When Nimai and his parents learnt of this, they were devastated. They hearts broken, they cried incessantly. Nimai fell unconscious in grief; he felt immense separation from his brother. The entire town of nadia was saddened. The relatives of Jagannath Mishra and mother Sachi consoled the family. They told Nimai’s parents, “You are actually fortunate. One who takes sannyasa delivers his entire family and many generations. And nothing happens without the lord’s sanction. So please give up your lamentation and accept this as lord Krishna’s supreme will. Nimai gathered himself and consoled his parents.
Jagannath Mishra meditated on the wisdom shared by the people and felt pacified. But the next moment he would remember Vishwarupa and his attractive qualities, and feel immense pain, and fall on the ground crying. He began to meditate on the philosophy of absolute truth. He realized that Krishna gave him this son and took him away. We are all controlled by the will of the lord. Nimai reassured his parents, “I am there with you.” The people also told Jagannath Mishra and Sachi mata that they were indeed fortunate because although Vishwarupa was gone, they still had Vishwambhar. And what greater fortune is there than this? And they should gratefully celebrate this benediction that the lord had bestowed on them.
Post this event, Nimai resumed his studies very seriously and became sober and grave. Gone were his mischief filled games and tantrums. This began to worry Jagannath Mishra. He told Sachi mata, “Nimai is vigorously studying the scriptures. He will soon realize that this world is an illusion and the pleasures and joys of this world is illusory. He would then develop detachment from family and this world. He will then leave family like Vishwarupa did. Therefore on this day I command that Nimai will no longer study.”
Sachi mata was very upset. “How can you stop our son from studying?” She protested to her husband, “If he doesn’t study who will marry their daughter to him?” Jagannath Mishra replied, “You are the daughter of a great brahmana; how can you speak these words? Everything is happening by the arrangement of Krishna. Nothing happens without his will. If Krishna wants our son to be wealthy and have a good family, he’ll have it without studying. I am the proof of this truth. I am such a great scholar but we hardly have food in our house. And there are wealthy but not educated men, who are approached by all scholars for donation and charity. Therefore I am convinced that power and education doesn’t determine your success; it is Krishna’s will alone.
To be continued…
