktera—of devotees on the platform of servitude; rati—attraction; haya—increases; raga-dasa-anta—up to the point of spontaneous attachment.
TRANSLATION
"The attraction to Krsna of devotees on the platform of neutrality increases up to love of Godhead [prema], and the attraction of devotees on the platform of servitorship increases to spontaneous attachment [raga].
Madhya24.33
TEXT 33
sakha-ganera rati haya ’anuraga’ paryanta
pitr-matr-sneha adi ’anuraga’-anta
SYNONYMS
sakha-ganera—of the friends; rati—the attraction; haya—becomes; anuraga paryanta—up to subecstatic love; pitr-matr-sneha—paternal love; adi—and so on; anuraga-anta—up to the end of subecstatic love.
TRANSLATION
"Devotees in Vrndavana who are friends of the Lord can increase their ecstatic love to the point of anuraga. Paternal affectionate lovers, Krsna’s father and mother, can increase their love of Godhead up to the anuraga point also.
Madhya24.34
TEXT 34
kanta-ganera rati paya ’mahabhava’-sima
’bhakti’-sabdera ei saba arthera mahima
SYNONYMS
kanta-ganera—of the devotees in conjugal love; rati—the attraction; paya—attain; maha-bhava-sima—the limit of mahabhava; bhakti—devotional service; sabdera—of the word; ei saba—all these; arthera—of the meanings; mahima—of the glories.
TRANSLATION
"The gopis of Vrndavana who are attached to Krsna in conjugal love can increase their ecstatic love up to the point of mahabhava [the greatest ecstatic love]. These are some of the glorious meanings of the word bhakti, devotional service.
Madhya24.35
TEXT 35
’ittham-bhuta-gunah’-sabdera sunaha vyakhyana
’ittham’-sabdera bhinna artha, ’guna’-sabdera ana
SYNONYMS
ittham-bhuta-gunah—having qualities like this; sabdera—of the word; sunaha—please hear; vyakhyana—the explanation; ittham—ittham; sabdera—of the word; bhinna artha—different meanings; guna—guna; sabdera—of the word; ana—other.
TRANSLATION
"Please hear the meaning of the word ittham-bhuta-guna, which is found in the atmarama verse. Ittham-bhuta has different meanings, and guna has other meanings.
Madhya24.36
TEXT 36
’ittham-bhuta’-sabdera artha--purnanandamaya
yanra age brahmananda trna-praya haya
SYNONYMS
ittham-bhuta-sabdera artha—the meaning or import of the word ittham-bhuta; purna-ananda-maya—full of transcendental bliss; yanra age—in front of which; brahma-ananda—the transcendental bliss derived from impersonalism; trna-praya—just like straw; haya—is.
TRANSLATION
"The word ittham-bhuta is transcendentally exalted because it means ’full of transcendental bliss.’ Before this transcendental bliss, the bliss derived from merging into the existence of the Absolute [brahmananda] becomes like a piece of straw in comparison.
Madhya24.37
TEXT 37
tvat-saksat-karanahlada-
visuddhabdhi-sthitasya me
sukhani gospadayante
brahmany api jagad-guro
SYNONYMS
tvat—Your; saksat—meeting; karana—such action; ahlada—pleasure; vi-suddha—spiritually purified; abdhi—ocean; sthitasya—being situated; me—by me; sukhani—happiness; gospadayante—a small hole created by the hoof of a calf; brahmani—the pleasure derived from impersonal Brahman understanding; api—also; jagat-guro—O master of the universe.
TRANSLATION
" ’My dear Lord, O master of the universe, since I have directly seen You, my transcendental bliss has taken the shape of a great ocean. Being situated in that ocean, I now realize all other so-called happiness to be like the water contained in the hoofprint of a calf.’
PURPORT
This is a verse from the Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya (14.36).
Madhya24.38
TEXT 38
sarvakarsaka, sarvahladaka, maha-rasayana
apanara bale kare sarva-vismarana
SYNONYMS
sarva-akarsaka—all-attractive; sarva-ahladaka—all-pleasing; maha-rasa-ayana—the complete abode of transcendental mellow; apanara bale—by His own strength; kare—causes; sarva-vismarana—forgetfulness of all other bliss.
TRANSLATION
"Lord Krsna is so exalted that He is more attractive than anything else and more pleasing than anything else. He is the most sublime abode of bliss. By His own strength, He causes one to forget all other ecstasies.