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Read one verse of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta with its Bengali, transliteration, word meanings, translation and study points.
Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Antya 3.16
যদ্যপি ব্রাহ্মণী সেই তপস্বিনী সতী ।
তথাপি তাহার দোষ — সুন্দরী যুবতী ॥ ১৬ ॥
yadyapi brāhmaṇī sei tapasvinī satī
tathāpi tāhāra doṣa — sundarī yuvatī
“Although the boy’s mother is completely austere and chaste, she has one natural fault — she is a very beautiful young girl.
Read this verse on Vedabase.ioThis verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.
Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.
Dāmodara Paṇḍita acknowledged that the boy’s mother was completely austere and chaste.
He nevertheless called her youth and beauty a natural fault. In context, he was concerned about the opportunity these circumstances might give people to whisper.
His words did not accuse her of unchaste conduct. His stated concern was about appearances and possible public criticism.
Steadfast compassion. Haridāsa’s spiritual conviction and the reach of the holy name confront prejudice and temptation.
The mood of Antya 3 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas
From Śrīla Prabhupāda's chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:
A beautiful young brāhmaṇa girl in Jagannātha Purī had a very handsome son who was coming every day to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This was not very much to the liking of Dāmodara Paṇḍita, however, who therefore told Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, “If You display so much love for this boy, people will doubt Your character.”Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Antya 3
Learn the words of the verse.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
Do I allow appearances to overshadow someone’s acknowledged good qualities?
When thinking about someone today, name one known good quality rather than speculating from appearance.
Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.
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