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-Bhdgavatam verse
beginning dtmardmas ca munayo. He explained this verse in sixty-one different
ways. He analyzed all the words and described each word with its different con-
notations. Adding the words ca and api, He described all the different meanings of
the verse. He then concluded that all classes of transcendentalists (jAanis, 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-
Bhdgavatam. 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.
TEXT 1
SMACAS rorFeaiefiety ae cts ptag |
HASTA TSIAGie A COSI 11 9 I
atmarameti padydrkasy-
arthamstin yah prakdsayan
jagat-tamo jahardvyat
sa caitanyodaydcalah
SYNONYMS
atmarama-iti—beginning with the word atmdrdma; padya—verse; arkasya—of
the sunlike; artha-arnsGn—the shining rays of different meanings; yah—who; pra-
kasayan—manifesting; jagat-tamah—the darkness of the material world; jahdra—
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