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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 23: Life’s Ultimate Goal — Love of Godhead
Madhya 23.53Madhya 23.55

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 23.54

শান্তরসে শান্তি-রতি ‘প্রেম’ পর্যন্ত হয় ।

দাস্য-রতি ‘রাগ’ পর্যন্ত ক্রমেত বাড়য় ॥ ৫৪ ॥

śānta-rase śānti-rati ‘prema’ paryanta haya

dāsya-rati ‘rāga’ paryanta krameta bāḍaya

Translation

“The position of neutrality increases up to the point where one can appreciate love of Godhead. The mellow of servitorship gradually increases to the point of spontaneous love of Godhead.

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.

Neutrality and Servitorship Develop in Love

  1. 1

    The position of neutrality increases up to appreciation of love of Godhead.

  2. 2

    The mellow of servitorship also increases gradually.

  3. 3

    Servitorship develops to the point of spontaneous love of Godhead.

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 also describes the mellow derived from conjugal love, which is the supreme emotion. Conjugal love is divided into two categories — svakīya and parakīya.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 23
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. śānta-rasein the mellow of neutrality
  2. śānti-ratispiritual attachment in peacefulness
  3. prema paryantaup to love of Godhead
  4. hayais
  5. dāsya-ratiattachment in servitude
  6. rāgaspontaneous love
  7. paryantaup to
  8. krametagradually
  9. bāḍayaincreases
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • 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 of godhead”

  • 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: “mellow”

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 distinction do you notice between the development of neutrality and that of servitorship?

Practice

Make two short notes: the point reached by neutrality and the point reached by servitorship.

Live this todayNeutrality and Servitorship Develop in LoveThis 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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