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

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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 ›
Ādi-līlā · Chapter 17: The Pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His Youth
Ādi 17.162Ādi 17.164

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 17.163

কলিকালে তৈছে শক্তি নাহিক ব্রাহ্মণে ।

অতএব গোবধ কেহ না করে এখনে ॥ ১৬৩ ॥

kali-kāle taiche śakti nāhika brāhmaṇe

ataeva go-vadha keha nā kare ekhane

Translation

“Formerly there were powerful brāhmaṇas who could make such experiments using Vedic hymns, but now, because of the Kali-yuga, brāhmaṇas are not so powerful. Therefore the killing of cows and bulls for rejuvenation is forbidden.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Cow and Bull Killing Is Now Forbidden

  1. 1

    Formerly, powerful brāhmaṇas could perform these experiments using Vedic hymns.

  2. 2

    Because of Kali-yuga, brāhmaṇas are now not so powerful.

  3. 3

    Therefore, killing cows and bulls for rejuvenation is forbidden.

How it feels

Public courage and ecstatic joy. The saṅkīrtana movement confronts opposition and moves toward recognition and expansion.

The mood of Ādi 17 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 17: The Pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His Youth

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

Therefore the son of Śacī is the son of Yaśodā. Śrī Nityānanda occupies an ecstatic position of parental love in servitude and fraternal attraction.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 17
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. kali-kālein the Age of Kali
  2. taichesuch
  3. śaktipower
  4. nāhikathere is none
  5. brāhmaṇein the brāhmaṇas
  6. ataevatherefore
  7. go-vadhakilling of cows
  8. kehaanyone
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Why does a practice performed by powerful brāhmaṇas formerly not justify performing it now?

Practice

Note the verse’s present-day conclusion: killing cows and bulls for rejuvenation is forbidden.

Live this todayCow and Bull Killing Is Now ForbiddenThis 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.

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