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Study a Verse

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 19.165

ঋদ্ধা সিদ্ধিব্রজ-বিজয়িতা সত্যধর্মা সমাধি-

র্ব্রহ্মানন্দো গুরুরপি চমৎকারয়ত্যেব তাবৎ ।

যাবৎ প্রেম্‌ণাং মধুরিপু-বশীকার-সিদ্ধৌষধীনাং

গন্ধোঽপ্যন্তঃকরণসরণী-পান্থতাং ন প্রযাতি ॥ ১৬৫ ॥

ṛddhā siddhi-vraja-vijayitā satya-dharmā samādhir

brahmānando gurur api camatkārayaty eva tāvat

yāvat premṇāṁ madhu-ripu-vaśī-kāra-siddhauṣadhīnāṁ

gandho ’py antaḥ-karaṇa-saraṇī-pānthatāṁ na prayāti

Translation

“ ‘As long as there is not the slightest fragrance of pure love of Kṛṣṇa, which is the perfect medicinal herb for controlling Lord Kṛṣṇa within the heart, the opulences of the material perfections known as the siddhis, the brahminical perfections [satya, śama, titikṣā and so on], the trance of the yogīs and the monistic bliss of Brahman all seem wonderful for men.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Pure Love Moves the Supreme Controller

  1. 1

    Material perfections, brahminical qualifications, yogic trance and merging into the Supreme seem wonderful only as long as one has not taken to devotional service.

  2. 2

    Devotional service is so great that it can control Kṛṣṇa, the supreme controller of all universal affairs.

  3. 3

    The inhabitants of Goloka Vṛndāvana serve in neutrality, servitorship, friendship, parental affection and conjugal love. These five principal mellows please the Lord so much that He is controlled by His devotees.

Key points from the purport
  • All these material perfections are certainly very attractive for a mundane person, but their brilliance exists only as long as one does not take to devotional service.
  • In the material world, however, the so-called siddhis, or perfections, manifest their brightness only as long as one is not interested in devotional service.
  • In other words, the perfection of the karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs and others remains attractive only as long as one does not come to the point of devotional service, which is so great and significant that it can control the supreme controller, Kṛṣṇa.

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:

After this, a brāhmaṇa scholar named Raghupati Upādhyāya arrived and discussed Kṛṣṇa consciousness with the Lord. Kavirāja Gosvāmī then extensively describes the living condition of Śrī Rūpa and Sanātana at Vṛndāvana.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 19
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. ṛddhāexcellent
  2. siddhi-vrajaof the groups of material perfections of the yogīs (aṇimā, laghimā, prāpti and so on)
  3. vijayitāthe victory
  4. satya-dharmāthe religious principles of perfection (satya, śama, titikṣā and so on)
  5. samādhiḥthe yogic perfection of meditation
  6. brahma-ānandaḥthe spiritually blissful life of the monist
  7. guruḥvery high in material considerations
  8. apialthough
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Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • 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: “love of krsna”, “pure love”, “love”

  • Bhāva & rasa · The language of sacred feeling

    Transcendental devotional moods and relationships, discussed explicitly in Rāmānanda’s dialogue and the teachings on prema. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “mellows”, “parental”, “conjugal”

  • 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”

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 more attracted to impressive perfections or to pure love of Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Before serving Kṛṣṇa today, pause and make pleasing Him your aim rather than gaining an impressive perfection.

Live this todayPure Love Moves the Supreme ControllerThis 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.

Ask Caitanya CaritamrtaHave a question about CC Madhya 19.165? Get an answer from the verses themselves.