CC Madhya 8.248

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, Chapter 8: Talks Between Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Rāmānanda Rāya

CC Madhya 8.247

CC Madhya 8.249

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXT 248

‘duḥkha-madhye kona duḥkha haya gurutara?’
‘kṛṣṇa-bhakta-viraha vinā duḥkha nāhi dekhi para’

SYNONYMS

duḥkha-madhye—among the miserable conditions of life; kona—what; duḥkha—misery; haya—is; gurutara—more painful; kṛṣṇa-bhakta-viraha—separation from the devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa; vinā—besides; duḥkha—unhappiness; nāhi—there is not; dekhi—I see; para—other.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, “Of all kinds of distress, what is the most painful?” Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya replied, “Apart from separation from the devotee of Kṛṣṇa, I know of no unbearable unhappiness.”

PURPORT

Concerning this, the Lord states in the Vedic literature:

mām anārādhya duḥkhārtaḥ kuṭumbāsakta-mānasaḥ

sat-saṅga-rahito martyo vṛddha-sevā-paricyutaḥ

“A person who does not worship Me, who is unduly attached to family and who does not stick to devotional service must be considered a most unhappy person. Similarly, one who does not associate with Vaiṣṇavas, or who does not render service to his superior, is also a most unhappy person.” There is also the following statement in the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta (1.5.44):

sva-jīvanādhikaṁ prārthyaṁ śrī-viṣṇu-jana-saṅgataḥ

vicchedena kṣaṇaṁ cātra na sukhāṁśaṁ labhāmahe

“Out of all kinds of desirable things experienced in the life of a living entity, association with the devotees of the Lord is the greatest. When we are separated from a devotee even for a moment, we cannot enjoy happiness.”