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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

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How to study this verse, in six steps

1Say the verse. Read the transliteration aloud, slowly.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each word and its meaning.
3Read the translation. Ask: what is happening here, and who is it about?
4Read the purport slowly. Read it twice. Don't rush.
5See Lord Caitanya as Kṛṣṇa. Remember who is acting in the pastime.
6Take one thing into your day. Note one point and one practice.

Read the full guide: how to read Caitanya Caritamrta ›

Madhya-līlā · Chapter 2: The Ecstatic Manifestations of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

Madhya 2.27 Madhya 2.29

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 2.28

শ্রীকৃষ্ণরূপাদিনিষেবণং বিনা

ব্যর্থানি মেঽহান্যখিলেন্দ্রিয়াণ্যলম্ ।

পাষাণশুষ্কেন্ধনভারকাণ্যহো

বিভর্মি বা তানি কথং হতত্রপঃ ॥ ২৮ ॥

śrī-kṛṣṇa-rūpādi-niṣevaṇaṁ vinā

vyarthāni me ’hāny akhilendriyāṇy alam

pāṣāṇa-śuṣkendhana-bhārakāṇy aho

bibharmi vā tāni kathaṁ hata-trapaḥ

Translation

“ ‘My dear friends, unless I serve the transcendental form, qualities and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, all My days and all My senses will become entirely useless. Now I am uselessly bearing the burden of My senses, which are like stone blocks and dried wood. I do not know how long I will be able to continue without shame.’

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Give the Senses Purpose Through Service

1
The speaker sees all days and senses as useless unless they serve Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental form, qualities and pastimes.
2
Without that service, the senses feel like a burden of stone blocks and dried wood.
3
The speaker expresses shame at continuing to bear senses that are not engaged in such service.

How it feels

Overwhelming divine separation. A preview of the last years reveals the Lord’s intense separation from Kṛṣṇa.

The mood of Madhya 2 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Madhya 2: The Ecstatic Manifestations of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

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

The author expects that reading the pastimes of the Lord will gradually help a person awaken his dormant love of Kṛṣṇa. Actually this Caitanya-caritāmṛta was compiled by the author during very old age.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in Madhya 2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

śrī-kṛṣṇa-rūpa-ādiof the transcendental form and pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
niṣevaṇamthe service
vināwithout
vyarthānimeaningless
meMy
ahānidays
akhilaall
indriyāṇisenses

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: “serve”, “service”

Concept links are an editorial study map; only the verse is the text itself.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How could one of your senses be used in service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa today?

Practice

Spend a minute using your voice to read aloud this description of serving Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Live this todayGive the Senses Purpose Through ServiceThis 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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