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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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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 5: The Glories Of Lord Nityānanda Balarāma
Ādi 5.134Ādi 5.136

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 5.135

কভু গুরু, কভু সখা, কভু ভৃত্য–লীলা ।

পূর্বে যেন তিনভাবে ব্রজে কৈল খেলা ॥ ১৩৫ ॥

kabhu guru, kabhu sakhā, kabhu bhṛtya-līlā

pūrve yena tina-bhāve vraje kaila khelā

Translation

Sometimes He serves Lord Caitanya as His guru, sometimes as His friend and sometimes as His servant, just as Lord Balarāma played with Lord Kṛṣṇa in these three different moods in Vraja.

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.

Serving in Three Different Moods

  1. 1

    Lord Nityānanda sometimes serves Lord Caitanya as His guru.

  2. 2

    Sometimes He serves as His friend, and sometimes as His servant.

  3. 3

    Lord Balarāma similarly played with Lord Kṛṣṇa in these three different moods in Vraja.

How it feels

Shelter and wonder. The glory of Nityānanda reveals the intimate support behind the descent.

The mood of Ādi 5 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 5: The Glories Of Lord Nityānanda Balarāma

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

In the Śvetadvīpa within every universe is a Śeṣa form of Godhead who serves Viṣṇu by assuming the form of His umbrella, slippers, couch, pillows, garments, residence, sacred thread, throne and so on. Lord Baladeva in Kṛṣṇaloka is Nityānanda Prabhu.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 5
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. kabhusometimes
  2. guruspiritual master
  3. kabhusometimes
  4. sakhāfriend
  5. kabhusometimes
  6. bhṛtya-līlāpastimes as a servant
  7. pūrveformerly
  8. yenaas
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • 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: “serves”, “servant”

  • 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: “vraja”

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

How does seeing all three relationships described as service broaden your understanding of serving the Lord?

Practice

Write down the three moods of service named in the translation: guru, friend and servant.

Live this todayServing in Three Different MoodsThis 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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