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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 21.143

নীবি খসায় পতি-আগে,     গৃহধর্ম করায় ত্যাগে,

বলে ধরি’ আনে কৃষ্ণস্থানে ।

লোকধর্ম, লজ্জা, ভয়,     সব জ্ঞান লুপ্ত হয়,

ঐছে নাচায় সব নারীগণে ॥ ১৪৩ ॥

nīvi khasāya pati-āge, gṛha-dharma karāya tyāge,

bale dhari’ āne kṛṣṇa-sthāne

loka-dharma, lajjā, bhaya, saba jñāna lupta haya,

aiche nācāya saba nārī-gaṇe

Translation

“The vibration of His flute slackens the knots of their underwear even in front of their husbands. Thus the gopīs are forced to abandon their household duties and come before Lord Kṛṣṇa. In this way all social etiquette, shame and fear are vanquished. The vibration of His flute causes all women to dance.

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.

Kṛṣṇa’s Flute Overcomes Shame and Fear

  1. 1

    The vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute slackens the knots of the gopīs’ underwear even before their husbands.

  2. 2

    The gopīs are forced to abandon their household duties and come before Lord Kṛṣṇa.

  3. 3

    All social etiquette, shame, and fear are vanquished, and the flute’s vibration causes all women to dance.

How it feels

Awe becoming attraction. The Lord’s vast opulence is placed beside the intimate sweetness of Kṛṣṇa.

The mood of Madhya 21 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 21: The Opulence and Sweetness of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa

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

In this chapter the author of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta has presented some nice poems about the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s superexcellent beauty. Throughout the rest of the chapter, our intimate relationship ( sambandha ) with Kṛṣṇa is described.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 21
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. nīvithe knots of the underwear
  2. khasāyaloosens
  3. pati-āgeeven in front of the husbands
  4. gṛha-dharmahousehold duties
  5. karāya tyāgecauses to give up
  6. baleby force
  7. dhari’catching
  8. ānebrings
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Vraja-smaraṇa · Remembrance of Vṛndāvana

    The remembered sweetness of Vraja that colors Mahāprabhu’s pilgrimage, Ratha-yātrā, and later states of separation. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “gopīs”, “gopīs’”

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 this description show the overwhelming effect of Kṛṣṇa’s flute on the gopīs?

Practice

Read the verse carefully and identify the effects it describes on the gopīs.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa’s Flute Overcomes Shame and 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 21.143? Get an answer from the verses themselves.