Introduction to chapter 11

This chapter describes Nityānanda’s residence at the house of Śrīvāsa in the mood of a child, the joking conversation between Gaura and Nityānanda, a crow’s theft of Śrīvāsa’s ghee bowl that was used for the service of Kṛṣṇa, the crow’s returning of the ghee bowl on the order of Nityānanda, Mālinī’s prayers to Nityānanda, Nityānanda’s visit to the house of mother Śacī, Śacī’s parental affection for Nityānanda, and the manifestation of opulence by Nityānanda while eating sweet rice and sandeśa.

As a result of his sincere service to Gaura, Śrīvāsa was fortunate enough to see in his own house all the pastimes Gaurasundara performed beyond the sight of the ordinary people of Navadvīpa. Nityānanda stayed at the house of Śrīvāsa in the mood of a young boy and considered Śrīvāsa as His father and Mālinī as His mother. By the influence of His inconceivable potency, Nityānanda caused the reappearance of milk in the breast of Mālinī and drank it. Although Mālinī personally experienced Nityānanda’s childhood mood and inconceivable influence, by Mahāprabhu’s order she did not reveal these to anyone.

When Gaurasundara forbade Nityānanda from quarrelling with anyone or creating any kind of restlessness at the house of Śrīvāsa, Nityānanda put all the blame on Gaurasundara. When Gaurasundara informed Nityānanda that He felt embarrassed by Nityānanda’s mischievous activities, Nityānanda agreed to follow Gaura’s instruction and then smiled as He immediately took off His cloth, tied it on His head, and jumped all around the courtyard. Mahāprabhu then grabbed Nityānanda, who was devoid of external consciousness, and personally dressed Him.

Nityānanda constantly remained in the mood of a child and did not eat rice with His own hands, so Mālinī personally fed Nityānanda as her own son. One day when a crow took a ghee bowl meant for Kṛṣṇa’s service from Śrīvāsa’s house, Mālinī began to cry in fear of harsh treatment from her husband. On seeing this, Nityānanda solaced Mālinī and ordered the crow to return the ghee bowl. On Nitāi’s order, the crow immediately brought the bowl and placed it before Mālinī. Seeing the influence of Nityānanda, Mālinī fell unconscious to the ground out of ecstasy. Later on, when she offered prayers to Nityānanda in various ways, Nityānanda begged her for food while manifesting His childhood mood in order to conceal Himself. Whenever Mālinī would see Nityānanda, her milkless breasts would become filled with milk, which Nityānanda would then drink.

In order to increase the happiness of His mother, one day Mahāprabhu sat next to Viṣṇupriyā-devī and accepted her service of offering betel nuts.

At that time Nityānanda arrived in the courtyard of Mahāprabhu completely devoid of external consciousness and without any clothes on. When Mahāprabhu repeatedly inquired as to the reason for His condition, Nityānanda, being fully absorbed in ecstasy, simply gave contradictory answers. Finally Mahāprabhu personally put clothes on Nityānanda.

Seeing the childish nature of Nityānanda, mother Śacī began to laugh. Mother Śacī considered Nityānanda as nondifferent from Viśvarūpa, so she displayed the same affection for Him that she displayed for Viśvambhara. Thereafter Nityānanda asked for some foodstuffs, and mother Śacī immediately brought five milk sweets for Him. Nityānanda, however, ate only one of those sweets and threw the other four sweets on the ground. When out of childish whim He again asked for food, Śacī entered the house and found the four sweets that she had previously given Him. When mother Śacī took those sweets and was about to give them to Nityānanda, she saw that Nityānanda had picked up those sweets from the ground and was eating them. On seeing the influence of Nityānanda, mother Śacī considered Him to be the Supreme Lord. When in a childish mood Nityānanda tried to touch the feet of Śacī, Śacīdevī immediately ran away. Although such unfathomable characteristics of Nityānanda are the source of unlimited auspiciousness for pious people, they are the destroyer of the miscreants. Even Gaṅgādevī runs away from a sinful person who blasphemes Nityānanda.

The author constantly desires to hold the lotus feet of that Nityānanda within the core of his heart.

nidhi gaurāṅga kothā haite āilā prema-sindhu anāthera nātha prabhu, patita-janera bandhu

O Lord Gaurāṅga, O great treasure, O ocean of ecstatic love, O master of those who have no master, O friend of the fallen souls, from where have You come?

Among all jewels found in the ocean, nine precious gems are considered the best. The author is joyfully describing the unique position of Śrī Gaurasundara, the reservoir of ecstatic love, in order to reveal how wonderful is the ocean of love He resides in. Śrī Gaura is the most rare treasure, the friend and deliverer of the fallen souls, and the only maintainer of persons who have no shelter.