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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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Madhya-līlā · 25 chapters

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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 20: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī in the Science of the Absolute Truth
Madhya 20.136Madhya 20.138

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 20.137

ন সাধয়তি মাং যোগো ন সাংখ্যং ধর্ম উদ্ধব ।

ন স্বাধ্যায়স্তপস্ত্যাগো যথা ভক্তির্মমোর্জিতা ॥ ১৩৭ ॥

na sādhayati māṁ yogo

na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava

na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo

yathā bhaktir mamorjitā

Translation

“[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, said:] ‘My dear Uddhava, neither through aṣṭāṅga-yoga [the mystic yoga system to control the senses], nor through impersonal monism or an analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor through study of the Vedas, nor through austerities, charity or acceptance of sannyāsa can one satisfy Me as much as by developing unalloyed devotional service unto Me.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Unalloyed Devotion Pleases Kṛṣṇa Most

  1. 1

    Kṛṣṇa tells Uddhava that aṣṭāṅga-yoga, impersonal monism and analytical study of the Absolute Truth do not satisfy Him as much as unalloyed devotional service.

  2. 2

    Study of the Vedas, austerities, charity and acceptance of sannyāsa also do not satisfy Him as much.

  3. 3

    The emphasis is on developing unalloyed devotional service unto Kṛṣṇa.

Key points from the purport
  • This and the following verse are quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.20-21).
  • The explanation for this verse is given in Ādi-līlā 17.76.

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 20.137 quotesSB 11.14.20

This and the following verse are quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.14.20-21).

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
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. nanever
  2. sādhayaticauses to remain satisfied
  3. māmMe
  4. yogaḥthe process of control
  5. nanor
  6. sāṅkhyamthe process of gaining philosophical knowledge about the Absolute Truth
  7. dharmaḥsuch an occupation
  8. uddhavaMy dear Uddhava
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”

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 give greater attention to developing unalloyed devotion rather than measuring my spiritual achievements?

Practice

Take a quiet minute today to renew your intention to serve Kṛṣṇa with unalloyed devotion.

5

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

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

Show 1 more lecture on it
Live this todayUnalloyed Devotion Pleases Kṛṣṇa MostThis 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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