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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 9: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Travels to the Holy Places
Madhya 9.268Madhya 9.270

Śrī Caitanya Caritamrta · Text Madhya 9.269

যো দুস্ত্যজান্ ক্ষিতিসুতস্বজনার্থদারান্

প্রার্থ্যাং শ্রিয়ং সুরবরৈঃ সদয়াবলোকাম্ ।

নৈচ্ছন্‌নৃপস্তদুচিতং মহতাং মধুদ্বিট্-

সেবানুরক্তমনসামভবোঽপি ফল্গুঃ ॥ ২৬৯ ॥

yo dustyajān kṣiti-suta-svajanārtha-dārān

prārthyāṁ śriyaṁ sura-varaiḥ sadayāvalokām

naicchan nṛpas tad ucitaṁ mahatāṁ madhu-dviṭ-

sevānurakta-manasām abhavo ’pi phalguḥ

Translation

“ ‘It is very difficult to give up material opulence, land, children, society, friends, riches, wife or the blessings of the goddess of fortune, which are desired even by great demigods. But King Bharata did not desire such things, and this was quite befitting his position, because for a pure devotee whose mind is always engaged in the service of the Lord, even liberation, or merging into the existence of the Lord, is insignificant. And what to speak of material opportunities?’

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

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Service Makes Material Opulence Insignificant

  1. 1

    Material opulence, family, friends and riches are very difficult to give up. Even great demigods desire the blessings of the goddess of fortune.

  2. 2

    King Bharata did not desire these things, which was befitting his position. The purport identifies this verse as a glorification of him.

  3. 3

    For a pure devotee whose mind is always engaged in the Lord’s service, even liberation is insignificant. Material opportunities are still less important.

Key points from the purport
  • This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.14.44) concerning the glorification of King Bharata, whom Śukadeva Gosvāmī was describing to King Parīkṣit.

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

The purport of CC Madhya 9.269 quotesSB 5.14.44

This is a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.14.44) concerning the glorification of King Bharata, whom Śukadeva Gosvāmī was describing to King Parīkṣit.

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

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:

At Pāṇḍarapura the Lord received news from Śrī Raṅga Purī that Śaṅkarāraṇya (Viśvarūpa) had disappeared there. 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.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in Madhya 9
2

Word for word

Learn the words of the verse.

  1. yaḥone who
  2. dustyajānvery difficult to give up
  3. kṣitiland
  4. sutachildren
  5. svajanarelatives
  6. arthariches
  7. dārānand wife
  8. prārthyāmdesirable
3

Key ideas in this verse

The themes of love and mercy this verse speaks of.

  • Kṛpā & transformation · Mercy changes a life

    Transformative encounters with grace, from scholars and travelers to renunciants and householders. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “blessings”

  • Sādhu-saṅga · Love grows through association

    Spiritual association shapes the movement, empowers disciples, and reveals truths through loving conversations. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “pure devotee”

  • Dainya & humility · Making room for grace

    The humility expressed by the author, devotees, transformed scholars, renunciants, and the Śikṣāṣṭaka. · In the Prema Atlas

    In this verse: “insignificant”

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

Which material desire most distracts my mind from the Lord’s service?

Practice

Today, set aside one pursuit of material comfort for a few minutes and use that time to serve the Lord.

Live this todayService Makes Material Opulence InsignificantThis 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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