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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

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How to study this verse, in six steps

1Say the verse. Read the transliteration aloud, slowly.
2Read the word meanings. Go through each word and its meaning.
3Read the translation. Ask: what is happening here, and who is it about?
4Read the purport slowly. Read it twice. Don't rush.
5See Lord Caitanya as Kṛṣṇa. Remember who is acting in the pastime.
6Take one thing into your day. Note one point and one practice.

Read the full guide: how to read Caitanya Caritamrta ›

Madhya-līlā · Chapter 24: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse

Madhya 24.90 Madhya 24.92

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 24.91

বুদ্ধিমান্-অর্থে — যদি ‘বিচারজ্ঞ’ হয় ।

নিজ-কাম লাগিহ তবে কৃষ্ণেরে ভজয় ॥ ৯১ ॥

buddhimān-arthe — yadi ‘vicāra-jña’ haya

nija-kāma lāgiha tabe kṛṣṇere bhajaya

Translation

“The meaning of the word ‘udāra-dhī’ is buddhimān — intelligent or considerate. Because of this, even for one’s own sense gratification one engages in the devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Intelligence Turns One Toward Kṛṣṇa

1
The word udāra-dhī means buddhimān—intelligent or considerate.
2
An intelligent person engages in the devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
3
Even someone seeking personal sense gratification can turn to devotional service. Material desires need not prevent one from beginning.

How it feels

Intellectual wonder humbled. Many explanations converge on the attractiveness of devotion; a hunter’s heart is transformed.

The mood of Madhya 24 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Madhya 24: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse

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

He then concluded that different classes of transcendentalists ( jñānīs, karmīs, yogīs ) utilize this verse according to their own interpretation, but if they would give up this process and surrender to Kṛṣṇa, as indicated by the verse itself, they would be able to comprehend the real meaning of the verse.

Read the whole chapter summary Back to this verse in Madhya 24

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

buddhimān-artheby the meaning of intelligent
yadiif
vicāra-jñaexpert in scrutinizing things
hayais
nija-kāma lāgihaeven for sense gratification
tabethen
kṛṣṇere bhajanaworships Lord Kṛṣṇa

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.

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do you let your remaining material desires keep you from serving Kṛṣṇa?

Practice

Set aside a few minutes to serve Lord Kṛṣṇa today, without waiting for all your desires to disappear.

Live this todayIntelligence Turns One Toward KṛṣṇaThis 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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