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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 25.31

শ্রেয়ঃসৃতিং ভক্তিমুদস্য তে বিভো

ক্লিশ্যন্তি যে কেবলবোধলব্ধয়ে ।

তেষামসৌ ক্লেশল এব শিষ্যতে

নান্যদ্‌যথা স্থূলতুষাবঘাতিনাম্ ॥ ৩১ ॥

śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho

kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye

teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate

nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām

Translation

“ ‘My dear Lord, devotional service unto You is the only auspicious path. If one gives it up simply for speculative knowledge or the understanding that these living beings are spirit souls and the material world is false, he undergoes a great deal of trouble. He only gains troublesome and inauspicious activities. His actions are like beating a husk that is already devoid of rice. His labor becomes fruitless.’

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Devotional Service Makes Spiritual Effort Fruitful

  1. 1

    Devotional service to the Lord is the only auspicious path.

  2. 2

    Giving it up for speculative knowledge, or merely understanding living beings as spirit souls and the material world as false, brings great trouble.

  3. 3

    Such labor is fruitless, like beating a husk already devoid of rice. It yields only troublesome and inauspicious activities.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of CC Madhya 25.31 quotesSB 10.14.4

This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.4).

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

Reconciliation and broad mercy. Opponents turn toward bhakti; the Lord returns to Purī and embraces devotees.

The mood of Madhya 25 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 25: How All the Residents of Vārāṇasī Became Vaiṣṇavas

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

He asked Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu about devotional service in terms of the Vedānta-sūtra, and the Lord told him about devotional service that is approved by great personalities who know the Vedānta-sūtra. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then pointed out that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the proper commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 25
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. śreyaḥ-sṛtimthe auspicious path of liberation
  2. bhaktimdevotional service
  3. udasyagiving up
  4. teof You
  5. vibhoO my Lord
  6. kliśyantiaccept increased difficulties
  7. yeall those persons who
  8. kevalaonly
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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”

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

Am I allowing speculation to take the place of devotional service?

Practice

Pause one session of speculation today and offer a brief prayer of service to the Lord.

5

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

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

1 lecture given on it. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Live this todayDevotional Service Makes Spiritual Effort FruitfulThis 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 25.31? Get an answer from the verses themselves.