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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 · Texts Ādi 4.200-201

নিরুপাধি প্রেম যাঁহা, তাঁহা এই রীতি ।

প্রীতিবিষয়সুখে আশ্রয়ের প্রীতি ॥ ২০০ ॥

নিজ–প্রেমানন্দে কৃষ্ণ–সেবানন্দ বাধে ।

সে আনন্দের প্রতি ভক্তের হয় মহাক্রোধে ॥ ২০১ ॥

nirupādhi prema yāṅhā, tāṅhā ei rīti

prīti-viṣaya-sukhe āśrayera prīti

Translation

Whenever there is unselfish love, that is its style. The reservoir of love derives pleasure when the lovable object is pleased. When the pleasure of love interferes with the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the devotee becomes angry toward such ecstasy.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Service Comes Before Personal Ecstasy

  1. 1

    The gopīs are the predominated lovers, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the predominator, the beloved. Their love nourishes His love.

  2. 2

    The gopīs have no desire for selfish enjoyment. Their happiness depends on Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure, as is always the nature of causeless love of Godhead.

  3. 3

    Pure love is shown when the lover rejects even her own happiness if it hinders service. The devotee becomes angry toward ecstasy that interferes with serving Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Key points from the purport
  • As mentioned above, the gopīs are the predominated lovers, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the predominator, the beloved.
  • The love of the predominated nourishes the love of the predominator.
  • Such unadulterated love is exemplified when the lover deprecates her happiness if it hinders her from discharging her service.

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

Profound longing. Kṛṣṇa desires to taste Rādhā’s love, His own sweetness as She sees it, and Her joy.

The mood of Ādi 4 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 4: The Confidential Reasons for the Appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

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

Therefore, to know the transcendental pleasure of loving Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself appeared as Lord Caitanya, accepting the emotions and bodily luster of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Lord Caitanya appeared in order to fulfill these confidential desires, and also to preach the special significance of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare and to answer the call of Advaita Prabhu.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 4
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. nirupādhiwithout identification
  2. premalove
  3. yāṅhāwhich
  4. tāṅhāthat
  5. eithis
  6. rītistyle
  7. prīti-viṣayaof the object of love
  8. sukhein the happiness
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Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Prema · Love of Godhead

    The culminating devotional purpose that unites the narration: bestowed, cultivated, taught, celebrated, and tasted. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “love”, “love of godhead”, “pure love”

  • Sevā · Love translated into service

    Devotional service expressed through cleansing, caring, teaching, honoring others, and living as Kṛṣṇa’s servant. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “service”, “serving”

  • Vraja-smaraṇa · Remembrance of Vṛndāvana

    The remembered sweetness of Vraja that colors Mahāprabhu’s pilgrimage, Ratha-yātrā, and later states of separation. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “gopīs”

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

Do I value Kṛṣṇa’s service more than the pleasure I receive from it?

Practice

Complete one small service to Lord Kṛṣṇa today without making your own enjoyment the measure of its value.

Live this todayService Comes Before Personal EcstasyThis 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 4.200-201? Get an answer from the verses themselves.