CC Madhya 25.119

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter 25: How All the Residents of Vārāṇasī Became Vaiṣṇavas

CC Madhya 25.118

CC Madhya 25.120

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT 119

ṛte ‘rthaṁ yat pratīyeta
na pratīyeta cātmani
tad vidyād ātmano māyāṁ
yathābhāso yathā tamaḥ

SYNONYMS

ṛte—without; artham—value; yat—that which; pratīyeta—appears to be; na—not; pratīyeta—appears to be; ca—certainly; ātmani—in relation to Me; tat—that; vidyāt—you must know; ātmanaḥ—My; māyām—illusory energy; yathā—just as; ābhāsaḥ—the reflection; yathā—just as; tamaḥ—the darkness.

TRANSLATION

“‘What appears to be truth without Me is certainly My illusory energy, for nothing can exist without Me. It is like a reflection of a real light in the shadows, for in the light there are neither shadows nor reflections.

PURPORT

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 2.9.34). It is the second verse of the catuḥ-ślokī. For an explanation of this verse, see Adi-līlā, Chapter One, text 54.