Chapter Summary - Chaitanya-bhagavata - Adi-khanda Ch. 4
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Brief Summary: This chapter cover the period of Lord Chaitanya's birth, His name giving ceremony, crawling and as a toddler (perhaps up to the age of 5 or 6).  Mysterious occurrences in His parent's house, His mischievousness,  and how thieves tried to rob Him.

Actions:  Discovering that this pleased the Lord, everyone got together and repeated Lord Hari's name while clapping their hands. Happily everyone performed congregational chanting and Saci devi's house resounded with the Lord's name.

Physical descriptions:  Curly locks decorated His exquisitely formed head; He had an expansive chest and reddish pink lips; All His limbs
were beautifully formed; reddish complexion;

 Lord Chaitanya aka:  Sri Visvambhara (sustainer of the world);

Quiz: (see bottom for answers)

1. What was the secret message that everyone soon realized about Lord Caitanya as a baby?

A.  That He was really Lord Krishna 
B.  That He was extremely intelligent 
C.  That by simply chanting the Holy Name of Lord Krishna, He would stop crying.
D.   That the wonderful and mysterious smell of lotus flowers that flooded His room was actually coming from Him.

2.  What was the reason and source for all the ghostly images that were seen in Nimai's house?

A.  The Lord's House was haunted by evil Spirits 
B.   His house had accidentally been built over an ancient graveyard
C.   Lord Siva was jealous of all the attention the Lord was getting and had sent ghost to make Him cry all the time.
D.   The demigods were in a jovial mood and decided to play some practical jokes on the people who always surrounded Nimai.

3.  What activity did 4-month old Nimai do that bewildered everybody?

A. Break pots and scatter things around after pouring milk, rice, wheat, dahl,  butter and oil on the floor.  
B. Make golden coins appear in his crib. 
C. He could speak at this early age.
D. Birds would fly in the window and land on His lotus feet. 

4.  What was the reason that some of the ladies gave for naming the Lord Nimai?

A.  Because he was born under a Neem Tree.
B.  Because He would never have any younger brothers or sisters.
C.  Because he was so big and strong, just like a Neem Tree.

5.  Sri Visvambhara was the name chosen for the Lord.  Why was he given this name?

A.  His father, Jugannatha Misra had a dream and in it this was the name of his newly born son.
B.  A mysterious Saint appeared and told Mother Saci that this was her child's true name.
C.  As soon as He was born, famine ended in the land and the farmers were blessed with the long-awaited rain. Happy and healthy conditions returned to the land at His birth. It was similar to the ancient story of Lord  Narayana protecting and upholding the universe during devastation. Hence, His name should be Sri Visvambhara (sustainer of the world)
D.  His parents wanted to give Him a name that had been in their family for over 300 years.

6.  During a special ceremony to test the Lord's future tendencies, different objects such as Rice, paddy, books, roasted paddy, coins, gold and silver were placed for the child.  What object did Lord Caitanya hold on to?

A. Rice
B. The Srimad Bhagavatam
C. Coins
D. Gold tala bars
 

7.  What did little Nimai do when He saw a snake in his courtyard?

A.  He cried very loudly.
B.  He hid under His bed.
C.  He immediately took shelter of His mother.
D.  He caught hold of him and laid down on the snake's coils.

8. When Mother Saci saw her child's reddish complexion, she often thought she was seeing what?

A. cum cum power accidentally spilled on little Nimai.
B. Pomegranate juice accidentally rubbed on Him.
C. Red clay from the banks of the Ganges had rubbed off on Him.
D. Red, gaping wounds.

9.  When the thieves kidnapped Nimai to steel his gold bangles, who eventually returned Him to Mother Saci and Jugannatha Misra?

A.  Deluded by the Supreme Lord's illusory potency, "maya", the thieves mistook the way to their hideout; they arrived instead at the residence of Sri Jagannatha Misra.
B.  The local police found Nimai wondering lost on the streets and brought Him to his home.
C.  Jagannatha Misra found Nimai lost after looking for Him.
D.  The Lord just appeared out of thin air.  One second He had been missing, and the next there He was eating butter.

Devotee Mentioned:  Sri Visvarupa (was the Lord's older brother); Sri Nilambara Cakravarti (Sacidevi's father & expert astrologer); Aditi (The mother of the demigods - at His birth party);

Lord Caitanya:  When the Lord would cry, shedding tears from His lotus eyes, only the sound of the holy name of Krsna would pacify Him; As soon as they chanted "Hari, Hari", a beaming smile spread across the Lord's exquisite moon-like face; After considering all points the scholars said there was one name appropriate for the child. As soon as He was born, famine ended in the land and the farmers were blessed with the long-awaited rain. Happy and healthy conditions returned to the land at His birth. It was similar to the ancient story of Lord  Narayana protecting and upholding the universe during devastation. Hence, His name should be Sri Visvambhara (sustainer of the world); {Rice, paddy, books, roasted paddy, coins, gold and silver were placed for the child to hold (testing the
child's tendency). Sri Jagannatha encouraged his son, "My dear Visvambhara, take whatever your heart desires". Sacidevi's son, the Supreme Lord, ignored all items and picked up the Srimad Bhagavatam and embraced it}; Hearing the chanting the Lord swayed blissfully as though He were dancing on their laps; {One day a snake slithered through the courtyard and the Lord caught hold of him simply to enact another pastime. The Lord lay down on the coils of the snake.When the residents of the house saw Him they screamed in alarm, but the Lord calmly smiled and remained in that relaxed position}; The Lord danced, moving His body in such a manner that no one can contain his laughter;

Mother Saci:  The Lord's reddish complexion sometimes caused Sacimata anxiety; as the child ran about she kept thinking she could see red, gaping wounds.

Blessings:  The Supreme Lord Caitanya who was radiant like the moon, tried repeatedly to go back to the snake, but everyone stopped Him. These {childhood} pastimes are not revealed even in the Vedas, and anyone who hears them is free from the bite of the serpent of material illusion. {Whoever hears these narrations (crying/pacifying,  meaning of His name/Vishvambhara, choosing book during name ceramony, playing with snake, dancing/laughing, thieves,- which are a mystery even in the Vedas - can easily get undeviating devotion at Lord Caitanya's lotus feet}.

Misc. Facts:  Aparajita Stotra (prayers to Parvati devi, wife of Lord Siva) for protection; The Vedas, Srimad Bhagavatam and other scriptures conclude that no undertaking reaches success without the Supreme Lord's desire; The Lord was so extremely attractive that strangers gave him whatever he requested; Wherever He found nothing to eat He was satisfied to break all the earthen pots;

Words:  

talisman: (a stone, ring, or other object, engraved with figures or characters supposed to possess occult powers and worn as an amulet or charm)

  Answers:   1-C;  2-D;  3-A;  4-B;  5-C;  6-B;  7-D;  8-D;  9-A