Prabhupāda: Ādi-līlā 14th Chapter
kathañcana smṛte yasmin
duṣkaraṁ sukaraṁ bhavet
vismṛte viparītaṁ syāt
śrī-caitanyaṁ namāmi tamc
Things that are very difficult to do become easy to execute if one somehow or other simply remembers Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But if one does not remember Him, even easy things become very difficult. To this Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu I offer my respectful obeisances.
jaya jaya śrī-caitanya, jaya nityānanda
jayādvaitacandra, jaya gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu and all the devotees of Lord Caitanya!
prabhura kahila ei janmalīlā-sūtra
yaśodā-nandana yaiche haila śacī-putra
I have thus described in brief the advent of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appeared as the son of mother Śacī exactly as Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of Mother Yaśodā.
saṅkṣepe kahila janmalīlā-anukrama
ebe kahi bālyalīlā-sūtrera gaṇana
I have already briefly spoken about the pastimes of His birth in chronological order. Now I shall give a synopsis of His childhood pastimes.
vande caitanya-kṛṣṇasya
bālya-līlāṁ mano-harām
laukikīm api tām īśa-
ceṣṭayā valitāntarām
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the childhood pastimes of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Although such pastimes appear exactly like those of an ordinary child, they should be understood as various pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
bālya-līlāya āge prabhura uttāna śayana
pitā-mātāya dekhāila cihna caraṇa
In His first childhood pastimes the Lord turned upside down while lying on His bed, and thus He showed His parents the marks of His lotus feet.
gṛhe dui jana dekhi laghupada-cihna
tāhe śobhe dhvaja, vajra, śaṅkha, cakra, mīna
When the Lord tried to walk, in His small footprints the specific marks of Lord Viṣṇu were visible, namely the flag, thunderbolt, conchshell, disc and fish.
dekhiyā doṅhāra citte janmila vismaya
kāra pada-cihna ghare, nā pāya niścaya
Seeing all these marks, neither His father nor His mother could understand whose footprints they were. Thus struck with wonder, they could not understand how those marks could be possible in their home.
miśra kahe,---bālagopāla āche śilā-saṅge
teṅho mūrti hañā ghare khele, jāni, raṅge
Jagannātha Miśra said, "Certainly child Kṛṣṇa is with the śālagrāma-śilā. Taking His childhood form, He is playing within the room."
sei kṣaṇe jāgi’ nimāi karaye krandana
aṅke lañā śacī tāṅre piyāila stana
While mother Śacī and Jagannātha Miśra were talking, child Nimāi woke up and began to cry, and mother Śacī took Him on her lap and allowed Him to suck her breast.
stana piyāite putrera caraṇa dekhila
sei cihna pāye dekhi’ miśre bolāila
While mother Śacī was feeding the child from her breast, she saw on His lotus feet all the marks that were visible on the floor of the room, and she called for Jagannātha Miśra.
dekhiyā miśrera ha-ila ānandita mati
gupte bolāila nīlāmbara cakravartī
When Jagannātha Miśra saw the wonderful marks on the sole of his son, he became very joyful and privately called for Nīlāmbara Cakravartī.
cihna dekhi’ cakravartī balena hāsiyā
lagna gaṇi’ pūrve āmi rākhiyāchi likhiyā
When Nīlāmbara Cakravartī saw those marks, he smilingly said, "Formerly I ascertained all this by astrological calculation and noted it in writing.
batriśa lakṣaṇa---mahāpuruṣa-bhūṣaṇa
ei śiśu aṅge dekhi se saba lakṣaṇa
"There are thirty-two bodily marks that symptomize a great personality, and I see all those marks on the body of this child.
pañca-dīrghaḥ pañca-sūkṣmaḥ
sapta-raktaḥ ṣaḍ-unnataḥ
tri-hrasva-pṛthu-gambhīro
dvātriṁśal-lakṣaṇo mahān
"‘There are thirty-two bodily symptoms of a great personality = five of his bodily parts are large, five fine, seven reddish, six raised, three small, three broad and three grave.’
nārāyaṇera cihna-yukta śrī-hasta caraṇa
ei śiśu sarva loke karibe tāraṇa
"This baby has all the symptoms of Lord Nārāyaṇa on His palms and soles. He will be able to deliver all the three worlds.
ei ta’ karibe vaiṣṇava-dharmera pracāra
ihā haite habe dui kulera nistāra
"This child will preach the Vaiṣṇava cult and deliver both His maternal and paternal families.
mahotsava kara, saba bolāha brāhmaṇa
āji dina bhāla,---kariba nāma-karaṇa
"I propose to perform a name-giving ceremony. We should observe a festival and call for the brāhmaṇas because today is very auspicious.
sarva-lokera karibe ihaṅ dhāraṇa, poṣaṇa
‘viśvambhara’ nāma ihāra,---ei ta’ kāraṇa
"In the future this child will protect and maintain all the world. For this reason He is to be called Viśvambhara."
śuni’ śacī-miśrera mane ānanda bāḍila
brāhmaṇa-brāhmaṇī āni’ mahotsava kaila
After hearing Nīlāmbara Cakravartī’s prediction, Śacīmātā and Jagannātha Miśra observed the name-giving festival in great joy, inviting all the brāhmaṇas and their wives.
tabe kata dine prabhura jānu-caṅkramaṇa
nānā camatkāra tathā karāila darśana
After some days the Lord began to crawl on His knees, and He caused various wonderful things to be seen.
krandanera chale balāila hari-nāma
nārī saba ‘hari’ bale,---hāse gaura-dhāma
The Lord caused all the ladies to chant the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra on the plea of His crying, and while they chanted the Lord would smile.
tabe kata dine kaila pada-caṅkramaṇa
śiśu-gaṇe mili’ kaila vividha khelana
After some days the Lord began to move His legs and walk. He mixed with other children and exhibited various sports.
ekadina śacī kha-i-sandeśa āniyā
bāṭā bhari’ diyā baila,---khāo ta’ basiyā
One day while the Lord was enjoying His playful sports with the other little children, mother Śacī brought a dish filled with fused rice and sweetmeats and asked the child to sit down and eat them.
eta bali’ gelā śacī gṛhe karma karite
lukāñā lāgilā śiśu mṛttikā khāite
But when she returned to her household duties, the child hid from His mother and began to eat dirt.
dekhi’ śacī dhāñā āilā kari’ ‘hāya, hāya’
māṭi kāḍi’ lañā kahe ‘māṭi kene khāya’
Seeing this, mother Śacī hastily returned and exclaimed, "What is this! What is this!" She snatched the dirt from the hands of the Lord and inquired why He was eating it.
kāndiyā balena śiśu,---kene kara roṣa
tumi māṭi khāite dile, mora kibā doṣa
Crying, the child inquired from His mother, "Why are you angry? You have already given Me dirt to eat. What is My fault?
kha-i-sandeśa-anna yateka---māṭira vikāra
eho māṭi, seha māṭi, ki bheda-vicāra
"Fused rice, sweetmeats and all other eatables are but transformations of dirt. This is dirt, that is dirt. Please consider. What is the difference between them?
māṭi---deha, māṭi---bhakṣya, dekhaha vicāri’
avicāre deha doṣa, ki balite pāri
"This body is a transformation of dirt, and the eatables are also a transformation of dirt. Please reflect upon this. You are blaming Me without consideration. What can I say?"
antare vismita śacī balila tāhāre
"māṭi khāite jñāna-yoga ke śikhāla tore
Astonished that the child was speaking Māyāvāda philosophy, mother Śacī replied, "Who has taught You this philosophical speculation that justifies eating dirt?"
māṭira vikāra anna khāile deha-puṣṭi haya
māṭi khāile roga haya, deha yāya kṣaya
Replying to the Māyāvāda idea of the child philosopher, mother Śacī said, "My dear boy, if we eat earth transformed into grain, our body is nourished, and it becomes strong. But if we eat dirt in its crude state, the body becomes diseased instead of nourished, and thus it is destroyed.
māṭira vikāra ghaṭe pāni bhari’ āni
māṭi-piṇḍe dhari yabe, śoṣi’ yāya pāni"
"In a waterpot, which is a transformation of dirt, I can bring water very easily. But if I poured water on a lump of dirt, the lump would soak up the water, and my labor would be useless."
ātma lukāite prabhu balilā tāṅhāre
"āge kena ihā, mātā, nā śikhāle more
The Lord replied to His mother, "Why did you conceal self-realization by not teaching Me this practical philosophy in the beginning?
ebe se jānilāṅ, āra māṭi nā khāiba
kṣudhā lāge yabe, tabe tomāra stana piba"
"Now that I can understand this philosophy, no more shall I eat dirt. Whenever I am hungry I shall suck your breast and drink your breast milk."
eta bali’ jananīra kolete caḍiyā
stana pāna kare prabhu īṣat hāsiyā
After saying this, the Lord, smiling slightly, climbed on the lap of His mother and sucked her breast.
eimate nānā-chale aiśvarya dekhāya
bālya-bhāva prakaṭiyā paścāt lukāya
Thus under various excuses the Lord exhibited His opulences as much as possible in His childhood, and later, after exhibiting such opulences, He hid Himself.
atithi-viprera anna khāila tina-bāra
pāche gupte sei vipre karila nistāra
On one occasion the Lord ate the food of a brāhmaṇa guest three times, and later, in confidence, the Lord delivered that brāhmaṇa from material engagement.
core lañā gela prabhuke bāhire pāiyā
tāra skandhe caḍi’ āilā tāre bhulāiyā
In His childhood the Lord was taken away by two thieves outside His home. The Lord, however, got up on the shoulders of the thieves, and while they were thinking they were safely carrying the child to rob His ornaments, the Lord misled them, and thus instead of going to their own home the thieves came back to the home of Jagannātha Miśra.
vyādhi-chale jagadīśa-hiraṇya-sadane
viṣṇu-naivedya khāila ekādaśī-dine
Pretending to be sick, the Lord asked some food from the house of Hiraṇya and Jagadīśa on the Ekādaśī day.
śiśu saba laye pāḍā-paḍasīra ghare
curi kari’ dravya khāya māre bālakere
As usual for small children, He learned to play, and with His playmates He went to the houses of neighboring friends, stealing their eatables and eating them. Sometimes the children fought among themselves.
śiśu saba śacī-sthāne kaila nivedana
śuni’ śacī putre kichu dilā olāhana
All the children lodged complaints with Śacīmātā about the Lord’s fighting with them and stealing from the neighbors’ houses. Therefore sometimes she used to chastise or rebuke her son.
"kene curi kara, kene māraha śiśure
kene para-ghare yāha, kibā nāhi ghare"
Śacīmātā said, "Why do You steal others’ things? Why do You beat the other children? And why do You go inside others’ houses? What do You not have in Your own house?"
śuni’ kruddha hañā prabhu ghara-bhitara yāñā
ghare yata bhāṇḍa chila, phelila bhāṅgiyā
Thus rebuked by His mother, he Lord would go in anger to a room and break all the pots within it.
tabe śacī kole kari’ karāila santoṣa
lajjita ha-ilā prabhu jāni’ nija-doṣa
Then Śacīmātā would take her son on her lap and pacify Him, and the Lord would be very much ashamed, admitting His faults.
kabhu mṛdu-haste kaila mātāke tāḍana
mātāke mūrcchitā dekhi’ karaye krandana
Once the child, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, chastised His mother with His soft hand, and His mother pretended to faint. Seeing this, the Lord began to cry.
nārīgaṇa kahe,---"nārikela deha āni’
tabe sustha ha-ibena tomāra jananī"
The neighboring ladies told Him, "Dear child, please bring a coconut from somewhere, and then Your mother will be cured."
bāhire yāñā ānilena dui nārikela
dekhiyā apūrva haila vismita sakala
He then went outside the house and immediately brought two coconuts. All the ladies were astonished to see such wonderful activities.
kabhu śiśu-saṅge snāna karila gaṅgāte
kanyāgaṇa āilā tāhāṅ devatā pūjite
Sometimes the Lord would go with other children to bathe in the Ganges, and the neighboring girls would also come there to worship various demigods.
gaṅgā-snāna kari’ pūjā karite lāgilā
kanyāgaṇa-madhye prabhu āsiyā basilā
When the girls engaged in worshiping the different demigods after bathing in the Ganges, the young Lord would come there and sit down among them.
kanyāre kahe,---āmā pūja, āmi diba vara
gaṅgā-durgā---dāsī mora, maheśa---kiṅkara
Addressing the girls, the Lord would say, "Worship Me, and I shall give you good husbands or good benedictions. The Ganges and goddess Durgā are My maidservants. What to speak of other demigods, even Lord Śiva is My servant."
āpani candana pari’ parena phula-mālā
naivedya kāḍiyā khā’na---sandeśa, cāla, kalā
Without the permission of the girls, the Lord would take the sandalwood pulp and smear it on His own body, put the flower garlands on His neck, and snatch and eat all the offerings of sweetmeats, rice and bananas.
krodhe kanyāgaṇa kahe---śuna, he nimāñi
grāma-sambandhe hao tumi āmā sabāra bhāi
All the girls became very angry at the Lord for this behavior. "Dear Nimāi," they told Him, "You are just like our brother in our village relationship.
āmā sabākāra pakṣe ihā karite nā yuyāya
nā laha devatā sajja, nā kara anyāya
"Therefore it does not behoove You to act like this. Don’t take our paraphernalia for worship of the demigods. Don’t create a disturbance in this way."
prabhu kahe,---"tomā sabāke dila ei vara
tomā sabāra bhartā habe parama sundara
The Lord replied, "My dear sisters, I give you the benediction that your husbands will be very handsome.
paṇḍita, vidagdha, yuvā, dhana-dhānyavān
sāta sāta putra habe---cirāyu, matimān"
"They will be learned, clever and young and possess abundant wealth and rice. Not only that, but you will each have seven sons, who will all live long lives and be very intelligent."
vara śuni’ kanyā-gaṇera antare santoṣa
bāhire bhartsana kare kari’ mithyā roṣa
Hearing this benediction from Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all the girls were inwardly very happy, but externally, as is natural for girls, they rebuked the Lord under the pretense of anger.
kona kanyā palāila naivedya la-iyā
tāre ḍāki’ kahe prabhu sakrodha ha-iyā
When some of the girls fled, the Lord called them in anger and advised them as follows:
yadi naivedya nā deha ha-iyā kṛpaṇī
buḍā bhartā habe, āra cāri cāri satinī
"If you are miserly and do not give Me the offerings, every one of you will have an old husband with at least four co-wives."
ihā śuni’ tā-sabāra mane ha-ila bhaya
kona kichu jāne, kibā devāviṣṭa haya
Hearing this supposed curse by Lord Caitanya, the girls, considering that He might know something uncommon or be empowered by demigods, were afraid that His curse might be effective.
āniyā naivedya tārā sammukhe dharila
khāiyā naivedya tāre iṣṭa-vara dila
The girls then brought the offerings before the Lord, who ate them all and blessed the girls to their satisfaction.
ei mata cāpalya saba lokere dekhāya
duḥkha kāro mane nahe, sabe sukha pāya
When this cunning behavior of the Lord with the girls became known to the people in general, it did not create misunderstandings among them. Rather, they enjoyed happiness in these dealings.
eka-dina vallabhācārya-kanyā ‘lakṣmī’ nāma
devatā pūjite āila kari gaṅgā-snāna
One day a girl of the name Lakṣmī, the daughter of Vallabhācārya, came to the bank of the Ganges to take a bath in the river and worship the demigods.
tāṅre dekhi’ prabhura ha-ila sābhilāṣa mana
lakṣmī citte prīta pāila prabhura darśana
Seeing Lakṣmīdevī, the Lord became attached to her, and Lakṣmī, upon seeing the Lord, felt great satisfaction within her mind.
sāhajika prīti duṅhāra karila udaya
bālya-bhāvācchanna tabhu ha-ila niścaya
Their natural love for each other awakened, and although it was covered by childhood emotions, it became apparent that they were mutually attracted.
duṅhā dekhi’ duṅhāra citte ha-ila ullāsa
deva-pūjā chale kaila duṅhe parakāśa
They both enjoyed natural pleasure in seeing each other, and under the pretext of demigod worship they manifested their feelings.
prabhu kahe, ‘āmā’ pūja, āmi maheśvara
āmāre pūjile pābe abhīpsita vara’
The Lord told Lakṣmī, "Just worship Me, for I am the Supreme Lord. If you worship Me, certainly you will get the benediction you desire."
lakṣmī tāṅra aṅge dila puṣpa-candana
mallikāra mālā diyā karila vandana
On hearing the order of the Supreme Lord, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Lakṣmī immediately worshiped Him, offering sandalwood pulp and flowers for His body, garlanding Him with mallikā flowers, and offering prayers.
prabhu tāṅra pūjā pāñā hāsite lāgilā
śloka paḍi’ tāṅra bhāva aṅgīkāra kailā
Being worshiped by Lakṣmī, the Lord began to smile. He recited a verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and thus accepted the emotion she expressed.
saṅkalpo viditaḥ sādhvyo
bhavatīnāṁ mad-arcanam
mayānumoditaḥ so ‘sau
satyo bhavitum arhati
"‘My dear gopīs, I accept your desire to have Me as your husband and thus worship Me. I wish your desire to be fulfilled because it deserves to be so.’"
ei-mata līlā kari’ duṅhe gelā ghare
gambhīra caitanya-līlā ke bujhite pāre
After thus expressing their feelings to each other, Lord Caitanya and Lakṣmī returned home. Who can understand the grave pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu?
caitanya-cāpalya dekhi’ preme sarva jana
śacī-jagannāthe dekhi’ dena olāhana
When the neighboring people saw the naughty behavior of Lord Caitanya, out of love for Him they lodged complaints with Śacīmātā and Jagannātha Miśra.
ekadina śacī-devī putrere bhartsiyā
dharibāre gelā, putra gelā palāiyā
One day mother Śacī went to catch her son, wanting to rebuke Him, but He fled from the spot.
ucchiṣṭa-garte tyakta-hāṇḍīra upara
basiyāchena sukhe prabhu deva-viśvambhara
Although He is the maintainer of the entire universe, once the Lord sat upon some rejected pots in the pit where the remnants of food were thrown, after the pots had been used for cooking.
śacī āsi’ kahe,---kene aśuci chuṅilā
gaṅgā-snāna kara yāi’---apavitra ha-ilā
When mother Śacī saw her boy sitting on the rejected pots, she protested, "Why have You touched these untouchable pots? You have now become impure. Go and bathe in the Ganges."
ihā śuni’ mātāke kahila brahma-jñāna
vismitā ha-iyā mātā karāila snāna
Hearing this, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught His mother about absolute knowledge. Although amazed by this, His mother forced Him to take a bath.
kabhu putra-saṅge śacī karilā śayana
dekhe, divyaloka āsi’ bharila bhavana
Sometimes, taking her son with her, mother Śacī would lie down on her bed, and she would see that denizens of the celestial world had come there, filling the entire house.
śacī bale,---yāha, putra, bolāha bāpere
mātṛ-ājñā pāiyā prabhu calilā bāhire
Once mother Śacī told the Lord, "Please go call Your father." Receiving this order from His mother, the Lord went out to call him.
calite caraṇe nūpura bāje jhanjhan
śuni’ camakita haila pitā-mātāra mana
When the child was going out, there was a tinkling of ankle bells from His lotus feet. Hearing this, His father and mother were struck with wonder.
miśra kahe,---ei baḍa adbhuta kāhinī
śiśura śūnya-pade kene nūpurera dhvani
Jagannātha Miśra said, "This is a very wonderful incident. Why is there a sound of ankle bells from the bare feet of my child?"
śacī kahe,---āra eka adbhuta dekhila
divya divya loka āsi’ aṅgana bharila
Mother Śacī said, "I also saw another wonder. People were coming down from the celestial kingdom and crowding the entire courtyard.
kibā kolāhala kare, bujhite nā pāri
kāhāke vā stuti kare---anumāna kari
"They made noisy sounds I could not understand. I guess they were offering prayers to someone."
miśra bale,---kichu ha-uk, cintā kichu nāi
viśvambharera kuśala ha-uk,---ei mātra cāi
Jagannātha Miśra replied, "Never mind what it is. There is no need to worry. Let there always be good fortune for Viśvambhara. This is all I want."
eka-dina miśra putrera cāpalya dekhiyā
dharma-śikṣā dila bahu bhartsanā kariyā
On another occasion, Jagannātha Miśra, seeing the mischievous acts of his son, gave Him lessons in morality after rebuking Him greatly.
rātre svapna dekhe,---eka āsi’ brāhmaṇa
miśrere kahaye kichu sa-roṣa vacana
On that very night, Jagannātha Miśra dreamt that a brāhmaṇa had come before him speaking these words in great anger:
"miśra, tumi putrera tattva kichui nā jāna
bhartsana-tāḍana kara,---putra kari’ māna"
"My dear Miśra, you do not know anything about your son. You think Him your son, and therefore you rebuke and chastise Him."
miśra kahe,---deva, siddha, muni kene naya
ye se baḍa ha-uk mātra āmāra tanaya
Jagannātha Miśra replied, "This boy may be a demigod, a mystic yogī or a great saintly person. It doesn’t matter what He is, for I think He is only my son.
putrera lālana-śikṣā---pitāra sva-dharma
āmi nā śikhāle kaiche janibe dharma-marma
"It is the duty of a father to educate his son in both religion and morality. If I do not give Him this education, how will He know of it?"
vipra kahe,---putra yadi daiva-siddha haya
svataḥ-siddha-jñāna, tabe śikṣā vyartha haya
The brāhmaṇa replied, "If your son is a transcendental mystic boy with self-effulgent perfect knowledge, what is the use of your education?"
miśra kahe,---"putra kene nahe nārāyaṇa
tathāpi pitāra dharma---putrera śikṣaṇa"
Jagannātha Miśra replied, "Even if my son is not a common man but Nārāyaṇa, still it is the duty of a father to instruct his son."
ei-mate duṅhe karena dharmera vicāra
viśuddha-vātsalya miśrera, nāhi jāne āra
In this way Jagannātha Miśra and the brāhmaṇa discussed the principles of religion in the dream, yet Jagannātha Miśra was absorbed in unalloyed parental mellow and did not want to know anything else.
eta śuni’ dvija gelā hañā ānandita
miśra jāgiyā ha-ilā parama vismita
Being very pleased, the brāhmaṇa left after talking with Jagannātha Miśra, and when Jagannātha Miśra awakened from his dream, he was very much astonished.
bandhu-bāndhava-sthāne svapna kahila
śuniyā sakala loka vismita ha-ila
He related the dream to his friends and relatives, and every one of them was very much astonished to hear of it.
ei mata śiśu-līlā kare gauracandra
dine dine pitā-mātāra bāḍāya ānanda
In this way Gaurahari performed His childhood pastimes and day after day increased the pleasure of His parents.
kata dine miśra putrera hāte khaḍi dila
alpa dine dvādaśa-phalā akṣara śikhila
After some days Jagannātha Miśra inaugurated the primary education of his son by performing the hāte khaḍi ceremony. Within a very few days the Lord learned all the letters and combinations of letters.
bālyalīlā-sūtra ei kaila anukrama
ihā vistāriyāchena dāsa-vṛndāvana
This is a synopsis of the childhood pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, placed herewith in chronological order. Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has already elaborately explained these pastimes in his book Caitanya-bhāgavata.
ataeva ei-līlā saṅkṣepe sūtra kaila
punarukti-bhaye vistāriyā nā kahila
I have therefore made only a brief summary. Being afraid of repetition, I have not elaborated upon this subject matter.
śrī-rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa
caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa
Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps.