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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 19: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī
Madhya 19.120Madhya 19.122

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 19.121

প্রিয়স্বরূপে দয়িতস্বরূপে প্রেমস্বরূপে সহজাভিরূপে ।

নিজানুরূপে প্রভুরেকরূপে ততান রূপে স্ববিলাসরূপে ॥ ১২১ ॥

priya-svarūpe dayita-svarūpe

prema-svarūpe sahajābhirūpe

nijānurūpe prabhur eka-rūpe

tatāna rūpe sva-vilāsa-rūpe

Translation

“Indeed, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, whose dear friend was Svarūpa Dāmodara, was the exact replica of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he was very, very dear to the Lord. Being the embodiment of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s ecstatic love, Rūpa Gosvāmī was naturally very beautiful. He very carefully followed the principles enunciated by the Lord, and he was a competent person to explain properly the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu expanded His mercy to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī just so he could render service by writing transcendental literatures.”

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.

Mercy Enables Service Through Transcendental Writing

  1. 1

    Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, whose dear friend was Svarūpa Dāmodara, was the exact replica of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and very dear to Him.

  2. 2

    As the embodiment of the Lord’s ecstatic love, Rūpa Gosvāmī was naturally very beautiful. He carefully followed the Lord’s principles and could properly explain Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.

  3. 3

    Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu expanded His mercy to Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī so that he could serve by writing transcendental literatures.

How it feels

Empowerment and hope. The seed of bhakti is received, planted, and watered; intimate realization becomes transmissible.

The mood of Madhya 19 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 19: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī

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

Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī finally reached Prayāga and met with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for ten successive days. During this time, Vallabha Bhaṭṭa extended an invitation to the Lord with great respect.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 19
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. priya-svarūpeunto the person whose dear friend was Śrīla Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī
  2. dayita-svarūpewho was very dear to Him (Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu)
  3. prema-svarūpeunto the replica of His personal ecstatic love
  4. sahaja-abhirūpewho was naturally very beautiful
  5. nija-anurūpewho exactly followed the principles of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
  6. prabhuḥŚrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
  7. eka-rūpeto the one
  8. tatānaexplained
  9. rūpeunto Rūpa Gosvāmī
  10. sva-vilāsa-rūpewho describes the pastimes of Lord 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”, “serve”

  • Kṛpā & transformation · Mercy changes a life

    Transformative encounters with grace, from scholars and travelers to renunciants and householders. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “mercy”

  • Prema · Love of Godhead

    The culminating devotional purpose that unites the narration: bestowed, cultivated, taught, celebrated, and tasted. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “ecstatic love”

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 Rūpa Gosvāmī’s careful following help me understand his ability to explain Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes?

Practice

Write one sentence about how Rūpa Gosvāmī used the mercy he received to render service.

Live this todayMercy Enables Service Through Transcendental WritingThis 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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