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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 · Texts Madhya 23.106-107

অদ্বেষ্টা সর্বভূতানাং মৈত্রঃ করুণ এব চ ।

নির্মমো নিরহঙ্কারঃ সমদুঃখসুখঃ ক্ষমী ॥ ১০৬ ॥

adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ

maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca

nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ

sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣamī

Translation

“ ‘One who is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities, who does not think himself a proprietor and is free from false ego, who is equal in both happiness and distress, who is always satisfied, forgiving and self-controlled, and who is engaged in devotional service with determination, his mind and intelligence dedicated to Me — such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
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Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Be a Kind Friend to All

  1. 1

    A devotee should not be jealous of people of other castes or nations. Anyone can become a Vaiṣṇava, not only Indians or brāhmaṇas.

  2. 2

    The bhakti teachings should be spread all over the world. Those who spread them should be equally friendly to everyone.

  3. 3

    Kṛṣṇa holds dear the devotee who is free from possessiveness and false ego, forgiving, satisfied, and self-controlled. Such a devotee remains steady in happiness and distress, with mind and intelligence dedicated to Him in determined devotional service.

Key points from the purport
  • One should not be jealous of members of other castes or nations.
  • Therefore one should recognize that the bhakti cult must be spread all over the world.
  • Moreover, the word maitra, “friendly,” indicates that one who is able to preach the bhakti cult all over the world should be equally friendly to everyone.

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 23.106-107 quotesBG 12.13

These two and the following six verses were spoken by Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā (12.13-20).

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

Theological emotional crescendo. Bhāva, prema, the devotional rasas, and mahābhāva are systematically expounded.

The mood of Madhya 23 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 23: Life’s Ultimate Goal — Love of Godhead

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

He gives a description of Goloka Vṛndāvana, where the Lord is engaged in His eternal pastimes described in the Hari-vaṁśa. There is also an opposing description and a favorable description of keśa-avatāra.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 23
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. adveṣṭānot envious or jealous
  2. sarva-bhūtānāmto all living entities in all parts of the world
  3. maitraḥfriendly
  4. karuṇaḥcompassionate
  5. evacertainly
  6. caand
  7. nirmamaḥwith no sense of proprietorship
  8. nirahaṅkāraḥwithout pride (without considering oneself a great preacher)
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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”

  • Audārya · Love that moves outward

    The freely offered gift of bhakti and prema, especially through nāma-saṅkīrtana and Mahāprabhu’s compassionate dealings. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “to everyone”

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

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do I treat people from different backgrounds as equally welcome in devotional life?

Practice

Offer one concrete act of kindness to someone from a different background, without considering them less eligible for devotion.

Live this todayBe a Kind Friend to AllThis 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 23.106-107? Get an answer from the verses themselves.