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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

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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 ›
Madhya-līlā · Chapter 16: The Lord’s Attempt to Go to Vṛndāvana
Madhya 16.69Madhya 16.71

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 16.70

প্রভু কহে, — “বৈষ্ণব-সেবা, নাম-সংকীর্তন ।

দুই কর, শীঘ্র পাবে শ্রীকৃষ্ণ-চরণ ॥” ৭০ ॥

prabhu kahe, — “vaiṣṇava-sevā, nāma-saṅkīrtana

dui kara, śīghra pābe śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa”

Translation

The Lord replied, “You should engage yourself in the service of the servants of Kṛṣṇa and always chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. If you do these two things, you will very soon attain shelter at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.”

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.

Serve Devotees and Chant Kṛṣṇa’s Holy Name

  1. 1

    The Lord instructed the questioner to serve the servants of Kṛṣṇa.

  2. 2

    He also instructed him to always chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

  3. 3

    The Lord promised that doing these two things would very soon bring shelter at Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.

How it feels

Yearning and deferral. Attempts, delays, meetings, and farewells heighten the desire to reach Vraja.

The mood of Madhya 16 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 16: The Lord’s Attempt to Go to Vṛndāvana

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

When the devotees arrived, Caitanya Mahāprabhu sent His blessings in the form of garlands. In that year also, the Guṇḍicā temple was cleansed, and when the Cāturmāsya period was over, all the devotees returned to their homes in Bengal.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 16
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. prabhu kahethe Lord replied
  2. vaiṣṇava-sevāservice to the Vaiṣṇavas
  3. nāma-saṅkīrtanachanting the holy name of the Lord
  4. dui karayou perform these two things
  5. śīghravery soon
  6. pābeyou will get
  7. śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇashelter at the lotus feet of the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa
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: “service”, “servants”, “serve”

  • 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: “chant”, “holy name”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Taking shelter

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

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

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 can you make room for both serving Kṛṣṇa’s servants and chanting His holy name?

Practice

Today, chant Kṛṣṇa’s holy name and offer one small act of help to a devotee.

Live this todayServe Devotees and Chant Kṛṣṇa’s Holy NameThis 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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