Remembering Nityananda Prabhu's Glory (2)

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Singur, noon programme
14 February 2021, part 5
Translated from Bengali

Another time, when Mahaprabhu came to Gauri Das Pandit's house with Nityananda Prabhu, He said to Gauri Das Pandit:

"We keep coming to your house, We inconvenience you. Listen, I have one whimsical request to you..."

"What whimsical request?" asked Gauri Das Pandit.

"Well, Nitai goes to eat at random houses, there is nobody to cook for Him. It is a problem for Him. Can you arrange for somebody to cook for Him?"

"How will I do that?"

"Well, you could help. You have a brother, Surya Das, and he has two daughters... Give one daughter for Nitai."

"They are not my daughters, I must ask my brother."

When Gauri Das Pandit asked his brother, Surya Das replied,

"What? He is a sadhu—He goes to eat at this house, that house. He does not have rice or even an oven! He will not even be able to feed the girl..." (Nityananda Prabhu's wealth is actually immense—His family owned thousands and thousands of acres of land.) So, both brothers became upset because Gaura and Nitai came to their house and they could not satisfy Their request.

When Gaura and Nitai were at Gauri Das Pandit's house, suddenly Jahnava's and Nitai's eyes met! Jahnava is Nityananda Prabhu's sakti, she is not a common wife like those that men have in this world. Moreover, in olden days, when an unmarried girl saw a boy, she would feel very shy. So, when their eyes met, Jahnava felt very shy—she ran to the forest and fainted! Foam started coming from her mouth. Gaura and Nitai understood everything, but everybody else could not. They started looking for the girl, "Where has she gone?" Eventually, they found her lying in the forest, unconscious, with foam coming out of her mouth. They carried her home. Thinking she had been bitten by a snake, they sent for a healer. Seeing her dead-like state, people started talking among each other, "See? Mahaprabhu wanted to give this girl to Nitai, but they did not give her, that why this must have happened." Gauri Das went to look for Nitai and Gaura. He looked everywhere and finally found Them sitting under a tamarind tree (that tree is present to this day). He ran to Them, panting. Nitai and Gaura asked him,

"What has happened, Prabhu?"

"My brother's elder daughter passed away. She has been bitten by a snake. Please come with me!"

"What will We go there for? We are not doctors... Send for a healer, what will We do there?"

"No, no, come, please come with me!"

Gauri Das Pandit forcefully took Nitai and Gaura home, and then said to Nitai, "Please accept this girl."

"What will I do with a dead girl?!" replied Nityananda Prabhu. "She cannot serve Deities, she cannot cook or wash the dishes for Deities, what will I do with her?!"

Still, Gauri Das Pandit insisted, "No, no, You must accept her!"

"Well, you have to arrange for the dowry then."

"Dowry? I am a poor brahman, where will I get dowry? I have no money, no property, what dowry can I give?"

"No, no. There is no need to give money. Give the younger daughter as the dowry!"

Gauri Das Pandit was in trouble. He thought, "If I say no again, what if the second girl dies too?" So, having no choice, he said, "All right, take both girls."

Then, Nityananda Prabhu put His hand on Jahnava, the dead girl, and she slowly opened her eyes. She sat up, and then Vasudha, her younger sister, came, and both of them put two garlands on Nityananda Prabhu's neck. After that, the three of them left and came to Birbhum, Sri Ekachakra Dham. In her later life, Jahnava left everything and went to Vrindavan. You may have seen her samadhi there, at Radha Kunda.

— : • : —

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