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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 18: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Visit to Śrī Vṛndāvana
Madhya 18.30Madhya 18.32

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 18.31

ঐছে ম্লেচ্ছভয়ে গোপাল ভাগে বারে-বারে ।

মন্দির ছাড়ি’ কুঞ্জে রহে, কিবা গ্রামান্তরে ॥ ৩১ ॥

aiche mleccha-bhaye gopāla bhāge bāre-bāre

mandira chāḍi’ kuñje rahe, kibā grāmāntare

Translation

Due to fear of the Muslims, the Gopāla Deity was moved from one place to another again and again. Thus giving up His temple, Lord Gopāla would sometimes live in a bush and sometimes in one village after another.

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.

Gopāla Moves from Place to Place

  1. 1

    Fear of the Muslims led to the Gopāla Deity being moved repeatedly.

  2. 2

    Lord Gopāla thus gave up His temple.

  3. 3

    He sometimes lived in a bush and sometimes in one village after another.

How it feels

Overwhelmed recognition. Seeing the places of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes evokes extraordinary remembrance and ecstasy.

The mood of Madhya 18 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 18: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Visit to Śrī Vṛndāvana

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

The Gopāla Deity could understand the mind of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu; therefore on the plea of being attacked by Muslims, Gopāla transferred Himself to the village of Gāṅṭhuli-grāma. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then went to Gāṅṭhuli-grāma to see Lord Gopāla.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 18
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. aichein that way
  2. mleccha-bhayebecause of fear of the Muslims
  3. gopālathe Deity of Gopāla Rāya
  4. bhāgeruns away
  5. bāre-bāreagain and again
  6. mandira chāḍi’giving up the temple
  7. kuñjein the bush
  8. raheremains
  9. kibāor
  10. grāma-antarein a different village
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

What strikes you about Gopāla living in such changing surroundings?

Practice

Reread the verse slowly, noting the different places where Gopāla stayed.

Live this todayGopāla Moves from Place to PlaceThis 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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