The Glories of the Golden Avatara

Since the beginning of time, avataras have descended from the spiritual world to impart transcendental knowledge. But none have ever distributed knowledge or love of God as freely as the golden avatara-Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

(Taken from "Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: His Life and Precepts," a short work by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura first published in 1896.)

In the district of Mayapur, in the town of Nadia, just after sunset on the evening of February 18, 1486, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, advented Himself in the form of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The moon was eclipsed at the time of His birth, and the people of Nadia, as was usual on such occasions, were bathing in the Ganges and loudly crying, "Hari bol! Hari bol!" His father, Jagannatha Misra, was a poor brahmana of the Vedic order, and his mother, Sacidevi, was a model good woman.

Lord Caitanya was a beautiful child, and the ladies of the town came to see Him with presents. They named Him Gaurahari on account of His golden complexion, and His mother called Him Nimai on account of the nim tree near which He was born.

When Lord Caitanya was an infant in His mother's arms, He wept continually, and when the neighboring ladies cried, "Hari bol!" He would stop. Thus the words hari bol were always being uttered in the house, indicating the future mission of the Lord: to spread the chanting of the holy names of God throughout the world.

Once a brahmana on pilgrimage was taken in as a guest in the house of Jagannatha Misra. The brahmana cooked some rice and was reading grace with meditation upon Krsna when the infant Nimai came and ate the offering. The brahmana, astonished at the child's act, cooked again at the request of Jagannatha Misra. Again Nimai ate the cooked rice while the brahmana was offering it to Krsna with meditation. Although thoroughly discouraged, the brahmana was persuaded that he should cook for a third time after everyone had gone to sleep. This time Nimai showed the traveler His form of Krsna and blessed him, and the brahmana became overwhelmed with ecstasy at the appearance of the object of his worship.

Beautiful as the child Nimai was, everyone heartily loved to see Him every day. As He grew up He became a whimsical and frolicsome lad, and after His fifth year, He was admitted into a primary school where He picked up Bengali in a very short time. In His eighth year, He was admitted into the school of Gahgadasa in Gahganagara, close to the village of Mayapur. In just two years he became well read in Sanskrit grammar and rhetoric, as well as scriptural studies and logic.