Introduction to chapter 8

This chapter describes Nimāi’s sacred thread ceremony, His studying at the house of Gaṅgādāsa Paṇḍita, Jagannātha Miśra’s dream of Viśvambhara’s future pastimes as a sannyāsī, and the disappearance of Jagannātha Miśra.

Śrī Gaurasundara accepted the sacred thread in a grand ceremony at an auspicious moment, on an auspicious day, in an auspicious month. Then in order to deliver the living entities He enacted the pastimes of Vāmanadeva and begged alms from everyone. Śrī Gaurasundara began to study with Gaṅgādāsa Paṇḍita, who is nondifferent from Sāndīpani Muni and the crest jewel among the professors of Navadvīpa. When Gaṅgādāsa realized that Nimāi was the most intelligent of his students, he became very pleased. Nimāi did not hesitate to challenge even Gaṅgādāsa’s senior students, headed by Śrī Murāri Gupta, Kamalākānta, and Kṛṣṇānanda. Nimāi would go to the various bathing ghāṭas along the Ganges and quarrel with the other students. After Nimāi explained and established the meaning of a sūtra, He would refute that meaning and then again reestablish His first explanation, thereby astonishing the assembled students. In order to see Nimāi’s scholastic pastimes, the omniscient Bṛhaspati appeared in Navadvīpa along with his disciples. The Ganges had long desired the good fortune enjoyed by the Yamunā: ūrmidorvilāsa-padma-nābha-pāda-vandinī—“who with folded hands in the form of waves prayed to the lotus feet of the Lord.” Śrī Gaurasundara, who is a desire tree, regularly fulfilled that desire of Gaṅgādevī. Thus Nimāi displayed His pastimes of bathing in the Ganges, properly worshiping Viṣṇu, watering the tulasī plant, and honoring prasāda.

Thereafter He would sit in a secluded place in His house to study and write a commentary on the sūtras. Seeing these activities, Jagannātha Miśra was jubilant within, and out of parental affection he continually prayed to Kṛṣṇa so that his son would not face any obstacles. One day Jagannātha Miśra dreamt that Nimāi was dressed as a wonderful sannyāsī and engaged in continual laughing, dancing, and crying while chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa surrounded by the devotees headed by Advaita Ācārya. He saw Nimāi sit on Viṣṇu’s siṃhāsana and place His feet on everyone’s head. The demigods led by the four-headed, five-headed, and thousand-headed Lords all chanted, “Jaya Śacīnandana!” and offered prayers from all sides. Then he saw Nimāi dancing and chanting in the streets of Navadvīpa followed by millions of people. He also saw Nimāi going to Nīlācala with His devotees. After seeing this dream, Jagannātha Miśra was convinced that Nimāi would leave home, and he became filled with fear and anxiety. Śacīdevī, however, solaced Jagannātha Miśra, saying, “The way Nimāi is engaged in studying, He will never leave home and go anywhere.” Shortly thereafter, Jagannātha Miśra left this world.

As Śrī Rāmacandra cried when Śrī Daśaratha left this world (feeling separation from His devotee), Śrī Gaurasundara also profusely cried on the disappearance of Jagannātha Miśra. Thereafter Nimāi solaced mother Śacī in various ways, saying, “I’ll give you that which is rare for even Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva.” One day before going to take bath in the Ganges, Nimāi asked Śacīdevī for some oil, an āmalakī fruit, a flower garland, and some sandalwood to worship the Ganges. When Śacīdevī requested Nimāi to wait a bit, Nimāi became as angry as Rudra and began to destroy everything in the house, including the doors and windows.

Being the protector of sanātana-dharma, however, the Lord did not raise His hand against His mother. After breaking everything, Nimāi began to roll on the ground. Thereafter Śacīdevī brought sandalwood and a garland for Nimāi’s worship of the Ganges. As Yaśodā tolerated all of Kṛṣṇa’s mischievous activities in Gokula, Śacīdevī similarly tolerated all of Nimāi’s mischievous activities in Navadvīpa. After Nimāi bathed in the

Ganges, returned home, and ate, Śacīdevī said to Him, “What did You gain by smashing everything in the house? What will You eat tomorrow? We have no more provisions at home.” In reply, Nimāi told His mother, “Viśvambhara Kṛṣṇa is the only maintainer of everyone. His devotees do not need to worry about their food.” Saying this, Śrī Gaurasundara, the husband of Sarasvatī, went out to manifest His pastimes of study. When Nimāi returned home, He gave twenty grams of gold to His mother and said, “Kṛṣṇa has given this resource, you can exchange it for whatever household provisions we need.” Śacīdevī thought, “Whenever there is a shortage at home, Nimāi immediately brings gold from somewhere.” Śacīdevī became afraid as she thought, “I don’t know, perhaps some problem will arise.” Thus Śacīdevī first checked the gold with five to ten people before exchanging it for her household necessities. Nimāi remained always engaged in discussing the scriptures while taking bath, eating, and traveling. He did not disclose Himself due to the fallen condition of the world. This chapter ends with a description of the world as devoid of devotional service to Lord Hari and the distress felt by the compassionate Vaiṣṇavas on account of this pathetic condition.