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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 19.173

সালোক্যসার্ষ্টিসামীপ্য-সারূপ্যৈকত্বমপ্যুত ।

দীয়মানং ন গৃহ্ণন্তি বিনা মৎসেবনং জনাঃ ॥ ১৭৩ ॥

sālokya-sārṣṭi-sāmīpya-

sārūpyaikatvam apy uta

dīyamānaṁ na gṛhṇanti

vinā mat-sevanaṁ janāḥ

Translation

“ ‘My devotees do not accept sālokya, sārṣṭi, sārūpya, sāmīpya or oneness with Me — even if I offer these liberations — in preference to serving Me.

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.

Devotees Prefer Service to Liberation

  1. 1

    The Lord’s devotees place serving Him above liberation.

  2. 2

    They do not prefer sālokya, sārṣṭi, sārūpya, sāmīpya or oneness with Him to His service.

  3. 3

    Their preference for service remains even when the Lord Himself offers these liberations.

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:

During this time, Vallabha Bhaṭṭa extended an invitation to the Lord with great respect. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī to Vallabha Bhaṭṭa.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 19
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. sālokyabeing on the same planet as Me
  2. sārṣṭihaving opulence equal to Mine
  3. sāmīpyahaving direct association with Me
  4. sārūpyahaving the same form as Me
  5. ekatvamoneness with Me
  6. apieven
  7. utaor
  8. dīyamānambeing given
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: “serving”, “service”

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

Is serving the Lord itself becoming more important to me than what I might receive?

Practice

Before one act of devotional service today, pause and make serving the Lord your purpose.

Live this todayDevotees Prefer Service to LiberationThis 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 19.173? Get an answer from the verses themselves.