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Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta with its Bengali, transliteration, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Ādi-līlā · 17 chapters

How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Say the verse. Read the transliteration aloud, slowly.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each word and its meaning.
  3. 3Read the translation. Ask: what is happening here, and who is it about?
  4. 4Read the purport slowly. Read it twice. Don't rush.
  5. 5See Lord Caitanya as Kṛṣṇa. Remember who is acting in the pastime.
  6. 6Take one thing into your day. Note one point and one practice.
Read the full guide: how to read Caitanya Caritamrta ›

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 16.108

ভাগ্যবন্ত দিগ্বিজয়ী সফল–জীবন ।

বিদ্যা–বলে পাইল মহাপ্রভুর চরণ ॥ ১০৮ ॥

bhāgyavanta digvijayī saphala-jīvana

vidyā-bale pāila mahāprabhura caraṇa

Translation

The poetic champion was certainly most fortunate. His life was successful by dint of his vast learning and erudite scholarship, and thus he attained the shelter of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Humble Submission, Not Pride in Learning

  1. 1

    The poetic champion was most fortunate: his learning culminated in attaining the shelter of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

  2. 2

    Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings that being most fallen is the best qualification for taking shelter of Lord Caitanya. The Lord came specifically to deliver fallen souls.

  3. 3

    Pride in false learning disqualifies one from accepting the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Although the poet was greatly learned, the Lord favored him because of his humble submission.

Key points from the purport
  • Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung that the best qualification for taking shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya is to be the most fallen because the Lord came specifically to deliver the fallen souls.
  • Thus such scholars do not take to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
  • But here is a special example, for although the poetic champion was a greatly learned scholar, the Lord also favored him because of his humble submission.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Grief and transformed pride. Lakṣmīdevī’s departure brings sorrow; Keśava Kāśmīrī’s pride yields to surrender.

The mood of Ādi 16 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 16: The Pastimes of the Lord in His Childhood and Youth

From Śrīla Prabhupāda's chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

In this prayer the Lord found five kinds of literary ornaments and five kinds of literary faults, thus defeating the paṇḍita. Later the Kāśmīrī Paṇḍita, who was known to have been victorious all over the country, submitted himself to the goddess of learning, and by her order he met Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu on the morning of the next day and surrendered unto Him.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 16
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. bhāgyavantavery fortunate
  2. dig-vijayīthe poetic champion
  3. sa-phalasuccessful
  4. jīvanalife
  5. vidyā-baleby the strength of learning
  6. pāilagot
  7. mahā-prabhuraof Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
  8. caraṇalotus feet
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Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Dainya & humility · Making room for grace

    The humility expressed by the author, devotees, transformed scholars, renunciants, and the Śikṣāṣṭaka. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “humble”, “fallen”

  • Kṛpā & transformation · Mercy changes a life

    Transformative encounters with grace, from scholars and travelers to renunciants and householders. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “deliver”, “favored”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Taking shelter

    Turning toward Kṛṣṇa through shelter, surrender, dependence on guru, and unconditional devotional fidelity. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “shelter”

Concept links are an editorial study map; only the verse is the text itself.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Does what you know help you seek the Lord’s shelter, or sometimes make you feel you do not need Him?

Practice

Offer one humble prayer asking for Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s shelter, without presenting your learning or achievements as qualifications.

Live this todayHumble Submission, Not Pride in LearningThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask Caitanya CaritamrtaHave a question about CC Ādi 16.108? Get an answer from the verses themselves.