Madhya-līlā

Chapter 24: The Sixty-One Explanations of the Ātmārāma Verse

Verse 25 of 355
Cc Madhya 24.25

ঽকুর্বন্তিঽপদ এই পরস্মৈপদ হয কৃষ্ণসুখনিমিত্ত ভজনে তাত্পর্য কহয

ऽकुर्वन्तिऽपद एइ परस्मैपद हय कृष्णसुखनिमित्त भजने तात्पर्य कहय

'kurvanti'-pada ei parasmaipada haya kṛṣṇa-sukha-nimitta bhajane tātparya kahaya

Synonyms

kurvantithey do (for others); padathe word; eithis; parasmaipadaa verb form indicating things done for others; hayais; kṛṣṇa-sukha-nimittato satisfy Kṛṣṇa; bhajanein devotional service; tātparyathe purport; kahayais said..

Translation

"The word kurvanti, which means 'they do something for others,' is a form of the verb 'things done for others.' It is used in connection with devotional service, which must be executed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. That is the purport of the word kurvanti.

Purport

In Sanskrit the verb "to do" has two forms, technically called parasmaipada and ātmanepada. When things are done for one's personal satisfaction, the form is called ātmanepada. In that case, the word "do" in English is kurvante in Sanskrit. When things are done for others, the verb form changes to kurvanti. Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu informed Sanātana Gosvāmī that in the ātmārāma verse the verb kurvanti means that things should be done only for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. This is supported by the grammarian Pāṇini. The verb is formed as ātmanepada when the work is to be done for one's own benefit, and when it is done for others, it is called parasmaipada. Thus the verb is formed according to whether something is done for one's self-satisfaction or for another's satisfaction.

Verse 25 of 355
Prabhupāda Says