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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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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 19.166Madhya 19.168

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 19.167

অন্যাভিলাষিতা-শূন্যং জ্ঞান-কর্মাদ্যনাবৃতম্‌ ।

আনুকূল্যেন কৃষ্ণানুশীলনং ভক্তিরুত্তমা ॥ ১৬৭ ॥

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

Translation

“ ‘When first-class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and fruitive action. The devotee must constantly serve Kṛṣṇa favorably, as Kṛṣṇa desires.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Serve Kṛṣṇa Favorably, as He Desires

  1. 1

    First-class devotional service is free from material desires, knowledge obtained through monistic philosophy and fruitive action. The devotee constantly serves Kṛṣṇa favorably, as Kṛṣṇa desires.

  2. 2

    Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to think of Him, become His devotee, worship Him and offer Him obeisances. Fulfilling His desires favorably is the mark of a pure devotee.

  3. 3

    Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender unto Him. One who spreads the teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā for everyone’s benefit is most dear to Him.

Key points from the purport
  • Everyone should engage in His devotional service, including arcana (Deity worship) in the temple.
  • Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender unto Him, and devotional service means preaching this gospel all over the world.
  • From any point of view, human society can be reformed by the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement; therefore one who spreads this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the benefit of all conditioned souls in the universe is perfect in pure devotional service.

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

Connected verses· 2

The purport of CC Madhya 19.167 quotesBG 9.34

As we can understand from the Bhagavad-gītā (9.34 and 18.65), the Supreme Personality of Godhead wants everyone to think of Him always (man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ).

The purport of CC Madhya 19.167 quotesBG 18.69

The Lord says openly in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.69), na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ: One who preaches the gospel of the Bhagavad-gītā for the benefit of all is most dear to Kṛṣṇa.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

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:

The Nawab Hussain Shah first sent his personal physician to see what the real facts were; then he personally came to see why Sanātana was not attending to official business. Knowing that he wanted to resign his post, the Nawab had him arrested and imprisoned.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 19
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. anya-abhilāṣitā-śūnyamwithout desires other than those for the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa, or without material desires (such as those for meat-eating, illicit sex, gambling and addiction to intoxicants)
  2. jñānaby the knowledge of the philosophy of the monist Māyāvādīs*
  3. karmaby fruitive activities
  4. ādiby artificially practicing detachment, by the mechanical practice of yoga, by studying the Sāṅkhya philosophy, and so on
  5. anāvṛtamnot covered
  6. ānukūlyenafavorable
  7. kṛṣṇa-anuśīlanamcultivation of service in relationship to Kṛṣṇa
  8. bhaktiḥ uttamāfirst-class devotional service
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”, “serves”

  • 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: “favorably”

  • Sādhu-saṅga · Love grows through association

    Spiritual association shapes the movement, empowers disciples, and reveals truths through loving conversations. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “pure devotee”

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 I make my service more responsive to what Kṛṣṇa desires?

Practice

Today, offer obeisances to Kṛṣṇa and spend a quiet moment thinking of Him.

5

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

Quoted in 111 lectures. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Quoted in 111 lectures

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayServe Kṛṣṇa Favorably, as He DesiresThis 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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