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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 7: Lord Caitanya in Five Features
Ādi 6.120Ādi 7.2

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Ādi 7.1

অগত্যেকগতিং নত্বা হীনার্থাধিকসাধকম্‌ ।

শ্রীচৈতন্যং লিখ্যতেঽস্য প্রেমভক্তিবদান্যতা ॥ ১ ॥

agaty-eka-gatiṁ natvā

hīnārthādhika-sādhakam

śrī-caitanyaṁ likhyate ’sya

prema-bhakti-vadānyatā

Translation

Let me first offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is the ultimate goal of life for one bereft of all possessions in this material world and is the only meaning for one advancing in spiritual life. Thus let me write about His magnanimous contribution of devotional service in love of God.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Is Our Only Shelter

  1. 1

    Country, society, friendship, love and material possessions cannot save us at death. Spiritual advancement includes recognizing the miseries of birth, death, old age and disease.

  2. 2

    An akiñcana is one who does not put faith in material possessions, but completely takes shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet.

  3. 3

    Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the only shelter for the fully surrendered soul. His magnanimous contribution is devotional service in love of God.

Key points from the purport
  • An intelligent person, therefore, does not put his faith in any material possessions, but completely takes shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord.
  • The Supreme Personality of Godhead is also known as Akiñcana-gocara, for He can be achieved by a person who does not put his faith in material possessions.
  • Therefore, for the fully surrendered soul who has no material possessions on which to depend, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the only shelter.

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

Connected verses· 1

The purport of CC Ādi 7.1 quotesBG 13.9

In the Bhagavad-gītā (13.9) it is stated, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam: one who is actually advancing must always consider the four principles of miserable life, namely, birth, death, old age and disease.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Collective delight. The Pañca-tattva gives divine love a relational and communal form.

The mood of Ādi 7 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Ādi 7: Lord Caitanya in Five Features

Back to this verse in Ādi 7
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. agatiof the most fallen
  2. ekathe only one
  3. gatimdestination
  4. natvāafter offering obeisances
  5. hīnainferior
  6. arthainterest
  7. adhikagreater than that
  8. sādhakamwho can render
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Śaraṇāgati · Taking shelter

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

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

  • Audārya · Love that moves outward

    The freely offered gift of bhakti and prema, especially through nāma-saṅkīrtana and Mahāprabhu’s compassionate dealings. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “magnanimous”

  • 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”

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

What do I depend on for protection, and can it protect me from death?

Practice

Offer respectful obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu today, asking to take shelter of Him rather than material possessions.

5

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

2 lectures given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayŚrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Is Our Only ShelterThis 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 7.1? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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