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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 20.119

ভয়ং দ্বিতীয়াভিনিবেশতঃ স্যা-

দীশাদপেতস্য বিপর্যয়োঽস্মৃতিঃ ।

তন্মায়য়াতো বুধ আভজেত্তং

ভক্ত্যৈকয়েশং গুরুদেবতাত্মা ॥ ১১৯ ॥

bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād

īśād apetasya viparyayo ’smṛtiḥ

tan-māyayāto budha ābhajet taṁ

bhaktyaikayeśaṁ guru-devatātmā

Translation

“ ‘When the living entity is attracted by the material energy, which is separate from Kṛṣṇa, he is overpowered by fear. Because he is separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead by the material energy, his conception of life is reversed. In other words, instead of being the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes Kṛṣṇa’s competitor. This is called viparyayo’smṛtiḥ. To nullify this mistake, one who is actually learned and advanced worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead as his spiritual master, worshipful Deity and source of life. He thus worships the Lord by the process of unalloyed devotional service.’

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Pure Devotional Service Remedies Fear

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa is the worshipful Deity, spiritual master and Supersoul of all conditioned souls. As the Supersoul, He always gives the living entity good counsel.

  2. 2

    Neglecting His instructions, the living entity identifies with the material body and considers things related to it his property. This forgetfulness brings fear and attachment.

  3. 3

    The only remedy is to return to the Lord’s service. Through unalloyed devotional service, the conditioned soul can be liberated from material nature’s harassment.

Key points from the purport
  • Not only is Kṛṣṇa the supreme worshipful Deity for all living entities, but He is also the guru, or caittya-guru, the Supersoul, who always gives the living entity good counsel.
  • All types of fruitive results actually come from the spirit soul, but because he has forgotten his real duty, he is embarrassed by many material consequences such as fear and attachment.
  • The only remedy is to revert to the service of the Lord and thus be saved from material nature’s unwanted harassment.

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· 1

The purport of CC Madhya 20.119 quotesSB 11.2.37

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.37).

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

Humility and restored identity. A seeker relinquishes status, asks fundamental questions, and receives sambandha knowledge.

The mood of Madhya 20 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 20: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī in the Science of the Absolute Truth

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

Thus the Lord described the many forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He also described the incarnations of God within the material world, incarnations such as the puruṣa-avatāras, manvantara-avatāras, guṇa-avatāras and śaktyāveśa-avatāras.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 20
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. bhayamfear
  2. dvitīya-abhiniveśataḥfrom the misconception of being a product of material energy
  3. syātarises
  4. īśātfrom the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa
  5. apetasyaof one who has withdrawn (the conditioned soul)
  6. viparyayaḥreversal of the position
  7. asmṛtiḥno conception of his relationship with the Supreme Lord
  8. tat-māyayābecause of the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord
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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”, “servant”

  • Vipralambha · Love in separation

    Separation that intensifies remembrance and longing; especially central to the confidential pastimes at Purī. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “separated”

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 does thinking “this body is me, and these things are mine” contribute to my fear?

Practice

Take a quiet moment to pray to Kṛṣṇa for guidance in serving Him without seeking material rewards.

5

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

2 lectures given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayPure Devotional Service Remedies FearThis 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 20.119? Get an answer from the verses themselves.