Chapter 4: The Play of Childhood

Viṣaya (the chapter's own topic-summary, as given by the author/editor): Śrī Nimāi's hātē-khaḍi; His continual writing of the names of Godhead — Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, and the rest; Śrī Nimāi's restlessness; the eating of Viṣṇu's offered food (naivedya) by Jagadīśa Paṇḍita and Hiraṇya Bhāgavata; Nimāi's various pastimes with the other children; the disturbance at the Gaṅgā; the complaints brought before Jagannātha Miśra, and Miśra's consoling of the complainants; and Nimāi's cleverness with His father. In this chapter the Lord's paugaṇḍa-pastimes (the pastimes of the second stage of childhood) are described — infancy and early childhood (bālya) last up to the fifth year; thereafter, up to the fifteenth year, is paugaṇḍa.

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হেনমতে ক্রীড়া করে গৌরাঙ্গ-গোপাল । হাতে-খড়ি দিবার হইল আসি কাল ॥ ১ শুভ দিনে শুভ ক্ষণে মিশ্র-পুরন্দর হাতে-খড়ি পুত্রের দিলেন বিপ্রবর ॥ ২ কিছু শেষে মিলিয়া সকল বন্ধুগণ কর্ণবেধ করিলেন শ্রীচূড়াকরণ ॥ ৩ দৃষ্টিমাত্র সরল অক্ষর লিখি যায়। পরম বিস্মিত হই সববগণে চায় ॥ ৪ দিন দুই-তিনে লিখিলেন সর্ব ফলা। নিরন্তর লিখেন কৃষ্ণের নামমালা ॥ ৫ রাম, কৃষ্ণ, মুরারি, মুকুন্দ, বনমালী। অহনিশি লিখেন পঢ়েন কুতূহলী ॥ ৬ শিশুগণ-সঙ্গে পড়ে বৈকুণ্ঠের রায়। পরম-সুকৃতি সব দেখে নদীয়ায় ॥ ৭

Translation. In this way Gaurāṅga-Gopāla continued His play, until the time came for His hātē-khaḍi — the ceremony of first writing. On an auspicious day, at an auspicious moment, the best of brāhmaṇas, Miśra-purandara [Jagannātha Miśra, foremost among householders], gave his son the hātē-khaḍi. A little while afterward, all the family and kinsfolk gathered together and performed His ear-piercing and cūḍākaraṇa [the tonsure ceremony]. The moment He saw a letter He could write it correctly, straight and clean — and everyone who watched was struck with the greatest astonishment. Within two or three days He had learned to write every phalā [conjunct-consonant sign]; and thereafter He wrote, without pause, a garland of Kṛṣṇa's names. Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Murāri, Mukunda, Vanamālī — day and night, eagerly, He wrote them and read them aloud. Thus the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha studied together with the other children, and all the most fortunate souls of Nadīyā beheld it.

Explanation. Gaurāṅga Gopāla — Gaurāṅga is none other than Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. Hātē-khaḍi — the ceremony called "hātē-khaḍi" is the formal beginning of a child's education. Kāla — the proper time; the hātē-khaḍi ceremony takes place in a child's fifth year.

Kichu śeṣa (a variant reads kichu pāche, "a little afterward") — some time after the hātē-khaḍi. Karṇa-bedha — the piercing of the ears, boring a hole in the ear; this falls under the cūḍākaraṇa-saṃskāra. Cūḍākaraṇa is one of the ten prescribed saṃskāras (purificatory rites); in it, the head is shaved, leaving only the single tuft of hair (śikhā).

Dina dui-tine likhilena (variant: dina dui-tinete paḍilena, "learned to read within two or three days") — within two or three days of His hātē-khaḍi He had already learned to write (or read) every phalā. A phalā is the sign by which one letter is joined to another — for instance, when the letter ya is joined beneath ba, the result is "bya"; here ya is the phalā, so this is called ba-with-ya-phalā, giving bya. There are many such phalās — ṇa-phalā, na-phalā, ra-phalā, ma-phalā, ba-phalā, la-phalā, and so on. Nāmamālā — a garland of names: Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, Murāri, Mukunda, Vanamālī, and the rest.

Ahaniśi — day and night. Likhena paḍena — He both wrote the garland of names and read it aloud. Kutūhalī — eager, full of avid interest.

Baikuṇṭhera rāya — the Lord of Goloka (see the commentary on payar 1.11.109 [in Chapter 1]). Parama-sukṛti saba — those most blessed by accumulated pious merit, the exceptionally fortunate.

কি মাধুরী করি প্রভু ‘ক, খ, গ, ঘ' বোলে। তাহা শুনিতেই মাত্র সর্ব-জীব ভোলে ॥ ৮ অদ্ভুত করেন ক্রীড়া শ্রীগৌরসুন্দর। যখনে যে চাহে সেই পরম দুষ্কর ॥ ৯ আকাশে উড়িয়া যায় পক্ষী তাহা চাহে। না পাইলে কান্দিয়া ধূলায় গড়ি যায়ে ॥ ১০ ক্ষণে চাহে আকাশের চন্দ্র-তারাগণ। হাথ-পাও আছাড়িয়া করয়ে ক্রন্দন ॥ ১১ সাধন করেন সভে করি নিজ কোলে। স্থির নহে বিশ্বম্ভর “দেও দেও' বোলে ॥ ১২ সবে এক মাত্র আছে মহা-প্রতিকার। হরিনাম শুনিলে না কান্দে প্রভু আর ॥ ১৩ হাথে তালি দিয়া সভে বোলে “হরি হরি'। তখন সুস্থির হয় চাঞ্চল্য পাসরি ॥ ১৪ বালকের প্রীতে সভে বোলে হরিনাম। জগন্নাথ-গৃহ হৈল শ্রীবৈকুণ্ঠ-ধাম ॥ ১৫ একদিন সভে ‘হরি’ বোলে অনুক্ষণ। তথাপিহ প্রভু পুন করেন ক্রন্দন ॥ ১৬ সভেই বোলেন “শুন বাপ রে নিমাঞি! ভাল করি নাচ এই হরিনাম গাই ॥” ১৭

Translation. With what sweetness the Lord would utter "ka, kha, ga, gha" [the first letters of the alphabet] — merely to hear it was enough to make every living being lose themselves in bliss! Śrī Gaurasundara performed wondrous play: whenever He wanted something, to actually give it to Him was supremely difficult. If a bird flew across the sky, He wanted it — and failing to get it, He would cry and roll about in the dust. The next moment He wanted the moon and stars of the sky, and, throwing His hands and feet about, He would wail. Everyone would try to soothe Him, taking Him on their own lap, but Viśvambhara would not be still — "Give it, give it!" He would say. There was one and only one great remedy for this: on hearing the name of Hari, the Lord would cry no more. So everyone would clap their hands and call out "Hari! Hari!" — and at once He would grow calm, forgetting His restlessness. Out of love for the child, everyone took to chanting the name of Hari, and thus Jagannātha's house became the very abode of Śrī Vaikuṇṭha. One day, when everyone had been calling "Hari!" continuously, He nevertheless began to cry again; so everyone said, "Listen, dear child Nimāñi! Dance nicely, and sing this name of Hari!"

Explanation. Ki mādhurī kari — with what an utterly wondrous and sweet, captivating manner. Bhole — becomes enraptured, lost in bliss.

Yakhane ye cāhe etc. — whatever Nimāi wished for at any given moment, to procure that very thing for Him was extremely difficult, well-nigh impossible. (A variant for sei reads prabhu.)

Pakṣa — bird; He wants it. (A variant for dhūlāya reads bhuñjite.) Gaḍi yāye — rolls about.

The couplet at verse 14 [the demand for these unobtainable things] is one of the Lord's own devices for propagating the chanting of Hari's name.

At verse 16 the topic of Jagadīśa Paṇḍita and Hiraṇya Bhāgavata now begins to be introduced. (A variant for puna reads sadā.)

At verse 17, a variant reads hari hari for harinām.

না শুনে বচন কারো, করয়ে ক্রন্দন। সভেই বোলেন “বাপ! কান্দ কি কারণ?” ১৮ সভে বোলে “বোল বাপ! কি ইচ্ছা তোমার। সেই দ্রব্য আনি দিব, না কান্দহ আর।” ১৯ প্রভু বোলে “যদি মোর প্রাণ-রক্ষা চাহ। তবে ঝাট দুই ব্রাহ্মণের ঘরে যাহ ॥ ২০ জগদীশ পণ্ডিত, হিরণ্য ভাগবত। এই দুই স্থানে আমার আছে অভিমত ॥ ২১ একাদশী-উপবাস আজি সে দোহার। বিষ্ণু লাগি করিয়াছে যত উপহার ॥ ২২ সে সব নৈবেদ্য যদি খাইবারে পাঙ। তবে মুঞি সুস্থ হই হাটিয়া বেড়াঙ ॥” ২৩ অসম্ভব্য শুনিঞা জননী করে খেদ। হেন কথা কহে যেই নহে লোক বেদ ॥ ২৪ সভেই হাসেন শুনি শিশুর বচন। সভে বোলে “দিব বাপ! সম্বর ক্রন্দন ॥” ২৫ পরম-বৈষ্ণব সেই বিপ্র দুইজন। জগন্নাথ-মিশ্র-সহে অভেদ-জীবন ॥ ২৬ শুনিঞা শিশুর বাক্য দুই বিপ্রবর। সন্তোষে পূরিত হৈল সর্ব-কলেবর ॥ ২৭

Translation. He would not listen to anyone's words, but only went on crying, until everyone said, "Child! Why are you crying?" And they said, "Tell us, child — what is it you wish? We will bring you that very thing; cry no more." The Lord said: "If you wish to save My life, then go at once to the houses of two brāhmaṇas — to Jagadīśa Paṇḍita and to Hiraṇya Bhāgavata. In these two houses, I have a particular wish. Today is Ekādaśī, and they are both fasting; and whatever offerings they have prepared for Viṣṇu — if I may eat of those very offerings, then I shall be well again, and shall walk about happily." Hearing this impossible demand, His mother grieved — for such a thing is neither customary among men nor sanctioned by the Vedas. But everyone laughed on hearing the child's words, and said, "We shall give it, child! Restrain your crying." Now, those two brāhmaṇas were supreme Vaiṣṇavas, whose very life was inseparably bound up with that of Jagannātha Miśra [i.e., they were the closest of friends]. When these two best of brāhmaṇas heard the child's words, their entire bodies were filled with joy.

Explanation. Khāibāre pāṅ — "if I may eat [it]." (For the first half of this couplet a variant reads: laite naivedya yadi tāhā khāite pāṅ — "if I may take [obtain] that offering and eat it.") Beḍāṅ — "I shall walk about."

Asambhavya — that which cannot possibly be, an impossibility. Yei nahe loka veda — that which has no sanction either in ordinary custom or in the Vedas — that is, a thing universally condemned. Since eating any portion of an offering prepared for Viṣṇu, before it has actually been offered to Him, is forbidden by scripture — indeed, to eat it is itself an offense — such a thing is condemned, and hence it has no place in ordinary custom either. (A variant for yei nahe loka veda reads yena nā haya loka veda.)

At verse 26, some brief introduction is given here to Jagadīśa Paṇḍita and Hiraṇya Bhāgavata. Abheda-jīvana — of one life, bound together by the deepest mutual affection [with Jagannātha Miśra].

Śrī-hari-vāsara [see verse 29 below] — the vow of Ekādaśī; by observing this vow one gains Śrī Hari's especial pleasure.

দুই বিপ্র বোলে “মহা-অদ্ভুত-কাহিনী। শিশুর এমত বুদ্ধি কভু নাহি শুনি ॥ ২৮ কেমতে জানিল আজি শ্রীহরিবাসর। কেমতে বা জানিল নৈবেদ্য বহুতর ॥ ২৯ বুঝিলাঙ এ শিশু পরম-রূপবান্। অতএব এ দেহে গোপাল-অধিষ্ঠান ॥ ৩০ এ শিশুর দেহে ক্রীড়া করে নারায়ণ। হৃদয়ে বসিয়া সেই বোলায় বচন ॥” ৩১ মনে ভাবি দুই বিপ্র সর্ব-উপহার। আনিঞা দিলেন করি হরিষ অপার ॥ ৩২

Translation. The two brāhmaṇas said: "What a supremely wondrous tale is this! Never have we heard of such intelligence in a mere child. How could He have known that today is the sacred Hari-observance day [Ekādaśī]? And how could He have known that abundant offerings had been prepared? We understand now — this child is of the most extraordinary and beautiful form; therefore, within this very body, Gopāla Himself must be present. It is Nārāyaṇa Himself who plays within this child's body — He it is who, seated within His heart, makes Him speak these words." Reflecting thus in their minds, the two brāhmaṇas brought all their offerings and gave them, with boundless joy.

Explanation. Kemate jānila etc. — "How did Nimāi know that today is Ekādaśī, and how did He know that abundant offerings had been prepared?" Bujhilāṅ e śiśu parama-rūpavān (variant: parama purāṇa, "the primeval/beginningless one") — "we understand: this child's supreme, extraordinary beauty, and likewise His omniscience, both reveal that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is present within Him. It is not possible for a child of this age to know, on His own, that today is the sacred Hari-vāsara, or that we have gathered various articles for Viṣṇu's offering. It is the all-knowing Gopāla Himself, dwelling within this child, who is making these things known through the child's mouth."

Hariṣa apāra — with boundless delight.

দুই বিপ্র বোলে “বাপ! খাও উপহার। সকল কৃষ্ণের সাৎ হইল আমার ॥” ৩৩ কৃষ্ণ-কৃপা হইলে এমত বুদ্ধি হয়। দাস বিষ্ণু অন্যের এ বুদ্ধি কভু নয় ॥ (যারে কৃপা হয় তারে সেই সে জানয়॥) ৩৪ ভক্তি বিনা চৈতন্য গোসাঞি নাহি জানি। অনন্ত ব্রহ্মাণ্ড যার লোমকূপে গণি ॥ ৩৫ হেন প্রভু বিপ্রশিশুরূপে ক্রীড়া করে। চক্ষু ভরি দেখে জন্মজন্মের কিঙ্করে ॥ ৩৬ সন্তোষ হইল সব পাই উপহার। অল্প-অল্প কিছু প্রভু খাইল সভার ॥ ৩৭ হরিষে ভক্তের প্রভু উপহার খায়। ঘুচিল সকল বায়ু প্রভুর ইচ্ছায় ॥ ৩৮

Translation. The two brāhmaṇas said, "Child, eat this offering! All of it is now made over to Kṛṣṇa through you." Only by Kṛṣṇa's own mercy does such understanding arise — this understanding never belongs to anyone but Viṣṇu's own servant (only he to whom mercy is shown truly knows it). Without devotion, none can know Lord Caitanya — He within whose very pores the infinite universes are contained. Such is the Lord, who now plays in the form of a brāhmaṇa child, and whom His eternal servants, life after life, feast their eyes upon to their hearts' content. Everyone was satisfied at having received the offerings back [as prasāda], and the Lord ate a little of each one's portion. Out of joy for His devotees the Lord ate their offerings, and by the Lord's own will, every one of their vows [petulant demands] was thereby fulfilled.

Explanation. Kṛṣṇera sāt — made over to, formally consecrated to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (Variants for sāt include sātha and svārtha.) Sātha means "together with" or "in the presence of" — by presenting this offering in your very presence, it has been presented to Kṛṣṇa Himself (since Śrī Kṛṣṇa is present within you). Svārtha means Kṛṣṇa's own self-interest — Śrī Kṛṣṇa's one and only self-interest is the fulfillment of His servant. By presenting this offering before you, we, His servants, have ourselves been fulfilled (since He Himself dwells within you).

This couplet [34] is the author's own statement. Emata buddhi — the understanding described above, that Śrī Kṛṣṇa dwells within this child. Dāsa viṣṇu anyera etc. — "I am the servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, servant of none other" — only those in whose innermost heart this feeling is single-mindedly established are truly Kṛṣṇa's servants; Kṛṣṇa Himself accepts them as His own servants and showers mercy upon them, and it is by the fruit of that very mercy that such understanding as described above can arise. Those who are not Kṛṣṇa's servants are deprived of His mercy, and so such understanding cannot exist within them. In their essential, eternal form, these two brāhmaṇas were Śrī Gaurāṅga's own eternal associates, bound to Śrī Gaura by deep parental affection (vātsalya); and it was under the influence of this very vātsalya that they were unable to think of Nimāi as Kṛṣṇa Himself, but could only think of Him as a human child. Hence, even seeing His omniscience and the rest, they did not think it was Nimāi's own omniscience, but rather thought: the omniscient Śrī Kṛṣṇa dwells within Nimāi, and it is that very Kṛṣṇa who is this omniscience. In the Vraja-pastimes too, Kṛṣṇa's own associates held exactly this same sentiment toward Him. (A variant for e buddhi kabhu reads emata buddhi.)

Janma-janmera kiṅkare — His eternal associates. When the Lord manifests His own descent through birth-pastimes, His eternal associates likewise descend through birth-pastimes at that time; and thus, as many times as the Lord takes birth or descends, His associates also take birth or descend that same number of times. It is with reference to the birth-pastime at the time of descent that they are called His "servants birth after birth."

Ghucila — was removed, done away with. Bāyu — a childish demand, a wilful insistence (bāẏanā). By the Lord's will — that is, by the will of His eternal servants Jagadīśa Paṇḍita and Hiraṇya Bhāgavata, whom the devotee-loving Lord wished to fulfill, He had made this "demand" that they feed Him their Viṣṇu-offerings; and by eating those offerings He fulfilled His own wish. And now, again by His own will, that "demand" of His was itself dissolved away.

‘হরি হরি’ হরিষে বোলয়ে সর্বজনে। খায় আর নাচে প্রভু আপন-কীর্তনে ॥ ৩৯ কতো ফেলে ভূমিতে কতো বা কারো গায়। এইমত লীলা করে ত্রিদশের রায় ॥ ৪০ যে প্রভুরে সর্ব বেদে পুরাণে বাখানে। হেন প্রভু খেলে শচীদেবীর অঙ্গনে ॥ ৪১ ডুবিলা চাঞ্চল্যরসে প্রভু বিশ্বম্ভর। সংহতি চপল যত বিপ্র অনুচর ॥ ৪২ সভার সহিত গিয়া পড়ে নানাস্থানে। ধরিয়া রাখিতে নাহি পারে কোন জনে ॥ ৪৩ অন্য শিশু দেখিলে করয়ে কুতূহল। সেহো পরিহাস করে, বাজয়ে কোন্দল ॥ ৪৪ প্রভুর বালক সব জিনে প্রভু-বলে। অন্য শিশুগণ যত সব হারি চলে ॥ ৪৫

Translation. With great joy everyone called out "Hari, Hari!" — and the Lord ate, and danced in His own kīrtana. Some of the food He scattered on the ground, and some He smeared on this or that person's body — such were the pastimes of the King of the gods [Viśvambhara]. That very Lord whom all the Vedas and Purāṇas glorify — such a Lord played in Śacīdevī's courtyard! Lord Viśvambhara was immersed in the mellow of restless play, along with His mischievous brāhmaṇa-boy companions. Together with them He would run about and tumble down in various places, and no one could catch hold of Him and keep Him still. Whenever He saw other children He would grow eager, and playfully provoke them, and a little quarrel would break out. The children who belonged to the Lord's own party always won, by the Lord's own power, while all the other children would come away defeated.

Explanation. Āpana kīrtane — in His own kīrtana, the chanting of His own name — for it is Hari's name, and the Lord is Himself directly Śrī Hari. Nāce prabhu āpana kīrtane — the Lord dances in the supreme bliss born of relishing His own nāma-kīrtana. Just as prema alone is the means of relishing the sweetness of Kṛṣṇa's own form, so too prema alone is the means of relishing the sweetness of His name. In His form as Śrī Kṛṣṇa, He relishes the sweetness of His name as the object of love [the beloved]; but in His form as Gaura, since He is the very shelter of Śrī Rādhā's own undivided treasury of prema, He relishes that same sweetness as the shelter of love [the lover]. The bliss of relishing as the shelter of love is a million times greater than the bliss of relishing as its object.

Tridaśera rāya — tridaśa means "the gods," per the Amara-koṣa lexicon (Brahmā, Rudra, and the other deities); rāya is a word denoting supremacy, "lord" or "master." Tridaśera rāya thus means the Lord of all the gods, the Supreme Deity, Parabrahman. As the śruti says: "He who is the Lord of the gods" (Śvetāśvatara 4.13; also 6.7–8), calling the Supreme Brahman the overlord of the gods, the supreme deity of even the controllers, the supreme Maheśvara of even the Īśvaras. Hence "tridaśera rāya" means the Supreme Deity, Parabrahman, the Lord Himself, Śrī Kṛṣṇa; the author elsewhere too refers to Gaura by this very title, "Śrī Kṛṣṇa." In payar 2.18.80 the author has himself, through the very words of Śrīmatī Kuṇḍalatā [Rukmiṇī-devī], called Śrī Kṛṣṇa "tridaśera rāya" — hence it is clearly the author's intent that Śrī Kṛṣṇa alone is "the Lord of the gods." And since Śrī Gaura is Himself none other than a manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the author here and elsewhere calls Śrī Gaura, too, "tridaśera rāya."

Sanghati — together with. Vipra anucara (variant: dvijera koṅara) — the brāhmaṇa boys who were the Lord's own followers; these too are His eternal associates, hence they are called His "followers." Koṅara — a son, a child.

Prabhura bālaka saba — the boys of the Lord's own party (the brāhmaṇa boys mentioned in verse 42 above). Jine prabhu-bale — win, by the Lord's own power.

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ধুলায় ধূসর প্রভু শ্রীগৌরসুন্দর। লিখন-কালির বিন্দু শোভে মনোহর ॥ ৪৬ পড়িয়া শুনিঞা সর্ব-শিশুগণ-সঙ্গে। গঙ্গাস্থানে মধ্যাহ্নে চলেন বহু-রঙ্গে ॥ ৪৭ মজ্জিয়া গঙ্গায় বিশ্বম্ভর কুতূহলী। শিশুগণ-সঙ্গে করে জলফেলাফেলি ॥ ৪৮ নদীয়ার সম্পত্তি বা কে বলিতে পারে। অসংখ্যাত লোক এক-ঘাটে স্নান করে ॥ ৪৯ কতেক বা শান্ত দান্ত গৃহস্থ সন্ন্যাসী। না জানি কতেক শিশু মিলে তহি আসি ॥ ৫০ সভারে লইয়া প্রভু গঙ্গায় সাঁতারে। ক্ষণে ডুবে ক্ষণে ভাসে নানা ক্রীড়া করে ॥ ৫১ জল-ক্রীড়া করে গৌর সুন্দর-শরীর। সভার গায়েতে লাগে চরণের নীর ॥ ৫২ সভে মানা করে তভো মানা নাহি মানে। ধরিতেও কেহো নাহি পারে এক-স্থানে ॥ ৫৩ পুনঃপুন সভারে করায় প্রভু স্নান। কারে ছুয়ে, কারো অঙ্গে কুল্কুচ প্রদান ॥ ৫৪ না পাইয়া প্রভুর নাগালী বিপ্রগণে। সভে চলিলেন তার জনকের স্থানে ॥ ৫৫ “শুন শুন ওহে মিশ্র পরম-বান্ধব! তোমার পুত্রের অপন্যায় কহি সব ॥ ৫৬ ভালমতে করিতে না পারি গঙ্গা-স্নান।” কেহো বোলে “জল দিয়া ভাঙ্গে মোর ধ্যান ॥” ৫৭ আরো বোলে “কা'রে ধ্যান কর এই দেখ। কলিযুগে নারায়ণ মুঞি প্রত্যক্ষ ॥” ৫৮

Translation. Śrī Gaurasundara, His body grey with dust and adorned charmingly with drops of writing-ink, would set out at midday, in high spirits, together with all the other children, having finished His reading and recitation, toward the bathing-place on the Gaṅgā. Playfully, Viśvambhara would plunge into the Gaṅgā, and, together with the children, engage in splashing water at one another. Who indeed could describe the glory of Nadīyā? Countless people bathed at that single ghat — how many calm and self-controlled householders and sannyāsīs, and who knows how many children, all gathered there! Taking all the boys with Him, the Lord swam in the Gaṅgā — now diving under, now surfacing, performing all manner of play. Gaura, of beautiful form, played in the water, and the spray from His own feet fell upon everyone's bodies. Everyone protested, yet He paid no heed to their protests, and no one was able to hold Him still in one place. Again and again the Lord made everyone "bathe" afresh — touching this one, splashing another with the water from His own rinsing. Unable to catch hold of the Lord, the brāhmaṇas finally went to His father's house. "Listen, listen, O Miśra, dearest of friends! We must tell you of your son's misdeeds. We are simply unable to complete our Gaṅgā-bath properly." One of them said, "He splashes water and breaks my meditation!" And another said, "Just look at whom you are meditating upon — I myself am Nārāyaṇa, directly present, here in the age of Kali!"

Explanation. Likhana-kāli — the ink used for writing; going to school and writing, the Lord's body would get spattered with drops of ink, which, against His bright golden complexion, made for a captivating sight.

On the way back from school, at midday, He would go to bathe in the Gaṅgā together with His fellow-student brāhmaṇa boys. (A variant for gaṅgā-snāne reads gaṅgāsthāne, "at the place of the Gaṅgā.")

Majjiẏā gaṅgāẏa — immersed in the Gaṅgā, submerged fully in the water.

Sampatti — glory, grandeur. Asaṅkhyāta — innumerable, countless.

Tahi — there, at that place, the Gaṅgā. (A variant reads tathā.)

Bhāse — surfaces from the water.

Nīra — water.

Mānā — prohibition; a request that He not splash water with His feet. (Variants for mānā include niṣedha and prabodha.)

Punaḥpuna etc. — the water from His feet would fall on their bodies again and again; He would also touch various people, or give them the water from His own rinsed mouth (kulkuca) upon their bodies — and, believing themselves thereby rendered impure for their evening rites (sandhyāhnika), everyone would bathe over and over again. Kāre chuẏe — touching someone. Kulkuca — the rinsing-water of the mouth.

Nāgālī — reach, grasp. (For the first half of this couplet a variant reads: "nā pāiẏā lāgi se prabhura dvijagaṇe.") Tāra — variant reads prabhura, "the Lord's."

Apanyāẏa — wrongful conduct, injustice. (Variants for ohe include are, and for the couplet, āja.)

Kāre dhyāna kara — ei dekha — "Look here — see face to face the very one you are meditating upon!" Nārāẏaṇa — the original Nārāyaṇa, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. Pratyakṣa — directly perceptible, present before one's very eyes. Here, His own pastime-potency (līlā-śakti) has spoken this very truth about the Lord through the Lord's own mouth.

On Gaura's human-pastime nature (nara-līlātva), His human self-conception (nara-abhimānatva), and the manifestation of His majesty (aiśvarya). Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa is characterized by human-like pastimes and a human self-conception. Though He is Svayaṁ Bhagavān, and the supreme Maheśvara even of all the Īśvaras, He considers Himself a mere human being, and does not consider Himself God (see the explanation of the word jagannātha-sutāya under Chapter 1, verse 2). But even though He does not consider Himself God, since He is, in His own essential nature, in truth God, His majesty (aiśvarya) can never fail to be present; and since He is the most complete of all forms of Godhead, the fullest possible manifestation of that majesty must also be present within Him — for majesty is an essential attribute inseparable from the very nature of Godhead. This majesty, as a display of His own essential potency, manifests itself as needed, and thereby renders Him service — yet it renders that service in His pastimes only in such measure as leaves His human self-conception wholly unbroken (see Gauḍīya-vaiṣṇava-darśana, Bhūmikā-khaṇḍa 1, paragraphs 12–13, pp. 354–74).

Such service by His majesty generally manifests for one of two reasons. First: when some wish arises within Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and the fulfillment of that wish is impossible without a display of majesty, then His majestic potency (also called His pastime-potency, or the Yogamāyā-potency that assists His pastimes), knowing that wish, manifests itself in a manner conducive to its fulfillment, and thereby renders the service of fulfilling His desire. In such a case, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself cannot perceive that it is His own majestic potency that has fulfilled His wish; were He to perceive this, His human self-conception would be broken, and His relishing of the mellow of pastime would likewise be broken. For instance: in the early part of the Brahma-mohana-līlā, when the serpent-demon Aghāsura, in order to swallow Kṛṣṇa, assumed the form of a colossal python with gaping mouth and lay stretched out, Kṛṣṇa's companions, mistaking it for a curious rock formation, wished to enter within it; and Kṛṣṇa then understood that this was no rock formation, but Aghāsura himself. Again, when Brahmā, wishing to witness His enchanting glory, stole away His cowherd companions and all the calves, Kṛṣṇa knew this too. That He came to know all this indicates His own omniscience; in truth it was His own majestic potency that manifested this omniscience within Him. Here too, Kṛṣṇa did not think that it was by the power of His own omniscience that He knew this, nor did any wish to know it arise within Him — and yet, as the need arose, His majestic potency manifested omniscience within Him. It is in exactly this manner that the majesty of the human-self-conceived Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa manifests itself.

Śrī Gaura, too, being the combined form of the human-self-conceived Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the human-self-conceived Śrī Rādhā, is likewise possessed of human self-conception and human-like pastimes; His majesty, too, manifests itself in this same manner. And since He is united with Śrī Rādhā, He is [also] filled with the devotional mood [the mood of a servant] and with the mood of the gopīs. That within Him these three moods — the servant's mood or devotional mood, the gopī's mood, and the mood of Godhead — all manifest, Śrīla Murāri Gupta has himself stated: "Gopī-bhāvair dāsa-bhāvair īśa-bhāvaiḥ kvacit kvacit, ātma-tantraḥ svātma-rataḥ śikṣayan sva-janān ayam" (Kaḍacā 3.3.17) — "This independent Lord, ever satisfied in His own self, sometimes manifests in the mood of a gopī, sometimes in the mood of a servant (a devotee), and sometimes in the mood of Godhead, in order to instruct His own people." The mystery of His Godhead-mood is exactly parallel to the mystery of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's own Godhead-mood. Śrī Gaura's Godhead-mood, or majesty, too, manifests itself fittingly — either at the mere hint of His wish, or, in the absence of any wish, as the pastime requires. When His majestic potency manifests itself to fulfill some wish of His, then, just as with Śrī Kṛṣṇa, He too cannot know that it is His own majestic potency, or pastime-potency, that has fulfilled His desire; He knows only that His desire has been fulfilled, not how it was fulfilled, nor does He make any inquiry into that matter. "In the guise of pastime the Lord makes no inquiry into His own affairs; knowing His wish, His pastime-potency itself brings it about" (Caitanya-caritāmṛta 2.13.64; see also the commentary on payar 2.16.33–35). And even where no wish has arisen, still, as the need arises — for the fulfillment of the very purpose for which the Lord has descended — His majestic potency or pastime-potency fittingly extends its own influence. "Sometimes, in the mood of Godhead, He grants boons to His servants... and thus, manifesting Himself in so many different forms, He danced and instructed the people" (Kaḍacā 2.4.4). "Sometimes, imitating various incarnations, He sported for the instruction of humankind" (Kaḍacā 1.1.13). But because He is possessed of human self-conception, and especially because He is filled with the devotional mood, He did not consider Himself God, but only a soul; and, as the very shelter of the undivided treasury of devotion, out of the humility that springs from devotion He sometimes even considered Himself an ordinary conditioned soul bound by māyā, and, like a soul striving on the path of sādhana, prayed even for loving service (dāsya-bhakti) at Śrī Kṛṣṇa's feet: "I am Your eternal servant, but having forgotten You I have fallen into the ocean of material existence and become bound by māyā. Be merciful, and make me like the dust of Your feet; let me, Your servant, render service unto You" (Caitanya-caritāmṛta 6.20.26–27 — the Lord's own words of humility). Because He did not consider Himself God, in His ordinary conduct He would never even identify Himself as God. To Śrīpāda Sanātana Gosvāmī the Lord once said that, in the present age of Kali, Svayaṁ Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself would descend with a golden complexion to distribute the name and love of Kṛṣṇa; Sanātana understood that the Lord Himself was that very golden-complexioned Svayaṁ Bhagavān, and, though he employed every device to make the Lord confess this from His own mouth, he was never able to make Him say it. If someone, seeing the marks of Godhead or majesty within Him, addressed Him as God, the Lord would consider himself an offender for having heard such a thing, and would call to mind Viṣṇu's name in atonement. "The Lord said: 'Never call anyone — even Viṣṇu Himself — God to a fallen soul such as I; nor ever think of Me as Kṛṣṇa'" (Caitanya-caritāmṛta 2.18.104). Even at the very moment His majesty was manifesting, He could not perceive that this majesty was His own; that majesty manifested itself fittingly, of its own accord, either for the welfare of the world or for the fulfillment of His devotees' desires. For all these reasons it is clearly understood that, in payars 4.1–58 under discussion, it is the Lord's own pastime-potency that has made the Lord say, without His own knowledge, "I myself am Nārāyaṇa, directly present here in Kali-yuga." (See also the commentary on payar 2.16.33–35.)

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কেহো বোলে “মোর শিবলিঙ্গ করে চুরি।” কেহো বোলে “মোর লই পলায় উত্তরী ॥” ৫৯ কেহো বোলে “পুষ্প, দূর্বা, নৈবেদ্য, চন্দন। বিষ্ণু গুজিবার সজ্জ, বিষ্ণুর আসন ॥ ৬০ আমি করি স্নান, হেথা বৈসে সে আসনে। সব খাই পহ্থি, তবে করে পলায়নে ॥ ৬১ আরো বোলে ‘তুমি কেনে দুঃখ ভাব মনে। যার লাগি কৈলে—সেই খাইল আপনে ॥” ৬২ কেহো বোলে “সন্ধ্যা করি জলেতে নামিয়া। ডুব দেই লৈয়া যায় চরণে ধরিয়া ॥” ৬৩ কেহো বোলে “আমার না রহে সাজি ধুতি।” কেহো বোলে “আমার চোরায় গীতা পুঁথি ॥” ৬৪ কেহো বোলে “পুত্র অতি বালক আমার। কর্ণে জল দিয়া তারে কান্দায় অপার ॥” ৬৫ কেহো বোলে “মোর পৃষ্ঠ দিয়া কান্ধে চড়ে ‘মুঞি রে মহেশ’ বলি ঝাপ দিয়া পড়ে ॥” ৬৬ কেহো বোলে “বৈসে মোর পূজার আসনে। নৈবেদ্য খাইয়া বিষ্ণু পূজয়ে আপনে ॥ ৬৭ স্নান করি উঠিলে বালুকা দেই অঙ্গে। যতেক চপল শিশু, সেই তার সঙ্গে ॥ ৬৮ স্ত্রী-বাসে পুরুষ-বাসে করয়ে বদল। পহ্থিবার বেলে সভে লজ্জায় বিকল ॥ ৬৯ পরম-বান্ধব তুমি মিশ্র-জগন্নাথ। নিত্য এইমত করে, কহিলাম তোমাত ॥” ৭০

Translation. One man said, "He steals my Śiva-liṅga [taken along for worship]!" Another said, "He runs off with my upper cloth!" Another said, "He takes my flowers, dūrvā-grass, food offerings, and sandal-paste — all the articles gathered for worshipping Viṣṇu, and even Viṣṇu's own seat! While I am bathing, He sits down right on that very seat; He eats up everything and puts on my clothes, and then runs away!" And another added, "You say, 'Why should you grieve over this?' — but the very one for whose sake you prepared the offering has eaten it Himself!" Another said, "While I am finishing my evening rites, standing in the water, He dives under and grabs me by the foot and pulls me down!" One said, "My waist-cloth [kept folded on the bank] never stays where I left it." Another said, "He gets other boys to steal my Gītā scripture-book from me!" Another said, "My son is still quite a small child; He pours water in his ear and makes him wail without end!" Another said, "He climbs up on my back and shoulders, shouting 'I am Maheśa [Śiva]!' and then leaps off!" Another said, "He sits right down on my worship-seat, eats the food-offering, and then worships Viṣṇu Himself, as though He were the worshipper!" Another said, "When I come up from bathing, He throws sand on my body — and all the other mischievous children join Him in it!" Another said, "He swaps the women's clothes with the men's clothes [left on the bank], so that when it comes time to dress, everyone is overcome with embarrassment!" "You are our dearest friend, O Miśra Jagannātha — this is what He does, every single day; we have told you everything."

Explanation. Śiva-liṅga — a Śiva-liṅga prepared for worship. Uttarī — an upper cloth, a shawl. Lai palāẏa uttarī — runs off, taking the upper cloth.

Saba khāi — having eaten all the articles of the Viṣṇu-offering. Pahthi — having put on, having worn. (A variant for baise se āsane reads se baisaye.)

For verse 62, a variant of "yāra lāgi kaile — sei" reads "āmāre khāoẏāilā āmi," "You have made me eat it myself."

Corāẏa — has it stolen by other children, or steals it Himself.

Strī-bāse — women's clothing. Puruṣa-bāse — men's clothing. (Bāse is a corrupted form of basane, "clothing.") Karaẏe badala — He swaps the women's clothing for the men's, and the men's for the women's. [When bathers come up from the river, they change into the dry clothes they left on the bank — it is these clothes that the complaint concerns.] Pahthibāra — of putting on, of dressing.

The events narrated in verses 59–69 are likewise all the work of the Lord's own pastime-potency (see the commentary on payar 1.4.58 above [in this chapter]).

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দুই-প্রহরেও নাহি উঠে জল হৈতে। দেহ বা তাহার ভাল থাকিব কেমতে ॥” ৭১ হেন-কালে পার্শ্ববর্তী যতেক বালিকা। কোপ-মনে আইলেন শচীদেবী যথা ॥ ৭২ শচী সম্বোধিয়া সভে বোলেন বচন। “শুন ঠাকুরাণী! নিজ পুত্রের করণ ॥ ৭৩ বসন করয়ে চুরি, বোলে বড় মন্দ। উত্তর করিলে জল দেয়, করে দ্বন্দ্ব ॥ ৭৪ ব্রত করিবারে কত আনি ফুল ফল। ছড়াইয়া ফেলে বল করিয়া সকল ॥ ৭৫ স্নান করি উঠিলে বালুকা দেই অঙ্গে। যতেক চপল শিশু, সেই তার সঙ্গে ॥ ৭৬ অলক্ষিতে আসি কর্ণে বোলে বড় বোল। কেহো বোলে “মোর মুখে দিলেক কুল্কুচ ॥” ৭৭ ওকড়ার ফল দেয় কেশের ভিতরে। কেহো বোলে “মোরে চাহে বিভা করিবারে ॥” ৭৮ প্রতিদিন এইমত করে ব্যবহার। তোমার নিমাঞি কিবা রাজার কুমার ॥ ৭৯

Translation. "He will not come up out of the water even after two full praharas [six hours] — how could His body possibly stay well?" At this very moment a number of little girls from the neighborhood, in an angry mood, came to where Śacīdevī was. Addressing Śacī, they all spoke out: "Listen, my lady — hear what your own son does! He steals our clothes, and speaks the harshest words to us; and if we answer Him back, He splashes water on us and picks a fight. We had gathered so many flowers and fruits to perform our vow, and He scatters them all about by force! When we come up from bathing, He throws sand on our bodies, and all the other mischievous children join Him! He creeps up unseen and shouts loudly right in our ears" — one said, "He put His mouth-rinsing water right in my mouth!" — "He puts burr-fruits down inside our hair" — another said, "He says He wants to marry me!" "Every single day He behaves like this. Is your Nimāñi some kind of prince, that He may do exactly as He pleases?"

Explanation. At verse 72, hena-kāle — at that very moment when the brāhmaṇas were saying these things to Jagannātha Miśra. (A variant reads hena-bola, of the same meaning.) Kopa-mane — in an angry state of mind. Śacīdevī yathā — to the place where Śacīdevī was.

Karaṇa — conduct, doings.

Bole — baḍa manda — speaks very harshly, uses abusive or cutting words. Uttara karile — "if we answer Him back [when He speaks badly]." Kare dvandva — picks a quarrel. (Variants: sabhā sāthe kare dvandva, and jana jana śate, "quarrels with our girls one after another, by the hundreds.")

Bala kariẏā — by force.

Dei — gives, i.e., throws.

Alakṣite — unseen by us, suddenly. Baḍa bola — shouts at the top of His voice. (A variant for bole reads ḍāke.) Kulkuca — the water from rinsing the mouth.

Okaḍāra phala — a kind of small fruit, covered all over with tiny burrs, which sticks fast in the hair (in parts of East Bengal, okaḍā is also called bāgaḍā). Keśera — of the hair. Bibhā — marriage.

Rājāra kumāra — "we have heard that a prince may do exactly as he pleases, saying and doing whatever comes into his mind, fearing no one — is your Nimāñi, then, behaving like some prince?" It was in a fury that the girls spoke all these words to Mother Śacī.

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পূর্বে শুনিলাম যেন নন্দের কুমার। সেইমত সব করে নিমাঞি তোমার ॥ ৮০ দুঃখে বাপ-মা'য়েরে বলিব যেই দিনে। ততক্ষণে কোন্দল হইব তোমা'সনে ॥ ৮১ নিবারণ কর ঝাট আপন ছাওয়াল। নদীয়ায় হেন কর্ম কভু নহে ভাল ॥” ৮২ শুনিয়া হাসেন মহাপ্রভুর জননী। সভা' কোলে করিয়া কহেন প্রিয়-বাণী ॥ ৮৩ “নিমাঞি আইলে আজি এড়িমু বান্ধিয়া। আর যেন উপদ্রব নাহি করে গিয়া ॥” ৮৪ শচীর চরণ-ধূলি লই সভে শিরে। তবে চলিলেন পুন স্নান করিবারে ॥ ৮৫ যতেক চাপল্য প্রভু করে যার সনে। পরমার্থে সভার সন্তোষ বড় মনে ॥ ৮৬ কৌতুকে কহিতে আইসেন মিশ্র-স্থানে। শুনি মিশ্র তর্জেগর্জে সদন্ত-বচনে ॥ ৮৭

Translation. "We had heard before that Nanda's own son [Kṛṣṇa] behaved just this way — and your Nimāñi does exactly the same! The day we are so distressed that we finally tell our own fathers and mothers, that very moment there will be a quarrel with you as well. Restrain your own child at once — such conduct is never proper here in Nadīyā!" Hearing this, the mother of Mahāprabhu only laughed; taking all the girls onto her own lap, she spoke sweet, affectionate words to them: "When Nimāñi comes home today, I shall tie Him up and leave Him bound, so that He goes and creates no more disturbance." Taking the dust of Śacī's feet upon their heads, the girls then went off again to bathe. In truth, whomever the Lord favored with His playful mischief felt, at heart, the very deepest satisfaction. It was only for the amusement of it that they went to tell Jagannātha Miśra; but on hearing it, Miśra roared and thundered, showing his teeth in anger.

Explanation. Priẏa-bāṇī — sweet words. Eḍimu bāndhiẏā — "I shall bind Him and keep Him confined at home." (A variant for puna reads gaṅgā.) Paramārthe — in truth, in reality.

Kautuke — merely for the sport and amusement of it. Those who came to lodge complaints against Nimāi were, in truth, His own eternal associates (see payar 108 below); hence there could not really be any displeasure toward the Lord in their hearts. Under the influence of His pastime-potency they were, of course, unaware that the Lord was Svayaṁ Bhagavān and that they themselves were His own eternal associates; and yet their natural, inborn affection for Him was never actually lost — for this affection is eternal, an inseparable part of their very nature. Though the acts which the pastime-potency made them perform in relation to Him would, by ordinary worldly standards, be considered improper, they were never truly displeased with the Lord (see payars 101–107 below). Their natural affection for the Lord made them regard all such conduct as nothing more than the Lord's own playful mischief; and though they went ostensibly to lodge a complaint against Him, their real purpose was only to enjoy the fun of it, not to have Him actually punished.

Śuni miśra etc. — hearing of Nimāñi's conduct, Miśra Ṭhākura began to roar and rage in anger.

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“নিরবধি এ ব্যভার করয়ে সভারে। ভালমতে গঙ্গা-স্নান না দেয় করিবারে ॥ ৮৮ এই ঝাট যাঙ তার শাস্তি করিবারে। সভে রাখিলেহ কেহো রাখিতে না পারে ॥” ৮৯ ক্রোধ করি যখন চলিলা মিশ্রবর। জানিলা গৌরাঙ্গ সর্ব-ভূতের ঈশ্বর ॥ ৯০ গঙ্গাজলে কেলি করে শ্রীগৌরসুন্দর। সর্ব-বালকের মধ্যে অতি মনোহর ॥ ৯১ কুমারিকাসভে বোলে “শুন বিশ্বম্ভর! মিশ্র আইসেন এই, পলাহ সত্বর ॥” ৯২ শিশুগণ-সঙ্গে প্রভু যায় ধরিবারে। পলাইল ব্রাহ্মণকুমারী সব ভরে ॥ ৯৩ সভারে শিখায়ে মিশ্র-স্থানে কহিবার। “স্নানে নাহি আইসেন তোমার কুমার ॥ ৯৪ সেই পথে গেলা ঘর পড়িয়া শুনিঞা। আমরাও আছি এই তাঁহার লাগিয়া ॥” ৯৫

Translation. "He behaves this improperly toward everyone, without exception; He simply will not let us finish our Gaṅgā-bath in peace! I am going there at once to punish Him — let anyone try to protect Him, no one will be able to!" So saying, Miśra-vara set out in anger. Gaurāṅga, the Lord of all beings, knew of this at once. Śrī Gaurasundara was, at that moment, playing joyfully in the waters of the Gaṅgā, the most captivating of all the boys there. The little girls called out, "Listen, Viśvambhara! Here comes Miśra — flee at once!" The Lord then went, together with the other children, to try to catch hold of these girls, and the brāhmaṇa girls all fled away in fear. He then coached all His companions in what to say to His father: "Tell him, 'Your son did not come to bathe today at all; He must have gone straight home by another way after finishing His lessons — we too are still here, waiting for Him.'"

Explanation. Earlier (in the commentary on payar 58 above) it was said that the pastime-potency, unbeknownst even to Nimāi Himself, treated the brāhmaṇas and the girls unjustly according to their respective destinies — Nimāi Himself knew nothing of it. If so, then Nimāi could not, to His own knowledge, have done anything wrong at all, and so He ought to have had no fear of punishment from Miśra Ṭhākura. And yet there is no doubt that fear did indeed arise in Him — for it was precisely because of this fear that He taught His companion boys the words recorded in these two couplets [94–95]. This suggests that it was the pastime-potency itself that made known to Him that the conduct which appeared wrongful in others' eyes was in fact His own conduct — and the purpose of this was to let the Lord relish His father's own pure, unblemished parental affection. Tomāra kumāra — "your son." (A variant reads nimāñi tomāra.) Sei pathe — by the direct route from school to home. Tāhāra lāgiẏā — waiting for Nimāi's arrival, in the wish to bathe together with Him once He comes.

Āra-pathe [verse 96 below] — by some other path — some path other than the one by which Miśra-vara was likely to come.

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A note on the source for the remainder of this chapter: from this point on, the scanned original prints the root verses in two parallel columns per page, and the OCR extraction has merged the two columns line-by-line rather than column-by-column, so that (for example) the second half of verse 100 sits on the same raw line as the first half of verse 96. The couplets below have been reassembled by matching each half-line to its sense-partner, cross-checked against the (uninterleaved) commentary, which confirms the verse numbers and the run of the story throughout. A few individual half-lines could not be matched with full confidence — these are noted as they occur — but the overall narrative is clear and continuous.

শিখাইয়া প্রভু আর-পথে গেলা ঘর। গঙ্গাঘাটে আনিয়া মিলিলা মিশ্রবর ॥ ৯৬ আসিয়া গঙ্গার ঘাটে চারিদিগে চাহে। শিশুগণ-মধ্যে পুত্র দেখিতে না পায়ে ॥ ৯৭ মিশ্র জিজ্ঞাসয়ে “বিশ্বম্ভর কোথা গেল?” শিশুগণ বোলে “আজি স্নানে না আইলা ॥ ৯৮ সেই পথে গেলা ঘর পড়িয়াশুনিঞা। সভে আছি এই তার অপেক্ষা করিয়া ॥” ৯৯

Translation. Having thus coached His companions, the Lord went home by another path — and just then Miśra-vara arrived and reached the Gaṅgā-ghāṭ. Coming to the bathing-place, he looked all around, but nowhere among the children could he find his son. Miśra asked, "Where has Viśvambhara gone?" The children said, "He did not come to bathe at all today — after finishing His lessons He went straight home by that road; we ourselves are all still here, waiting for Him."

Explanation. The children's answer here is exactly the speech the Lord Himself had taught them in verses 94–95 above, now delivered word for word. Miśra-vara, arriving in anger, is thus met at once with a wall of well-rehearsed innocence.

চারিদিগে চাহে মিশ্র হাথে বাড়ি লৈয়া। তর্জগর্জ করে বড় লাগ না পাইয়া ॥ ১০০ কৌতুকে যাহারা নিবেদন কৈল গিয়া। সেই সব বিপ্র পুন বোলয়ে আসিয়া ॥ ১০১ “ভয় পাই বিশ্বম্ভর পলাইল ঘরে। ঘরে চল তুমি, কিছু বোল পাছে তারে ॥ ১০২ আরবার যদি আসি চপলতা করে। আমরাই ধরি দিব তোমার গোচরে ॥ ১০৩ কৌতুকে সে কথা কহিলাঙ তোমা' স্থানে। তোমা' বহি ভাগ্যবান্‌ নাহি ত্রিভুবনে ॥” ১০৪

Translation. Miśra, a stick in hand, looked all around him in every direction — and not finding his quarry, he roared and raged furiously. Now those very brāhmaṇas who, purely for the sport of it, had earlier gone and lodged their complaints, came up to him again and said: "Out of fear, Viśvambhara has fled home! Go home yourself, and say nothing more to Him about it. If He comes again and misbehaves, we ourselves will catch Him and hand Him over before your very eyes. We told you all that only in jest — for besides you, there is no one so fortunate in all three worlds [as to have such a son]!"

Explanation. Bāṛi — a stick, a staff. For āsiẏā ["having come"] a variant reads hāsiẏā ["laughing"] — the very jest for whose sake they had gone and lodged the complaint against Nimāi's name, they could now at last openly enjoy, and so it was with smiling faces that they came back to Miśra.

Kichu bola pāchhe tāre — "See here, Miśra-vara: not only will you certainly not strike Nimāi with your stick, you will not even scold Him — this is our earnest request to you." From this it is understood that, in reality, they had never lodged their complaint in order to have Nimāi actually punished.

মে-হেন নন্দন যাঁর গৃহ-মাঝে থাকে। কি করিবে ক্ষুধা তৃষা ভোখ রোগ শোকে ॥ ১০৫ তুমি সে সেবিলা সত্য প্রভুর চরণ। তার মহাভাগ্য যার এহেন নন্দন ॥ ১০৬ কোটি অপরাধ যদি বিশ্বম্ভর করে। তবু তারে থুইবাঙ হৃদয়-উপরে ॥ ১০৭ জন্মে জন্মে কৃষ্ণভক্ত এইসব জন। এ সব উত্তম-বুদ্ধি ইহার কারণ ॥ ১০৮ অতএব প্রভু নিজ-সেবক-সহিতে। নানা-ক্রীড়া করে কেহো না পারে বুঝিতে ॥ ১০৯ মিশ্র বোলে “সেহো পুত্র তোমরা সভার। যদি অপরাধ লহ — শপথ আমার ॥” ১১০

Translation. In whose house dwells such a son as this — what can hunger, thirst, unsatisfied craving, sickness, or sorrow do to him? You indeed have truly served the very feet of the Lord [in having such a son to raise] — great is the fortune of one who has such a son as this! "Even should Viśvambhara commit a million offenses, still I shall hold Him close upon my heart" [so the brāhmaṇas themselves declared]. These people are Kṛṣṇa's own devotees, birth after birth — and it is for this very reason that they possess such excellent understanding of Him. It is for this reason, too, that the Lord, together with His own eternal servants, performs manifold pastimes that no one else can ever fathom. Then Miśra said, embracing them all: "Why, He is a child who belongs to all of you as much as to me — if you truly take it as an offense, then I give you my word [I shall see to it]!"

Explanation. Bhokha — the craving to eat together with the non-attainment of food despite that craving. For prabhura ["the Lord's," in verse 106] a variant reads kṛṣṇera ["Kṛṣṇa's"].

From the very couplet at verse 107, spoken by the brāhmaṇas themselves, their natural, inborn love for Viśvambhara becomes evident. (A variant for hṛdaẏa-upare reads hṛdaẏa-bhitare, "within the heart.")

That these two brāhmaṇas are the Lord's own eternal associates is stated in this very couplet [108] by the words janme janme, "birth after birth" — see the commentary on verse 36 above [in this chapter].

At verse 110, a variant for tomarā sabhāra reads tomā sabhākāra. This couplet is itself the proof that, on hearing the brāhmaṇas' words, the very ocean of Miśra Ṭhākura's parental affection surged up and overflowed its banks.

[...] গৃহে চলিলেন মিশ্র হই কুতূহলী ॥ ১১১ আর-পথে ঘরে গেলা প্রভু বিশ্বম্ভর। হাথেতে মোহন পুথি যেন শশধর ॥ ১১২ লিখন-কালির বিন্দু শোভে গৌর অঙ্গে। চম্পকে লাগিল যেন চারিদিকে ভৃঙ্গে ॥ ১১৩ “জননি!” বলিয়া প্রভু লাগিল ডাকিতে। “তৈল দেহ” মোরে, যাঙ সিনান করিতে ॥ ১১৪ পুত্রের বচন শুনি শচী হরষিত। কিছুই না দেখে অঙ্গে স্নানের চরিত ॥ ১১৫ তৈল দিয়া শচীদেবী মনে মনে গণে। “বালিকারা কি বলিল, কিবা বিপ্রগণে ॥ ১১৬ লিখন-কালির বিন্দু আছে সর্ব-অঙ্গে। সেই বস্ত্র পরিধান, সেই পুঁথি সঙ্গে ॥” ১১৭

Translation. [Turning back before Miśra could find Him,] Miśra-vara — filled, for his own part, with wonder — went on home. [Meanwhile,] by the other path, Lord Viśvambhara had already gone home, His enchanting palm-leaf book in hand, shining like the very moon. The drops of writing-ink adorned His golden limbs, as though bees had swarmed on every side of a campaka blossom. Calling out "Mother!", the Lord began to cry aloud: "Give me oil — I am going off to bathe!" Hearing her son's words, Śacī was delighted — though she could see, on His body, not the slightest trace of having bathed at all. Giving Him the oil, Śacī-devī pondered within herself: "What did the girls say, and what did the brāhmaṇas say?" — for the drops of writing-ink were still there over His whole body; He wore the very same clothes, and had the very same book with Him [as when He had left for school that morning].

Explanation. Campake — cāpā phule, "on the campaka flower." Bhṛṅge — bhramara, "bees."

Sināna is a corrupted form of snāna, "bathing." (Variants: for lāgila ḍākite, ḍākite lāgilā; for yāṅ sināna karite, gaṅgā-snāna kari giẏā, "having gone to bathe in the Gaṅgā.")

Snānera carita — the marks characteristic of having bathed. (A variant for carita reads ucita, "proper.")

Sei bastra — the very cloth Nimāi had worn to school that morning was still the very cloth on His body now — and it was not even wet. Here another of the pastime-potency's own devices is to be seen. In truth Nimāi had thoroughly splashed and tumbled about ("dāpādāpi") with His schoolfellows in the Gaṅgā; His worn clothing had accordingly become soaked through, and the drops of ink on His body had been washed clean away. Yet when He arrived home there was no trace of ink upon Him at all; His clothing was perfectly dry; and His whole body was, once again, thoroughly covered with dust (see verse 120 below). How could this possibly be? It becomes possible only through the influence of the pastime-potency (līlā-śakti), which is supremely skilled at making the impossible come to pass. To serve the Lord — to fulfill His innermost wish — is the very work of this potency. No child at all wishes to be punished by his own parents; and that this was no more Nimāi's own wish is known from His own instruction to His companion boys recorded above in verses 94–95. As Nimāi made His way home from the Gaṅgā by the other path, He was very likely thinking to Himself: "What am I to do? The moment Father and Mother see my wet clothes, they will surely understand that I have bathed in the Gaṅgā — and since they have already heard that I went there and created a disturbance, the sight of my wet clothes will only confirm that report as true in their eyes; then they will certainly punish Me." Knowing of this very anxiety within Him, it was the pastime-potency itself that fashioned for Him an entirely new appearance in which no trace whatsoever of bathing could be found — dry clothes, the marks of ink still on His body, dust, and all the rest. But by what means this was done, the Lord Himself was never able to know. Seeing Himself in this new guise, and thinking that He now had nothing more to fear from punishment, He became wholly absorbed in joy, and made no further inquiry into the matter. "In the guise of pastime the Lord makes no inquiry into His own affairs; knowing His wish, His own pastime-potency itself brings it about" (Caitanya-caritāmṛta 2.13.64; compare the commentary on verses 46–58 above).

For putra ["son," verse 119 below] a variant reads prabhu ["the Lord"].

ক্ষণেকে আইলা জগন্নাথ মিশ্রবর। মিশ্র দেখি কোলে উঠিলেন বিশ্বম্ভর ॥ ১১৮ সেই আলিঙ্গনে মিশ্র বাহ্য নাহি জানে। আনন্দে পূর্ণিত হৈলা পুত্র দরশনে ॥ ১১৯ মিশ্র দেখে সর্ব-অঙ্গ ধূলায় ব্যাপিত। স্নানচিহ্ন না দেখিয়া হইলা বিস্মিত ॥ ১২০ মিশ্র বোলে “বিশ্বম্ভর! কি বুদ্ধি তোমার। লোকেরে না দেহ' কেনে স্নান করিবার? ॥ ১২১ বিষ্ণু-পূজা সজ্জা কেনে কর অপহার...” ১২২ প্রভু বোলে “আজি আমি নাহি যায় স্থানে। আমার সকল শিশু-গেল আগুয়ানে ॥ ১২৩ এ সকল লোকের তাঁরা করে অব্যভার। না গেলেও সভে দোষ কহেন আমার ॥ ১২৪ না গেলেও যদি দোষ কহেন আমার। সত্য তবে করিব সভার অব্যভার ॥” ১২৫ এত বলি হাসি প্রভু যান গঙ্গা-স্নানে। পুনঃ সই মিলিলেন শিশুগণ-সনে ॥ ১২৬

Translation. In a moment Jagannātha Miśra-vara arrived home; seeing Miśra, Viśvambhara climbed straight up onto his lap. In that embrace Miśra was oblivious to everything else in the world — he was filled with bliss at the very sight of his son. [Yet] Miśra saw His whole body covered over with dust, and, finding no sign at all of bathing, he was astonished. Miśra said: "Viśvambhara! What sort of understanding is this of Yours — why do You not let people finish their bath in peace? Why do You carry off the very articles arranged for Viṣṇu's worship...?" The Lord said: "Today I did not even go there at all — it was all my companions who ran on ahead of Me! It is these others who commit such misconduct toward all these people; and even though I do not go, everyone still lays the blame on Me!" — "And if, even though I do not go, they still blame Me for it — then very well, I truly shall become guilty of misconduct toward them all!" So saying, laughing, the Lord went off again to bathe in the Gaṅgā, and once more joined together with His companions among the children.

Explanation. Āguẏāne — ahead of Me, in front of Me. (A variant for sakala śiśu reads saṅghatigaṇa, meaning "the children of My own company.") Tārā kare abyabhāra — it is those very children who have behaved wrongly toward all these people. In one manuscript, in place of verses 124–125, a variant reading is found instead: "It is all these people whom they wrongly treat; even though I did not go, if they still lay the blame on Me — then truly I shall make it real misconduct on everyone's part! Viṣṇu Himself knows there is no fault in Me."

Between verses 121 and 123 one half-line of the source could not be matched with full confidence to its partner and has been left without a paired translation above; its sense, however — Miśra's continued rebuke over the missing Viṣṇu-offering articles — is plain from context and from the Lord's reply that follows. This whole exchange (121–126) is the "cleverness with His father" (cāturī) promised in the chapter's own opening topic-summary: taxed by His father over the brāhmaṇas' many complaints, the child flatly denies having gone at all, blames His companions, and then — with the flawless logic of a mischievous boy — reasons that since He is blamed regardless of what He does, He may as well go and earn the blame outright; and, laughing at His own joke, runs straight back to the Gaṅgā to rejoin His friends.

বিশ্বম্ভরে দেখি সভে আলিঙ্গন করি। হাসয়ে সকল শিশু শুনিঞা চাতুরী ॥ ১২৭ সভেই প্রশংসে “ভাল নিমাঞি চতুর। ভাল এড়াইলা আজি মারণ প্রচুর ॥” ১২৮ জলকেলি করে প্রভু সব-শিশু-সনে। এথা শচী-জগন্নাথ মনে মনে গণে ॥ ১২৯ “যে যে কহিলেন কথা সেহো মিথ্যা নহে। তবে কেনে স্নানচিহ্ন কিছু নাহি দেহে ॥ ১৩০ সেইমত অঙ্গে ধূলা, সেইমত বেশ। সেই পুঁথি সেই বস্ত্র, সেইমত কেশ ॥ ১৩১ এ বুঝি মনুষ্য নহে শ্রীবিশ্বম্ভর। মায়া-রূপে কৃষ্ণ বা জন্মিলা মোর ঘর, কোন মহাপুরুষ বা কিছুই না জানি!” ১৩২ [...] চিন্তিতে আইলা দ্বিজমণি ॥ ১৩৩ পুত্র-দরশনানন্দে ঘুচিল বিচার। সন্দেহপূর্ণ হৈল দোঁহে, কিছু নাহি আর ॥ ১৩৪ যেই দুই-প্রহর প্রভু যায় পড়িবারে। সেই দুই যুগ হই থাকে সে দোঁহারে ॥ ১৩৫ কোটি-রূপে কোটি মুখে বেদে যদি কহে। তবু এ দোঁহার ভাগ্য নাহি সমুচ্চয়ে ॥ ১৩৬ শচী-জগন্নাথ-পায়ে বহু নমস্কার। অনন্ত-ব্রহ্মাণ্ডনাথ পুত্র-রূপে যার ॥ ১৩৭ এইমত ক্রীড়া করে বৈকুণ্ঠের রায়। বুঝিতে না পারে কেহো তাহান মায়ায় ॥ ১৩৮ শ্রীকৃষ্ণচৈতন্য নিত্যানন্দচাঁদ জান। বৃন্দাবনদাস তছু পদযুগে গান ॥ ১৩৯

Translation. Seeing Viśvambhara [back among them], all the children embraced Him, laughing at hearing of His cleverness. Everyone praised Him: "Well done, clever Nimāñi! Well have You escaped a sound thrashing today!" The Lord then sported in the water with all the children — while here, at home, Śacī and Jagannātha pondered within their own minds: "Whatever they all said [about His misconduct] is surely not false — then why is there not the slightest sign of bathing on His body? The very same dust on His body, the very same look about Him; the very same book, the very same clothes, the very same [dry, undisturbed] hair — surely this Śrī Viśvambhara is no ordinary human child! Either Kṛṣṇa Himself has taken birth in our house in some form of māyā, or else — I know not what — some great soul entirely!" Thus pondering, the jewel of brāhmaṇas [Jagannātha Miśra] came home still lost in thought. But at the very bliss of beholding their son, all such deliberation melted away; the doubt that had filled the two of them was gone, and nothing more of it remained. The two praharas [six hours] during which the Lord is away from home for His studies feel, to Śacī and Jagannātha, like two full cosmic ages. Even if the Vedas, in a million forms with a million mouths, were to speak of it, still the sum of these two persons' fortune could never be reckoned. Many, many are the obeisances due at the feet of Śacī and Jagannātha, in whose home the very Lord of infinite universes has appeared in the form of a son! In this way the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha performs His pastimes, and by His own māyā no one at all is able to fathom Him. Know Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Nityānanda-candra [to be one, undivided truth] — Vṛndāvana Dāsa sings at the pair of Their feet.

Explanation. Śiśu-sane — together with the children. Mane mane gaṇe — ponders within the mind. (Variants: for sane, saṅge; for mane gaṇe, bhāve raṅge, "ponders playfully.")

From this verse [130] through the first half of verse 133, the inward thoughts of Śacī and Jagannātha are being narrated. (A variant for the first half of 130 reads cihna kichu nāhi dehe.)

At verses 132–133, a variant for e reads teñi, "in that." Dvijamaṇi, "jewel among the twice-born," is Jagannātha Miśra himself.

At verse 134, kichu nāhi āra — the doubts voiced in verses 131–132 [as to whether Nimāi might be Kṛṣṇa Himself, or some unknown great soul] were now completely effaced from their minds. Under the influence of the surge of parental love (vātsalya) that welled up within them at the very sight of Nimāi, they entirely and thoroughly forgot the speculation they had just been entertaining about Him.

At verse 135: the two praharas during which Nimāi remains away from home for His schooling feel, to Śacī and Jagannātha, like two full cosmic ages — such is their longing for the company of Nimāi, their son who is dearer to them than life itself.

At verse 136, variants read kalpe for rūpe, and tata for tabu. A kalpa — Brahmā's own single day is called one kalpa, and its measure is 4.32 billion (432 crore) years. E donhāra — of these two, Śacī and Jagannātha. Bhāgya nāhi samuccaẏe — the full sum, the outer limit, of their fortune can never be found.

At verse 139, see the commentary on verse 1.2.285 [Book 1, Chapter 2, verse 285] for the significance of this closing signature-verse (bhaṇitā), in which the author names himself and affirms the non-difference of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya and Nityānanda.

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ইতি শ্রীআদিখণ্ডে শৈশব-ক্রীড়া-বর্ণনং নাম চতুর্থোঽধ্যায়ঃ ॥ ৪॥

Thus ends, in the Śrī Ādi-khaṇḍa, the fourth chapter, named "The Description of Childhood Play."

With this, the Nitāi-karuṇā-kallolinī commentary on the fourth chapter of the Ādi-khaṇḍa likewise comes to its close. The chapter has carried Mahāprabhu from His hātē-khaḍi and the first wonder of His writing, through the restless infant cries soothed only by the name of Hari, the two Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas' Ekādaśī offerings eaten by the omniscient child, the riotous play at the Gaṅgā-ghāṭ that scandalized bathers and brāhmaṇas and small girls alike, Jagannātha Miśra's fury and Śacī's amused deflection of it, and finally the Lord's own cāturī — His playful cleverness — both in vanishing home by another path in a freshly conjured disguise, and in out-arguing His own father to His face before laughing His way back to the river. Throughout, the commentary has read every prank, every tear, and every impossible demand as the deliberate handiwork of the Lord's pastime-potency (līlā-śakti), which serves His unspoken wishes without His own knowledge and lets His eternal associates — Jagadīśa Paṇḍita, Hiraṇya Bhāgavata, the schoolboy companions, the bathing brāhmaṇas, the little girls, and above all Jagannātha Miśra and Śacīdevī themselves — taste, each in their own eternal relationship with Him, the sweetness of His human-seeming, all-too-human-acting divinity.