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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 2: The Ecstatic Manifestations of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu
Madhya 2.77Madhya 2.79

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 2.78

পুরীর বাৎসল্য মুখ্য,     রামানন্দের শুদ্ধসখ্য,

গোবিন্দাদ্যের শুদ্ধদাস্যরস ।

গদাধর, জগদানন্দ,     স্বরূপের মুখ্য রসানন্দ,

এই চারি ভাবে প্রভু বশ ॥ ৭৮ ॥

purīra vātsalya mukhya, rāmānandera śuddha-sakhya,

govindādyera śuddha-dāsya-rasa

gadādhara, jagadānanda, svarūpera mukhya rasānanda,

ei cāri bhāve prabhu vaśa

Translation

Among His associates, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu enjoyed paternal loving affection from Paramānanda Purī, friendly affection with Rāmānanda Rāya, unalloyed service from Govinda and others, and humors of conjugal love with Gadādhara, Jagadānanda and Svarūpa Dāmodara. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu enjoyed all these four mellows, and thus He remained obliged to His devotees.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Lord Is Obliged to His Devotees

  1. 1

    Paramānanda Purī’s affection for Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was on the platform of paternal love. He was the Godbrother of Mahāprabhu’s spiritual master.

  2. 2

    Rāmānanda Rāya enjoyed unalloyed fraternal love with the Lord. Govinda and others offered unalloyed personal service.

  3. 3

    With Gadādhara Paṇḍita, Jagadānanda and Svarūpa Dāmodara, Mahāprabhu enjoyed Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s ecstatic conditions in Her conjugal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Absorbed in these four transcendental mellows, He felt very much obliged to His devotees.

Key points from the purport
  • His affections with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu were on the platform of paternal love.
  • In the presence of His most confidential devotees like Gadādhara Paṇḍita, Jagadānanda and Svarūpa Dāmodara, Caitanya Mahāprabhu enjoyed the ecstatic conditions of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in Her conjugal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
  • Absorbed in these four transcendental mellows, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu resided in Jagannātha Purī, feeling very much obliged to His devotees.

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

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

Further reading

Madhya 2: The Ecstatic Manifestations of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu

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

Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī has confirmed that the opinion of Svarūpa Dāmodara is authoritative in the matter of devotional service. Over and above this are the notes of Svarūpa Dāmodara, memorized by Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, who also helped in the compilation of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 2
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. purīraof Paramānanda Purī
  2. vātsalyapaternal affection
  3. mukhyachiefly
  4. rāmānanderaof Rāya Rāmānanda
  5. śuddha-sakhyapure fraternity
  6. govinda-ādyeraof Govinda and others
  7. śuddha-dāsya-rasathe pure and unalloyed mellow of service
  8. gadādharaGadādhara Paṇḍita
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Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • 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”, “conjugal”, “relationship”

  • 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”, “offered”

  • 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”

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

What touches you about the Lord feeling obliged to His devotees?

Practice

Write down the four kinds of loving relationship described here and the associates connected with each.

Live this todayThe Lord Is Obliged to His DevoteesThis 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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