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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 5.223Ādi 5.225

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 5.224

স্মেরাং ভঙ্গীত্রয়পরিচিতাং সাচিবিস্তীর্ণদৃষ্টিং

বংশীন্যস্তাধরকিশলয়ামুজ্জ্বলাং চন্দ্রকেণ ।

গোবিন্দাখ্যাং হরিতনুমিতঃ কেশিতীর্থোপকণ্ঠে

মা প্রেক্ষিষ্ঠাস্তব যদি সখে বন্ধুসঙ্গেঽস্তি রঙ্গঃ ॥ ২২৪ ॥

smerāṁ bhaṅgī-traya-paricitāṁ sāci-vistīrṇa-dṛṣṭiṁ

vaṁśī-nyastādhara-kiśalayām ujjvalāṁ candrakeṇa

govindākhyāṁ hari-tanum itaḥ keśi-tīrthopakaṇṭhe

mā prekṣiṣṭhās tava yadi sakhe bandhu-saṅge ’sti raṅgaḥ

Translation

“My dear friend, if you are indeed attached to your worldly friends, do not look at the smiling face of Lord Govinda as He stands on the bank of the Yamunā at Keśīghāṭa. Casting sidelong glances, He places His flute to His lips, which seem like newly blossomed twigs. His transcendental body, bending in three places, appears very bright in the moonlight.”

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Seek Lasting Satisfaction at Govinda’s Feet

  1. 1

    The pleasure of worldly society, friendship and family life is compared to a drop of water. The heart, like a dry desert, desires an ocean of pleasure.

  2. 2

    To find real pleasure within the heart, one must seek the lotus feet of Govinda. Taking shelter there makes the minute quantity of worldly pleasure fade from importance.

  3. 3

    Govinda stands by the Yamunā at Keśīghāṭa, smiling and holding His flute to His lips. He attracts the gopīs to His transcendental loving service.

Key points from the purport
  • Therefore if one wants to derive real pleasure within his heart, he must seek the lotus feet of Govinda.
  • In this verse Rūpa Gosvāmī indicates that if one wants to be satisfied in the pleasure of society, friendship and love, he need not seek shelter at the lotus feet of Govinda, for if one takes shelter under His lotus feet he will forget that minute quantity of so-called pleasure.
  • One who is not satisfied with that so-called pleasure may seek the lotus feet of Govinda, who stands on the shore of the Yamunā at Keśītīrtha, or Keśīghāṭa, in Vṛndāvana and attracts all the gopīs to His transcendental loving 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

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:

Therefore Rāmadāsa became sorry, broke his flute and went away. This was a great disaster for the brother of Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Ādi 5
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. smerāmsmiling
  2. bhaṅgī-traya-paricitāmbent in three places, namely the neck, waist and knees
  3. sāci-vistīrṇa-dṛṣṭimwith a broad sideways glance
  4. vaṁśīon the flute
  5. nyastaplaced
  6. adharalips
  7. kiśalayāmnewly blossomed
  8. ujjvalāmvery bright
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • 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: “yamunā”, “gopīs”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Taking shelter

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

    In this verse: “shelter”, “lotus feet”

  • 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”

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

Where are you expecting a drop of worldly pleasure to satisfy an ocean-sized longing?

Practice

Pause for one minute today to recall the smiling Govinda described here and seek shelter at His lotus feet.

Live this todaySeek Lasting Satisfaction at Govinda’s FeetThis 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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