Download - Sri Caitanya Upanishad
Çré Caitanya Upaniñad
Excerpted by Çréla Bhaktivinoda Thäkura
from the text of the Atharva Veda
TEXT 1
hariù oà
atha pippalädaù samit-päëir bhagavataà brahmäëam upasanno
bhagavan me çubhaà kim atra cakñasveti
SYNONYMS
atha—then; pippalädaù—Pippaläda; samit-päëiù—with humbleness
(carrying firewood in his hands); bhagavantam—the very powerful; brahmäëam—Lord Brahmä;
upasannaù—approaching; bhagavan—O Lord; me—my; çubham—
auspiciousness; kim—what; atra—here; cakñasva—please describe; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
Carrying firewood in his hands, Pippaläda humbly approached his
father, Lord Brahmä, and asked: “O my Lord, please tell me how I may attain an
auspicious life.”
TEXT 2
sa hoväca
bhüya eva tapasä brahmacaryeëa çaçvad ramasva mano vaçeti
SYNONYMS
saù—he; ha—indeed; uväca—replied; bhüyaù—greatly; eva—cer-tainly;
tapasä—by austerity; brahmacaryeëa—by celibacy; çaçvat—continually;
ramasva—please enjoy; manaù—mind; vaça—control; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmä replied: “Be satisfied by remaining always celibate, and perform
austerities. Carefully control the activities of the mind. In this way you will attain an auspicious condition of
life.”
TEXT 3
sa tathä bhütvä bhüya enam upasadyäha—bhagavan kalau päpäc
channäù prajäù kathaà mucyerann iti
SYNONYMS
saù—he; tathä—in that way; bhütvä—becoming; bhüyaù—again; enam—him;
upasadya—approach; äha—said; bhagavan—O Lord; kalau—in the Kali-yuga; päpät—because of sin; channäù—covered; prajäù—the living entities;
katham—how; mucyeran—may become liberated; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
Pippaläda followed these instructions, and after having become pure in his own heart and mind, he again
approached his father and asked: “ O my Lord, please tell me how the sinful living entities in the Kali-yuga may be
delivered.”
TEXT 4
ko vä devatä ko vä mantro brühéti
SYNONYMS
kaù—who; vä—or; devatä—worshipable deity; kaù—what; vä—or; mantraù—mantra; brühi—please speak;
iti—thus
TRANSLATION
Who should be the object of their worship, and what mantra should they chant in order to become delivered?
Kindly inform me.”
TEXT 5
sa hoväca
rahasyaà te vadiñyämi—-jähnavé-tére navadvépe
golokäkhye dhämni govindo dvi-bhujo gauraù
sarvätmä mahä-puruño mahätmä mahä-yogé
tri-guëätétaù sattva-rüpo
bhaktià loke kaçyatéti
tad ete çlokä bhavanti
SYNONYMS
saù—he; ha—certainly; uväca—replied; rahasyam—a secret; te—to you;
vadiñyämi—I shall speak; jähnavé—of the Ganges; tére—on the shore; navadvépe—at Navadvépa; goloka-
äkhye—known as Goloka Våndävana; dhämni—in the transcendental abode; govindaù—Lord Govinda; dvi-bhujaù—with two arms; gauraù—and a golden complexion; sarva-ätmä—the Supersoul who resides in the hearts of all living entities; mahä-puruñaù—the supreme enjoyer; mahä-ätmä—the Supersoul; mahä-yogé—in the form of a great devotee; tri-guëa-atétaù—beyond the jurisdiction of the three modes of
material nature; sattva-rüpaù—whose form is spiritual; bhaktim—pure
devotional service; loke—in this world; kaçyati—manifests; iti—thus; tat—that; ete—these; ç1okah—verses; bhavanti—
are.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmä replied: Listen carefully, for I shall give you a confidential
description of what will happen in the Kalé-yuga. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, the supreme
enjoyer, whose form is transcendental, who is beyond the touch of the three modes of material nature, and who is the all-pervading Supersoul residing in the hearts of all living entities, will
appear again in the Kalé age. Appearing as the greatest devotee, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will assume a two-armed form of golden complexion in His abode of Goloka Våndävana
manifested on the bank of the Ganges at Navadvépa. He will disseminate pure devotional service in the world. This
incarnation of the Lord is described in the following verses.
TEXT 6
eko devaù sarva-rüpé mahätmä
gauro rakta-çyämala-çveta-rüpaù
caitanyätmä sa vai caitanya-çaktir
bhaktäkäro bhakti-do bhakti-vedyaù
SYNONYMS
ekaù—one; devaù—Supreme Personality of Godhead; sarva-rüpé—
who appears in innumerable transcendental forms; mahä-ätmä—the Supreme Lord; gauraù—with a golden complexion; rakta—red; çyämala—black; çvetaù—white; rüpaù—with
forms; caitanya-ätmä— Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu; saù—He; vai—certainly; caitanya-çaktiù—the master of all
transcendental potencies; bhakta—of a devotee; äkäraù—in the form; bhakti-daù—granting devotional service;
bhakti—by devotional service; vedyaù—knowable.
TRANSLATION
The one Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the master of all
transcendental potencies, and who may be known only by devotional service, appears in innumerable transcendental forms. He has appeared with red, black, and white complexions, and He shall also appear in the golden form of Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu. He shall assume
the role of a perfect devotee, and He will teach the conditioned souls the path of
pure devotional service.
TEXT 7
namo vedänta-vedyäya
kåñëäya paramätmane
sarva-caitanya-rüpäya
caitanyäya namo namaù
SYNONYMS
namaù—I offer my respectful obeisances; vedänta—by the Vedänta philosophy; vedyäya—knowable; kåñëäya—unto Lord Kåñëa; parama-
atmane—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appears as the
allpervading Supersoul; sarva-caitanya-rüpäya—who is full of all
transcendental potencies; caitanyäya—unto Lord Caitanya; namaù namaù—I
offer my respectful obeisances.
TRANSLATION
I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Sri Kåñëa, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead, who is
understood by the study of Vedänta philosophy. He is the master of all transcendental potencies, and He
appears as Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.
TEXT 8
vedänta-vedyaà puruñaà puräëaà
caitanyätmänaà viçva-yonià mahantam
tam eva viditväti-måtyum eti
nänyaù panthä vidyate ‘yanäya
SYNONYMS
vedänta—by the study of the Vedänta philosophy; vedyam—knowable;
puruñam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; puräëam—the oldest; caitanya-ätmänam—Çri Caitanya
Mahäprabhu; viçva—of the material world; yonim—the primal cause;
mahantam—the great; tam—Him; eva—certainly; viditva—having understood;
ati—beyond; måtyum—death; eti—one goes; na—not; anyaù—another; panthäù—path; vidyate—exists;
ayanäya—for liberation.
TRANSLATION
One who understands that Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known by the study of Vedänta philosophy, who is the
original cause of the universe, and who is the oldest, the original person, crosses beyond this world of birth and death. This is the proper understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and aside from this there is no other way for
one to achieve liberation.
TEXT 9
sva-näma-müla-mantreëa sarvaà hlädayati vibhuù
SYNONYMS
sva—of His own; näma—holy names; müla mantreëa—by the primary mantra; sarvam—the entire world;
hlädayati—will fill with transcendental bliss; vibhuù— the all-powerful
Supreme Lord.
TRANSLATION
Appearing in this golden form, the all-powerful Supreme Lord will fill the
entire universe with transcendental bliss by the chanting of His own holy names.
TEXT 10
dve çakti parame tasya hlädiné saàvid eva ca, iti
SYNONYMS
dve—two; çakté— potencies; parame—transcendental; tasya—of Him;
hlädiné—the potency of transcendental bliss; saàvit—the potency of
transcendental knowledge; eva—certainly; ca—also; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
In this way the Supreme Lord manifests two of His transcendental potencies—His hläidiné çakti (the potency of
transcendental bliss) and saàvit-çakti (the potency of transcendental
knowledge).
TEXT 11
sa eva müla-mantraà japati harir iti kåñëa iti räma iti
SYNONYMS
saù—He; eva—certainly; müla-mantram—the mahä-mantra; japati—chants; hariù—Hari; iti—thus; kåñëah—Kåñëa; iti—thus; rämaù—Räma; iti—
thus.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Lord will chant a mantra consisting of the names Hari, Kåñëa, and Räma (the mahä-mantra: hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare/ hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare).
TEXT 12
harati hådaya-granthià väsanä-rüpam iti harih
kåñiù smaraëe tac ca ëas tad-ubhaya-melanam iti kåñëaù
ramayati sarvam iti räma änanda-rüpah
atra çloko bhavati
SYNONYMS
harati—removes; hådaya—within the heart; granthià—the knot; väsanä-
rüpam—based on material desires; iti—thus; hariù—Hari; kåñiù—attraction; smaraëe—within the mind; tat—that; ca—also; ëaù—transcendental pleasure; tat—of those; ubhaya—both syllables; melanam—the meeting; iti—thus;
kåñëaù—Kåñëa; ramayati—delights; sarvam—everyone; iti—thus; rämaù—Räma; änanda—of transcendental bliss;
rüpaù—the form; atra—in this connection; çlokaù— the verse;
bhavati—is.
TRANSLATION
These three names of the Supreme Lord (Hari, Kåñëa, and Räma) may be explained in the following way: (1) “Hari” means “He who unties [harati] the knot of material desire in the hearts of the living entities”; (2) “Kåñëa” is divided into the two syllables “kåñ” and “ëa.” ”Kåñ” means “He who attracts the minds of all living entities,” and “ëa” means “the supreme transcendental
pleasure.” These two syllables combine to become the name “Kåñëa”; and (3) “Räma” means “He who delights
[ramayati] all living entities,” and it also means “He who is full of transcendental bliss.” The mahä-mantra consists of the
repetition of these names of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 13
mantro guhyaù paramo bhakti-vedyah
SYNONYMS
mantraù—mantra; guhyaù—confidential; paramaù—best; bhakti—
by devotional service; vedyaù—knowable.
TRANSLATION
The mahä-mantra (hare kåñëa hare kåñëa kåñëa kåñëa hare hare/ hare räma hare räma räma räma hare hare) is the best of all mantras. Although it is very difficult to understand this mahä-
mantra, it may be understood when one engages in pure devotional service of
the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 14
nämäny añöäv añöa ca çobhanäni, täni nityaà ye japanti dhéräs te vai mäyäm atitaranti nänyaù paramaà mantraà parama-rahasyaà nityam ävartayati
SYNONYMS
nämäné—names; añöau—eight; añöa—eight; ca—and; çobhanäni—spiendid; täni—these; nityam—continually; ye—those who; japanti—chant; dhéräù—sincerely endeavoring to make progress in spiritual life; te—they; vai—certainly;
mäyäm—the influence of material energy; atitaranti—cross beyond; na—not; anyaù— another; paramam—better; mantram—mantra; parama—
better; rahasyam—confidential knowledge; nityam—always;
ävartayati—repeats.
TRANSLATION
Those who seriously desire to make progress in spiritual life continually chant these sixteen splendid names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and in this way they cross beyond the
bondage of continued material existence. The chanting of these holy names of the Lord is the greatest of all mantras, and it is the most confidential
of all secrets.
TEXT 15
caitanya eva saìkarñaëo väsudevaù parameñöhé rudraù çakro båhaspatiù sarve deväù sarväëi bhütäni sthävaräëi caräëi ca yat kiïcit sad-asat-käraëaà
sarvam
tad atra çlokäù
SYNONYMS
caitanyaù—Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu; eva—certainly; saëkarñaëaù—Lord Saìkarñaëa; väsudevaù—Lord Väsudeva; parameñöhé—Brahmä; rudraù—Çiva; çakraù—-Indra;
båhaspatiù—Båhaspati; sarve—all; deväù—demigods; sarväni—all;
bhütäni—living entities; sthävaräëi— unmoving; caräëi—moving; ca—and; yat—which; kiïcit—at all; sat—of all that is eternal; asat—and of all that is temporary; käraëam—the original
cause; sarvam—everything; tat—thus; atra—in this connection; çlokäù—the
following verses.
TRANSLATION
Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead who appears as Lord Saìkarñaëa and Lord Väsudeva. He is the original father of
Brahmä, Çiva, Indra, Båhaspati, all the demigods, and all moving and non-
moving living entities. He is the original cause of all that is temporary and all
that is eternal. Nothing exists separately from Him, and therefore He is
everything. He is described in the following verses.
TEXTS 16-18
yat kiïcid asad bhuìkte
kñaraà tat käryam ucyate
sat käraëaà paraà jiväs
tad akñaram itéritam
kñaräkñaräbhyäà paramaù
sa eva purusottamah
caitanyäkhyaà paraà tattvaà
sarva-käraëa-käraëam
SYNONYMS
yat—which; kiïcit—anything; asat—temporary; bhuìkte—enjoys; ksaram—the temporary material world; tat—that; käryam—manifest product; ucyate—is
described; sat—transcendental; käraëam—cause; param—supreme; jéväù—the individual living entities; tat—that; akñaram—eternal; iti—thus; éritam—is described; kñara—the temporary; akñaräbhyäm—and the eternal; paramaù—above; saù—He;
eva—certainly; puruña-uttamaù—the Supreme Person; caitanya-äkhyam—named Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu;
param—the supreme; tattvam—truth; sarva—of all; käraëa—causes;
käraëam—the cause.
TRANSLATION
This material world is temporary, whereas the individual living entities who try to enjoy matter are eternal and superior to it. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is superior to both the temporary material energy and the eternal living entities. Lord Caitanya
Mahäprabhu is this Supreme Person, the Absolute Truth, the original cause of all
causes.
TEXT 19
ya enaà rasayati bhajati dhyäyati sa päpmänaà tarati sa püto bhavati, sa tattvaà jänäti, sa tarati çokaà, gatis
tasyäte nänyasyeti
SYNONYMS
yaù—one who; enam—Him; rasavati—loves; bhajati—worships; dhyäyati—meditates upon; saù—he; päpmänam—sins; tarati—crosses over; saù—he;
pütaù—pure; bhavati—becomes; saù—he; tattvam—the Absolute Truth;
jänäti—understands; saù—he; taraté—
crosses beyond; çokam—lamentation; gatiù—the supreme goal; tasya—by Him; äste—is attained; na—not; anyasya—by another; iti—thu
TRANSLATION
One who worships the Supreme Lord, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, with devotion and always remembers Him becomes free from all sins and completely pure. Easily understanding the truth about the Personality of Godhead and becoming free from all material lamentation, such a devotee attains the supreme goal of life, which is unattainable by those averse to the Supreme Lord, Çré
Caitanya Mahäprabhu.