Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 13.8
Service to the Lord Brings Honor
“The very strongly built dayitās [carriers of the Jagannātha Deity] were as powerful as drunken elephants. They manually carried Lord Jagannātha from the throne to the car.”
What the purport teaches
- The word dayitā refers to one who has received the mercy of the Lord. Lord Jagannātha’s strong servants, known as dayitās, manually carry Him from the throne to the car.
- Servants who do not come from very high-caste families have been elevated to a respected position because they serve the Lord. The purport explains that the śabara devotees were elevated to the position of dayitās.
- The dayitās care for Lord Jagannātha from Snāna-yātrā until He is carried to the Ratha car. Those from brāhmaṇa families are called dayitā-patis and offer Him sweetmeats and other care.
Try this today
Offer a word of appreciation to someone who serves the Lord, focusing on their service rather than their family background.
Ask yourself
How does the honor given to the dayitās guide the way you regard those who serve the Lord?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.