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Read one verse of Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta with its Bengali, transliteration, word meanings, translation and study points.
Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 5.23
কন্যাদান-পাত্র আমি না হই তোমার ।
কৃষ্ণপ্রীত্যে করি তোমার সেবা-ব্যবহার ॥ ২৩ ॥
kanyā-dāna-pātra āmi nā ha-i tomāra
kṛṣṇa-prītye kari tomāra sevā-vyavahāra
“Sir, I am not a suitable bridegroom for your daughter. I render service to you only for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.
Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.ioThree study points drawn from the translation and purport.
Both brāhmaṇas were pure Vaiṣṇavas. The younger man cared for the older one only for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, not to obtain a bride.
Kṛṣṇa says that it is better to render service to His devotee. A pure Vaiṣṇava identifies himself as a servant of a servant of Kṛṣṇa.
One should not try to serve Kṛṣṇa directly while neglecting His servant. The purport teaches that serving a liberated Vaiṣṇava is necessary for attaining liberation.
Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.
The purport of CC Madhya 5.23 quotesSB 11.19.20-24
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.19.21) Kṛṣṇa says, mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhikā: “It is better to render service to My devotee.”
Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.
Faith vindicated. The Deity bears witness; anxiety over a broken promise becomes astonishment and relief.
The mood of Madhya 5 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas
From Śrīla Prabhupāda's chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:
The elderly brāhmaṇa was very satisfied with the service of the young brāhmaṇa, and he wanted to offer him his youngest daughter in marriage. The young brāhmaṇa received the promise of his elder before the Gopāla Deity of Vṛndāvana.Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 5
Learn the words of the 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”, “serve”, “servant”
Concept links are an editorial study map; only the verse is the text itself.
Take one thing from this verse into your day.
Am I offering service for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction or hoping for a personal reward?
Offer one small service to a devotee of Kṛṣṇa today without seeking anything in return.
Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.
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