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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

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 ›

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 13.33

চারি সম্প্রদায়ে হৈল চব্বিশ গায়ন ।

দুই দুই মার্দঙ্গিক হৈল অষ্ট জন ॥ ৩৩ ॥

cāri sampradāye haila cabbiśa gāyana

dui dui mārdaṅgika haila aṣṭa jana

Translation

There were altogether four parties of kīrtana performers, comprising twenty-four chanters. In each party there were also two mṛdaṅga players, making an additional eight persons.

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.

Chanters and musicians serve together in kīrtana

  1. 1

    There were four parties of kīrtana performers.

  2. 2

    The parties included twenty-four chanters altogether.

  3. 3

    Each party also had two mṛdaṅga players, making eight additional persons.

How it feels

Public ecstasy with inward longing. The festival’s collective joy carries the profound Vraja mood of meeting and separation.

The mood of Madhya 13 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 13: The Ecstatic Dancing of the Lord at Ratha-yātrā

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

At that time, King Pratāparudra took a broom with a golden handle and began to cleanse the road. Lord Jagannātha took permission from the goddess of fortune and then started in the car for the Guṇḍicā temple.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 13
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. cāri sampradāyein the four parties
  2. hailathere were
  3. cabbiśatwenty-four
  4. gāyanaperformers of kīrtana
  5. dui duitwo in each party
  6. mārdaṅgikaplayers of mṛdaṅga drums
  7. hailathere were
  8. aṣṭa janaeight persons
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Nāma-saṅkīrtana · The holy name shared together

    Chanting the holy names as the yuga-dharma, the Lord’s public movement, and the opening prayer of Śikṣāṣṭaka. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “chanters”, “kīrtana”

  • Kīrtana community · A movement of shared hearts

    Devotional community as a living network of branches, service, festivals, care, and collective chanting. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “party”

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 this arrangement help you notice both the chanters and the musicians?

Practice

Today, sketch the four parties, noting the twenty-four chanters and two mṛdaṅga players in each party.

Live this todayChanters and musicians serve together in kīrtanaThis 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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