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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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Madhya-līlā · 25 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps

1Say the verse. Read the transliteration aloud, slowly.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each word and its meaning.
3Read the translation. Ask: what is happening here, and who is it about?
4Read the purport slowly. Read it twice. Don't rush.
5See Lord Caitanya as Kṛṣṇa. Remember who is acting in the pastime.
6Take one thing into your day. Note one point and one practice.

Read the full guide: how to read Caitanya Caritamrta ›

Madhya-līlā · Chapter 12: The Cleansing of the Guṇḍicā Temple

Madhya 12.50 Madhya 12.52

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 12.51

শুক্লবস্ত্রে মসি-বিন্দু যৈছে না লুকায় ।

সন্ন্যাসীর অল্প ছিদ্র সর্বলোকে গায় ॥ ৫১ ॥

śukla-vastre masi-bindu yaiche nā lukāya

sannyāsīra alpa chidra sarva-loke gāya

Translation

“As soon as the general public finds a little fault in the behavior of a sannyāsī, they advertise it like wildfire. A black spot of ink cannot be hidden on a white cloth. It is always very prominent.”

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Small Faults Can Become Very Prominent

1
The public notices even a little fault in a sannyāsī’s behavior.
2
Once noticed, that fault is advertised like wildfire.
3
A fault is compared to a black ink spot on white cloth: it cannot be hidden and remains very prominent.

Connected verses· 2

Quoted in the purport ofSB 4.19.12

It is the duty of a sannyāsī to be very cautious because, as stated by Lord Caitanya, sannyāsīra alpa chidra sarva-loke gāya: “A little spot in a sannyāsī’s character will be magnified by the public.”

Quoted in the purport ofSB 6.5.36

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, sannyāsīra alpa chidra sarva-loke gāya. In society one will find many sannyāsīs, vānaprasthas, gṛhasthas and brahmacārīs, but if all of them properly live in accordance with their duties, they are understood to be sādhus.

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

Purification through joyful service. Collective cleansing becomes a visible devotional act before Ratha-yātrā.

The mood of Madhya 12 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Madhya 12: The Cleansing of the Guṇḍicā Temple

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

The next day, when Rāmānanda Rāya again entreated Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to see the King, the Lord, denying the request, asked Rāmānanda Rāya to bring the King’s son before Him. The prince visited the Lord dressed like a Vaiṣṇava, and this awakened remembrance of Kṛṣṇa.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in Madhya 12

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

śukla-vastreon white cloth
masi-bindua spot of ink
yaicheas much as
nādoes not
lukāyabecome hidden
sannyāsīraof a sannyāsī
alpaa very little
chidrafault
sarva-lokethe general public
gāyaadvertise

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What does the image of ink on white cloth teach me about careful conduct?

Practice

Choose one small fault in your own behavior and make a conscious effort to avoid it today.

Live this todaySmall Faults Can Become Very ProminentThis 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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