D ay after Gaura Purnima is celebrated as Jagannath Mishra Festival. Just as Nandababa celebrated Nandotsava in joy the appearance of Lord Sri Krishna, similarly, the wonderful appearance of the Lord increased the happiness of everyone in Srimati Sacidevi’s house. Both Sri Jagannatha Misra’s and Srimati Sacidevi’s hearts heaved joyous waves while looking at the Lord’s beautiful face. Caitanya Bhagavat wonderfully narrates the happenings at Nadia on Lord’s appearance.
SRI CHAITANYA BHAGAVATA.
Adi Lila Chapter 4.
1. All glories, all glories to the lotus feet-eyed, moon-like Lord Caitanya; all glories, all glories to all Your loving devotees.
2. O Lord, look upon me mercifully so that my delusion is dispelled and I may be able to serve and worship You day and night.
3 & 4. The wonderful appearance of the Lord increased the happiness of everyone in Srimati Sacidevi’s house. Both Sri Jagannatha Misra’s and Srimati Sacidevi’s hearts heaved joyous waves while looking at the Lord’s beautiful face.
5. Sri Visvarupa would pick up his brother in his arms and smile gleefully at the Supreme Lord, the abode of all transcendental joys.
6. Friends and relatives lingered, surrounding the Lord affectionately all the time.
7. Some chanted mantras of enchantments in the Lord’s room for His protection. The Vishnu Raksa mantra (invoking Lord Vishnu’s protection) or Devi mantra (invoking Durga devi’s protection) were chanted while some people circumambulated the Lord’ house.
8. And when the Lord would cry, shedding tears from His lotus eyes, only the sound of the holy name of Krsna would pacify Him.
9. Finally everyone understood the secret message and whenever the Lord cried, they immediately chanted Lord Hari’s name.
10. The demigods were in a jovial mood and decided to play some practical jokes on the people who always surrounded Nimai.
11. A demigod in a spiritual body stole quietly about the house, unseen by human eyes. When the peopled saw a shadowy figure slither past they exclaimed, “There goes a thief!”
12. Terror-stricken, some of them loudly chanted “Nrsimha! Nrsimha!”, while others murmured the Aparajita Stotra (prayers to Parvati devi, wife of Lord Shiva) for protection.
13. While many persons were going around the house chanting all different mantras and prayers, a great commotion was heard from inside Srimati Sacidevi’s house.
14. The demigods had assembled to see the Lord, but the people outside thought that thieves were entering.
15. Some shouted, “Catch the thief! Thief!”, while others continuously chanted, “Nrsimha, Nrsimha”.
16. A brahmin priest endowed with powers of exorcising ghosts threatened the invisible demigods, “You’re lucky you got away today, but you do not know the tremendous power of Lord Nrsimha-deva.”
17. Unseen by anyone, the demigods laughed to themselves. In this way a month passed.
18. Completing her one-month of confinement, the period of contamination after childbirth, Srimati Sacidevi went for a bath in the Ganga with the other ladies.
19. Amongst singing and joyous clamor Sacidevi bathed in the Ganga. She worshipped Ganga devi and thereafter she worshipped a village goddess called Sasthi.
20. After worshipping different demigods in accordance with proper rites Sacidevi returned with the satisfied ladies.
21. According to the social custom, Sacidevi respectfully offered all the ladies roasted paddy, bananas, oil, vermilion powder, betel nuts and betel leaf.
22. The ladies in turn blessed the child and offered respects to Sacidevi before they returned to their respective homes.
23. In this way the Supreme Lord Caitanya performed His childhood pastimes. Without the Lord’s mercy these pastimes are incomprehensible.
24. The lord as a child cried frequently. His real intention in crying was to induce everyone to chant the Lord’s holy name.
25. The ladies tried one way or another to pacify Him, but He cried all the more.
26. As soon as they chanted “Hari, Hari”, a beaming smile spread across the Lord’s exquisite moon-like face.
27. Discovering that this pleased the Lord, everyone got together and repeated Lord Hari’s name while clapping their hands.
28. Happily everyone performed congregational chanting and Saci devi’s house resounded with the Lord’s name.
29. Unknown to all, Lord Caitanya’s childhood pastimes in Sri Jagannatha Misra’s house were a facsimile to Gopala Krsna’s childhood pastimes.
30 & 31. When no one was present in a room, He would intentionally scatter things around after pouring milk, butter or oil on the floor.
32. Forewarned that mother Saci devi was approaching, He would quickly lay down and start crying.
33. Mother Saci devi would pacify Him by repeating Lord Hari’s name until she noticed the different substances spread all over the floor.
34. “Who has scattered the rice, wheat and dahl? Why are these broken pots of curd and milk on the floor?
35. No one could understand who had done this. There was only the four-month-old baby in the house.
36. Curiosity drew everyone to that room, but they could not find any trace of the culprit.
37 & 38. Some conjectured, “A demon or ghost must have come, but due to the effect of the mantras it could not harm the baby. Angry that it could do nothing to the child, it threw everything around and escaped”.
39. This incident left Sri Jagannatha Misra quite perplexed, but thinking it a providential interference, he did not comment.
40. In spite of the extensive damage, both Sri Jagannatha Misra and Sacidevi felt their sorrows soothed by just looking at the child’s face.
41. Days passed wrapped in mystery until the day of the name giving ceremony arrived.
42. Sri Nilambara Cakravarti and other learned scholars and friends assembled there.
43. Respectable, chaste ladies who looked as fresh and glowing as Laksmi devi, the goddess of fortune, attended the ceremony in beautiful saris.
44. Everyone discussed which name the child would have. Some ladies made one suggestion while other ladies made another.
45. “This child will have no younger brother or sisters, so being the last child of the family, he should be named Nimai”, said one lady.
46. After considering all points the scholars said there was one name appropriate for the child.
47. As soon as He was born, famine ended in the land and the farmers were blessed with the long-awaited rain.
48. Happy and healthy conditions returned to the land at His birth. It was similar to the ancient story of Lord Narayana protecting and upholding the universe during devastation.
49. Hence, His name should be Sri Visvambhara (sustainer of the world). This is confirmed in His horoscope, for He is the brightest torchbearer of His family.
50. The name Nimai that the respected ladies gave will be His second name.
51. The name was given at an auspicious moment when all the planetary indications were right and amidst readings of ”Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and the Vedas, etc. by the brahmins.
52. The demigods and humans assembled together on this occasion and offered benedictions. They chanted Lord Hari’s all-auspicious holy names while blowing conch shells and ringing bells.
53. Rice, paddy, books, roasted paddy, coins, gold and silver were placed for the child to hold (testing the child’s tendency).
54. Sri Jagannatha encouraged his son, “My dear Visvambhara, take whatever your heart desires”.
55. Sacidevi’s son, the Supreme Lord, ignored all items and picked up the ”Srimad Bhagavatam and embraced it.
56. The ladies loudly glorified the Lord. Everyone was impressed and said, “He will be a great scholar”.
57. Some commented that the child would turn out to be an elevated Vaishnava devotee with the extraordinary capacity to easily grasp the imports of the scriptures.
58. Whoever saw Lord Visvambhara’s enchanting smile became drenched in showers of bliss.
59. Once the ladies had the child on their laps, they would not put Him down. This child, the Supreme Lord, is almost unapproachable even by demigods.
60. And whenever the Lord started crying the ladies clapped their hands and chanted Lord Hari’s name.
61. Hearing the chanting the Lord swayed blissfully as though he were dancing on their laps. This excited the ladies who in turn increased their chanting.
62. The Supreme Lord, by His desire, had everyone constantly chanting the Lord’s name, on any available pretext.
63. The Vedas, ”Srimad Bhagavatam and other scriptures conclude that no undertaking reaches success without the Supreme Lord’s desire.
64. Sacidevi’s son, the Supreme Lord Caitanya, grew day by day, motivating everyone to chant His own holy name.
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