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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 19.163Madhya 19.165

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 19.164

এইত পরম-ফল ‘পরম-পুরুষার্থ’ ।

যাঁর আগে তৃণ-তুল্য চারি পুরুষার্থ ॥ ১৬৪ ॥

eita parama-phala ‘parama-puruṣārtha’

yāṅra āge tṛṇa-tulya cāri puruṣārtha

Translation

“To taste the fruit of devotional service in Goloka Vṛndāvana is the highest perfection of life, and in the presence of such perfection, the four material perfections — religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation — are very insignificant achievements.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Is Life’s Highest Perfection

  1. 1

    Tasting the fruit of devotional service in Goloka Vṛndāvana is the highest perfection of life.

  2. 2

    Religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation are insignificant beside this perfection. Even the yogīs’ material perfections cannot compare with the devotee’s eternal bliss.

  3. 3

    The pure devotee is not interested in these lesser achievements. His only interest is perfecting devotional service to the Lord.

Key points from the purport
  • The highest achievements of the yogīs are the eight material perfections, such as aṇimā, laghimā and prāpti.
  • Yet these are nothing compared to the eternal bliss of the devotee who returns back to Godhead and tastes the fruit of devotional service to the lotus feet of the Lord.
  • The material perfections, even up to the point of liberation, are very insignificant in comparison; therefore the pure devotee is never interested in such things.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

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:

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu started for Vṛndāvana through the forest of Jhārikhaṇḍa, Rūpa Gosvāmī left home and sent news to Sanātana that he was leaving with his younger brother (Anupama Mallika) to meet Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī finally reached Prayāga and met with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu for ten successive days.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 19
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. eitathis
  2. parama-phalathe supreme goal of life
  3. paramasupreme
  4. puruṣa-arthainterest of the living being
  5. yāṅra āgein the presence of which
  6. tṛṇa-tulyavery insignificant
  7. cārifour
  8. puruṣa-arthathe different types of human interests
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Dainya & humility · Making room for grace

    The humility expressed by the author, devotees, transformed scholars, renunciants, and the Śikṣāṣṭaka. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “insignificant”

  • 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”

  • Vraja-smaraṇa · Remembrance of Vṛndāvana

    The remembered sweetness of Vraja that colors Mahāprabhu’s pilgrimage, Ratha-yātrā, and later states of separation. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “vṛndāvana”

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

Am I seeking some other achievement more eagerly than perfection in devotional service?

Practice

Set aside a few minutes today to improve one act of devotional service rather than pursue a material achievement.

Live this todayDevotional Service Is Life’s Highest PerfectionThis 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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