1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta with its Bengali, transliteration, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by līlā and chapter

Madhya-līlā · 25 chapters

12345678910111213141516171819202122232425
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 ›
Madhya-līlā · Chapter 12: The Cleansing of the Guṇḍicā Temple
Madhya 12.73Madhya 12.75

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 12.74

পড়িছা কহে, — আমি-সব সেবক তোমার ।

যে তোমার ইচ্ছা সেই কর্তব্য আমার ॥ ৭৪ ॥

paḍichā kahe, — āmi-saba sevaka tomāra

ye tomāra icchā sei kartavya āmāra

Translation

Upon hearing the Lord’s request for permission to wash the Guṇḍicā temple, the paḍichā, the superintendent of the temple, said, “My dear Sir, we are all Your servants. Whatever You desire is our duty to perform.

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.

Accepting the Lord’s Desire as Duty

  1. 1

    The paḍichā, the temple superintendent, heard the Lord’s request for permission to wash Guṇḍicā.

  2. 2

    He replied to the Lord, “We are all Your servants.”

  3. 3

    He accepted whatever the Lord desired as their duty to perform.

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

Further reading

Madhya 12: The Cleansing of the Guṇḍicā Temple

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

After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu washed the Guṇḍicā temple before the Ratha-yātrā took place. He then took His bath at Indradyumna Lake and partook of prasādam in the garden nearby.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 12
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. paḍichā kahethe superintendent said
  2. āmi-sabawe are all
  3. sevaka tomāraYour servants
  4. ye tomārawhatever Your
  5. icchādesire
  6. seithat
  7. kartavya āmāraour duty
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: “servants”

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 myself as a servant affect my willingness to help?

Practice

Offer to assist with one temple service today, asking what help is needed.

Live this todayAccepting the Lord’s Desire as DutyThis 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 Madhya 12.74? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 9 · 2 minAsk Caitanya CaritamrtaBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the book's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnLīlās & chapters