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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 9: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Travels to the Holy Places
Madhya 9.255Madhya 9.257

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 9.256

আচার্য কহে, — ‘বর্ণাশ্রম-ধর্ম, কৃষ্ণে সমর্পণ’ ।

এই হয় কৃষ্ণভক্তের শ্রেষ্ঠ ‘সাধন’ ॥ ২৫৬ ॥

ācārya kahe, — ‘varṇāśrama-dharma, kṛṣṇe samarpaṇa’

ei haya kṛṣṇa-bhaktera śreṣṭha ‘sādhana’

Translation

The ācārya replied, “When the activities of the four castes and the four āśramas are dedicated to Kṛṣṇa, they constitute the best means whereby one can attain the highest goal of life.

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

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

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

The Ācārya Teaches Dedication to Kṛṣṇa

  1. 1

    The ācārya’s reply concerned the activities of the four castes and four āśramas.

  2. 2

    He explained that these activities should be dedicated to Kṛṣṇa.

  3. 3

    He described such dedication as the best means to attain the highest goal of life.

How it feels

Wonder and inclusion. Meetings across sacred places display the broad reach of devotional mercy.

The mood of Madhya 9 as a whole, an editorial reading, not the text itself. See the emotional atlas

Further reading

Madhya 9: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Travels to the Holy Places

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

He then went to the banks of the Kṛṣṇa-veṇvā River, where He collected from among the Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas a book written by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, Śrī Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta. The Lord then visited the Tāpī River, Māhiṣmatī-pura, the Narmadā River and Ṛṣyamūka-parvata.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 9
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. ācārya kahethe ācārya said
  2. varṇa-āśrama-dharmathe institution of four castes and four āśramas
  3. kṛṣṇeunto Kṛṣṇa
  4. samarpaṇato dedicate
  5. ei hayathis is
  6. kṛṣṇa-bhakteraof the devotee of Kṛṣṇa
  7. śreṣṭha sādhanathe best means of achievement
3

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How could dedication to Kṛṣṇa change the way I approach a duty?

Practice

Choose one duty today and perform it with the intention of dedicating it to Kṛṣṇa.

Live this todayThe Ācārya Teaches Dedication to 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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