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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 4: Śrī Mādhavendra Purī’s Devotional Service
Madhya 4.123Madhya 4.125

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 4.124

প্রেমামৃতে তৃপ্ত, ক্ষুধাতৃষ্ণা নাহি বাধে ।

ক্ষীর-ইচ্ছা হৈল, তাহে মানে অপরাধে ॥ ১২৪ ॥

premāmṛte tṛpta, kṣudhā-tṛṣṇā nāhi bādhe

kṣīra-icchā haila, tāhe māne aparādhe

Translation

A paramahaṁsa like Mādhavendra Purī is always satisfied in the loving service of the Lord. Material hunger and thirst cannot impede his activities. When he desired to taste a little sweet rice offered to the Deity, he considered that he had committed an offense by desiring to eat what was being offered to the Deity.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Careful Respect for the Deity’s Offering

  1. 1

    A paramahaṁsa is satisfied in loving service to the Lord, and material hunger and thirst cannot impede his activities. He conquers lust, anger, greed, illusion, enviousness, and hunger and thirst.

  2. 2

    Food being carried from the kitchen to the Deity room should be covered so that others do not desire to eat it before it is offered. It must be uncovered when brought before the Deity.

  3. 3

    Mādhavendra Purī wanted to taste the sweet rice so that he could prepare something similar for Gopāla. Yet he was so strict that he considered this desire an offense and quietly left the temple.

Key points from the purport
  • It is advisable that food being offered to the Deity be covered when taken from the kitchen to the Deity room.
  • Seeing the food uncovered before the Deity, Mādhavendra Purī desired to taste a little of it so that he could prepare a similar sweet rice for his Gopāla.
  • Mādhavendra Purī was so strict, however, that he considered this to be an offense.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Selfless service and longing. Gopāla’s requests, Gopīnātha’s mercy, and Mādhavendra Purī’s devotion deepen the theme of longing.

The mood of Madhya 4 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 4: Śrī Mādhavendra Purī’s Devotional Service

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

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu narrated this story for Lord Nityānanda Prabhu and other devotees and praised the pure devotional service of Mādhavendra Purī. When He recited some verses composed by Mādhavendra Purī, He went into an ecstatic mood.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 4
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. prema-amṛte tṛptabeing satisfied only in the loving service of the Lord
  2. kṣudhā-tṛṣṇāhunger and thirst
  3. nāhinot
  4. bādheimpede
  5. kṣīrafor sweet rice
  6. icchāthe desire
  7. hailabecame
  8. tāhefor that reason
  9. mānehe considers
  10. aparādheoffense
3

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”, “offered”

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 carefully do I distinguish an offering for the Deity from food for my own enjoyment?

Practice

When carrying a food offering to the Deity today, keep it covered until it is placed before the Deity.

Live this todayCareful Respect for the Deity’s OfferingThis 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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