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Lord Chaitanya’s pastimes- The nourishment for the soul- Part 16

The demanding Nimai

Nimai was very restless. Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that He is
the proprietor of everything that exists (5.29). Being the owner of
the creation, Nimai would demand many things from Sachi Devi. “I want
that bird,” Nimai asked, and to the dazed mother, he began to plead
louder. “I want the moon” or “I want the stars” were some of the
unreasonable things Nimai asked his mother to give Him. When she
failed to provide, she would try to pacify Nimai with sweet words and
other distractions. But Nimai’s demands became only more intense. He
cried, hit is fist on the ground, rolled and screamed, “I want the
moon!” The only way he could be pacified was when everyone, in their
desperate attempt to placate him, came together, clapped their hands,
and loudly chanted the Hare Krishna mahamantra:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare
Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

But one day, an extraordinary event happened. Nimai cried and despite
everyone chanting all the time, Nimai kept crying. The relatives
didn’t know what to do. They begged Nimai, “See, oh darling child, we
are chanting so much; please be pleased with us!” When Nimai was
relentless, they asked him what they could do to make him happy. Nimai
said there are two devotees named Hiranya and Jagadish Pandit, staying
close by. “Today they have cooked a special feast for Lord Vishnu, and
I want that food”, said Nimai. Mother Sachi was shocked. “This is
impossible”, she thought, “They stay two miles away and how does my
child know what they are cooking” But to please the child, the
relatives ran to Jagadish and Hiranya’s house. Both of them were close
friends of Jagannath Mishra.

Both the brothers were amazed because they had made a special Ekadashi
feast for their Lord and wondered how the child could know this.
Happily, they brought the Prasad for the child and as Nimai ate a
little from each of the preparation, Jagadish and Hiranya looked at
Him and thought, “This child is extraordinary. How could he know what
we cooked for our Lord? He surely has Lord Narayana actively living
and guiding Him in His heart.”

Nimai was fully satisfied and asked everyone to chant the Holy Names
of Krishna. As they all did sankirtan, Nimai danced and smiled, to the
happiness of all.

To be continued…

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