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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
  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 8: Talks Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya
Madhya 8.69Madhya 8.71

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 8.70

কৃষ্ণভক্তিরসভাবিতা মতিঃ

ক্রীয়তাং যদি কুতোঽপি লভ্যতে ।

তত্র লৌল্যমপি মূল্যমেকলং

জন্মকোটিসুকৃতৈর্ন লভ্যতে ॥ ৭০ ॥

kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā matiḥ

krīyatāṁ yadi kuto ’pi labhyate

tatra laulyam api mūlyam ekalaṁ

janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate

Translation

“ ‘Pure devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be had even by pious activity in hundreds and thousands of lives. It can be attained only by paying one price — that is, intense greed to obtain it. If it is available somewhere, one must purchase it without delay.’”

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Intense Longing Is Pure Devotion’s Price

  1. 1

    Pure devotional service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be obtained even through pious activity in hundreds and thousands of lives. Its one price is intense greed to obtain it, and one should seek it without delay.

  2. 2

    Regulative principles are necessary while one’s original, dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness has not spontaneously awakened.

  3. 3

    When Kṛṣṇa consciousness awakens, it flows spontaneously toward Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, like rivers flowing into the ocean. This is spontaneous loving service without extraneous endeavor.

Key points from the purport
  • Verse 69 refers to devotional service in faith, and verse 70 refers to devotional service rendered out of intense greed.
  • The first is devotional service rendered in accordance with the regulative principles, and the second refers to spontaneous loving service of the Lord without extraneous endeavor.
  • Henceforward the basic principle underlying the talks between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya will be spontaneous loving service to the Lord.

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

Connected verses· 1

Quoted in the purport ofSB 10.13.58

Janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement wants to stop koṭi-janma, repeated birth and death.

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

Deepening intimacy and revelation. Their exchange ascends from duty to pure love and the confidential moods of Vraja.

The mood of Madhya 8 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 8: Talks Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya

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

After hearing Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya recite some verses, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted the principle of pure devotional service devoid of all kinds of speculation. After this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked Rāmānanda Rāya to explain the higher platform of devotional service.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 8
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Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitāabsorbed in the mellows of executing devotional service to Kṛṣṇa
  2. matiḥintelligence
  3. krīyatāmlet it be purchased
  4. yadiif
  5. kutaḥ apisomewhere
  6. labhyateis available
  7. tatrathere
  8. laulyamgreed
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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”

  • Śaraṇāgati · Taking shelter

    Turning toward Kṛṣṇa through shelter, surrender, dependence on guru, and unconditional devotional fidelity. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “lotus feet”

Concept links are an editorial study map; only the verse is the text itself.

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Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do I sincerely long for pure devotional service, rather than regard it as something earned through pious activity?

Practice

Set aside a few minutes today to pray for an intense desire to obtain pure devotional service.

Live this todayIntense Longing Is Pure Devotion’s PriceThis 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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