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All of Nimayi’s pranks were divine. Even when he indulged in mischiefs, like other children, one could surely notice the difference, for, there was a special bhava in it. One day, as Nimayi’s father returned from the Ganges, he met a Brahmin near his house. Noticing the radiant form of the Brahmin, Mishra prostrated to him and invited him home for bhiksha . The Brahmin accepted the invitation.

At home Mishra washed the Brahmin’s feet. He and his family offered salutations to the Brahmin. He then offered the Brahmin all that was necessary to prepare his food. The Brahmin cooked his food, placed it on a leaf, put a few tulsi leaves on all the items, closed his eyes and sat down in meditation. He mentally offered the food to Lord Vishnu.

Meanwhile, Nimayi had gently crawled up to the leaf and begun eating the food. On opening his eyes, the Brahmin in a shocked tone remarked, “My God! What is happening?” On hearing this, Nimayi started running away, as if in fear. Mishra, too, chased him, to punish the child. Nimayi, however, hid behind his mother. The Brahmin consoled Mishra, “What does a child know? You are a pundit. Can you loose your temper? It does not matter. Some groundnuts and water would be adequate”. But the couple did not feel consoled by these words of the Brahmin. They once again provided the Brahmin with all the things and pleaded with him to cook his food. Moved by their hospitality, the Brahmin obliged. Even as the Brahmin offered the food mentally to God, Nimayi was back. He grabbed the food and stuffed it into his mouth. He smeared the dhal all over his body. Sachimata rushed from inside and was alarmed to see Nimayi in such a state.

Mishra’s anger knew no bounds. Just as he was about to beat Nimayi, the Brahmin caught hold of his raised up arm and said, “ Please do not beat this child.” And added, “ What is the use of scolding an innocent child? I am destined to go without food to-day!” Hiding behind his mother, Nimayi glanced at his father in fear. Touched by the child’s bewildered look the mother lifted him up and carried him in her waist.

Meanwhile, the elder son Vishwarupa returned from the patashala. He prostrated to the guest and stood aside silently. Awestruck by Vishwarupa’s beauty and brilliance, the Brahmin asked, “ Whose son is this Deva-like boy?” In all humility Mishra replied, “He is our son.” The Brahmin fixed his gaze on him for sometime. Meanwhile, Vishwarupa guessed all that had taken place just before his arrival and in a pleading tone requested of the Brahmin, “ Maharaj! Please cook your food once more, for my sake. I take the responsibility of seeing that you are not troubled this time.”

The Brahmin immediately replied, “ Do not worry about me, son! I am a wanderer. I don’t get an opportunity to cook my food everyday. For months together I have lived merely on fruits and vegetables. At times I have even been on fast and am used to such life. Its enough if you give me some sweets and groundnuts. I shall cook the regular meals tomorrow.” Once again Vishwarupa pleaded with the Brahmin,“Maharaj! Don’t we understand your nature? Yet, having come to our house if you go without food my parents will feel sad. My parents do not have the courage to plead with you once more. So please do cook your food.”

The Brahmin’s heart melted upon hearing Vishwarupa’s humble and loving words. He bathed once again and began to cook his food. This time Sachimata tied Nimayi with a rope. The day had passed into night by the time the Brahmin completed his cooking. By then, everyone had gone to bed. Just as he made his offerings, the form of Chathurbuja Gopala [Lord Krishna with four arms] appeared in front of him. Even as the Brahmin gazed in awe, the four arms turned into eight. There were Shanka, Chakra, Gadhai and Padmam in four arms. The Lord had butter in one arm while he ate the offering of food with another. The remaining two hands were engaged in playing the flute. The Lord smiled, “You called out to me and I came to you in the form of a little boy. But you failed to recognize me” and added, “ I am pleased with you. Ask for any boon and it shall be granted!”

“ Oh! Purushottama!” the Brahmin’s voice was choked with emotion as he called out to the Lord. “How can I comprehend your maya? Immeasurable is your compassion! You have blessed an ignorant soul like me. I have not done any japa, charity or puja to deserve your darshan! Your enchanting form should for ever shine in my heart.”

‘So shall it be”, blessed the Lord and disappeared. The Brahmin then ate his food with joy.

Meanwhile Sachidevi woke up. Nimayi was fast asleep beside her. She found that the Brahmin had taken his food. The next day, the Brahmin mentally offered his salutations to Nimayi and left the place. As long as he stayed in that town, he came everyday to have darshan of Nimayi.

Despite all his pranks, the Mishras’ love for their little son grew day by day. His mischiefs gave them immense pleasure. For the parents their own baby’s sweet talk is the most melodious and the happiest to listen to. Vedas, too, opine that it is a son’s voice that resounds sweetly in one’s ears. The old couple was never tired of their little son’s pranks. Being the youngest and the favourite child, Nimayi’s mischiefs and innocent words only immersed them in joy. Though, Nimayi’s father would at times mildly rebuke him, his mother would never utter a harsh word. He was her pet. But, Nimayi was very respectful towards his elder brother Vishwarupa and was very well behaved in his presence.

Everyday, Nimayi accompanied his father to the Ganges for a bath. He held his father’s hand or his brother’s dress as he walked along with them. All through the way he shot questions at his father, on various subjects. While his father patiently answered them there were times when he just remained quiet. If Nimayi tried to run away from them, Vishwarupa caught hold of him and forcibly carried him on his shoulders.

Whenever Vishwarupa performed ‘sandhya vandana’(worship of the Sun by those who have been initiated with the Sacred thread) on the banks of the Ganges, Nimayi imitated him. On return from the Ganges Vishwarupa narrated it all to his father and the rest of the household. At their request Nimayi reenacted it all and entertained them.

The banks of the Ganges became Nimayi’s favourite playground. He spent most of his time there, bathing twice or thrice, throwing wet sand-balls on other children, building garden on the riverbank with leaves and flowers that he collected from the flowing river. Mishraji admonished his son, “Son, Should you not turn your mind to studies instead of spending all your at time at play?” Nimayi, however, remained indifferent. One day, unable to contain himself, Mishra went to the Ganges to pull up Nimayi. The worried Sachidevi ran behind him. Nimayi was busy playing with his friends. When his friends saw the angry Mishra they ran away leaving Nimayi behind. The clever Nimayi dodged his father and ran up to his mother and hid behind her. “Nimayi, you have become really troublesome. Your father is out to punish you severely. I cannot save you this time”, his mother worriedly said to him. Meanwhile Mishra came up to them and began to pull Nimayi away from his mother. Within a few moments a crowd of ten to fifteen elderly gentlmen had gathered there and pacified Mishra, “Nimayi is still a child and does not understand anything. Please do not beat him. He will change with time. A pundit that you are, how can you loose your patience?” Mishra, too, felt ashamed about his own behaviour.

One night a Saint appeared in Mishra’s dream and said to him, “Nimayi is no ordinary boy. He is a Great Saint. It does not become of you to treat him harshly.”

Mishra, however, countered, “Nimayi might be a great Saint. But once he has manifested himself in the form of my son, it is my duty as a father to discipline him.”

The Saint explained, “Nimayi knows all that is to be known and does not have the need to learn the Shastras. Why do you trouble him needlessly?”

Mishra rejoined, “It is the duty of the father to guide his son properly. However virtuous and knowlegable my son be I shall do my duty. If need be I shall also punish him.” Highly pleased with the reply the Saint disappeared. The dream remained in Mishra’s thought for a long time.

As he grew up, the divine attributes in Nimayi’s physical form intensified. He had a strong physique and easily outmatched even four or five boys. His eyes sparkled with mischief and all those who saw him experienced an inexplicable urge to speak to him. Full of energy, he took long strides while walking on the streets and took quick steps while climbing up or down the ghats on the bank of the Ganges. On his way if he found the boys playing, he pushed them against one another and laughed loudly at their plight.

Little girls came to the banks of the Ganges to perform Ganga puja and Devi puja. Nimayi ran upto them and said to them, “Perform puja to me. I will grant any boon you seek.” Enchanted by his beauty, the innocent girls gave away the sweets to him. In return Nimayi immediately blessed each one of them. To one girl he said, “You will get a handsome husband!” and to another he declared, “You will marry a rich man”. Yet another he blessed, “You will have five children!” The shy girls feigned anger and rebuked Nimayi, “We will not give you any sweet if you speak to us this way”. Not to be outbeaten, Nimayi teased them, “Mm! So you want to run away from me. It doesn’t matter. You shall get a squint-eyed man for a husband. You, there, your husband will have five wives and another he teased, “You will have only daughters!” Smiling shyly the girls offered him the sweets.

At times he even snatched the garlands from their hands and wore it around his neck and ordered them, “Worship me! I am the incarnation of God”. To those girls who performed puja he said, “Worship Hari, you will beget sons.” The girls chuckled at this.

In this group was a little girl by name Lakshmidevi. She was very innocent and simple. She experienced a natural attraction to Nimayi and was very shy of him. She experienced great joy in his presence. Though Nimayi saw her in this group he neither spoke to her nor asked anything of her. The little girl had a deep urge to offer some 'naivedya' to Nimayi, but felt hesitant to do so without being asked. She felt too shy to offer anything without being asked first.

One day when Lakshmi was on the way to perform the puja, Nimayi stopped her and said to her, “Worship me!” The innocent girl sincerely and nervously smeared sandal paste on Nimayi, garlanded him and offered him the sweets. She then folded her two palms and offered salutations to Nimayi. In a majestic voice Nimayi blessed her, “May you get a husband who will match the Devas in virtue and beauty.” Shy and totally embarrassed, Lakshmi Devi ran away. It was this Lakshmi Devi who was fortunate to become the first wife of Nimayi.

Amongst his peers, Nimayi was the leader. None was as mischievous as he was. The boys loved and treated him like a king. All his instructions were carried out unquestioningly.

Nimayi possessed the art of charming others, for, anybody who met him once became his slave forever.

There was no end to the fun he had when he went to the Ganges taking his friends along.

They threw sand balls at each other. While a group of elders sat in some discussion, they sneaked from behind and tied the ends of their upper cloth. As the elders got up to go have their bath in the river, the cloth got pulled and tore. The boys clapped their hands and laughed heartily at this, to the embarrassment of the elders. At times the boys threw the cloth into the river.

They played in the Ganges for hours together. Nimayi asked a boy to imitate the tortoise and rode on his back. He went up to the ladies’ bathing ghat and pulled their legs. As they screamed for help he came up, out of the water and with a grin declared proudly, “See, how like a tortoise I swam up?” The girls said angrily, “ Just wait and watch! We will report this to your parents”. Nevertheless, amongst themselves, they would only discuss with surprise how their love for Nimayi only grew day by day, despite his troublesome nature.

One day, Nimayi learnt that the Pundits had complained to Mishra about his frivolities on the banks of the Ganges. He returned home taking a different route. To his surprised mother he asked for oil and fresh clothes. Taking the oil he walked back slowly to the Ganges. Meanwhile the father was already there in search of his son. When asked about the whereabouts of Nimayi, well-trained boys replied that they had not seen him at all that day. The father, on his way back home saw Nimayi walk towards him innocently. “Why are you so troublesome?” he said wearily, “I feel so ashamed when I hear complaints about you”. Immediately, Nimayi replied, “What shall I do father? I just do not know why everybody is after me. Mother, too, says that the ladies are always complaining about me. As you can see, I am just going to the Ganges after studying. 'If people continue to throw such accusations at me why not I prove them right?” Smiling, Mishra left for the Ganges with Nimayi. It is interesting to note that Nimayi was only five when all this took place.

Vishwarupa had turned sixteen and Mishra treated him like a friend. Vishwarupa was studying in the patasala of Sri Advaitacharya. One day Sachidevi called Nimayi and said, “ Your brother has not yet come home for lunch. Will you go to the patasala and bring him home?” No sooner had the mother said this than Nimayi ran out naked towards the patashala holding the cloth in his hand. He tied the cloth around his body even as he ran towards the Patalshala. On seeing his brother he shouted out to him, “Brother! Mother is calling you. Lunch is ready.” Vishwarupa placed his brother on his lap and asked him to salute his master. But Nimayi just blushed and hid his face behind his brother. Vishwarupa stood up to take leave of his master and Nimayi stood behind him holding his shirt. It was only then that the Advaitacharya had a clear look at Nimayi. The luster of his golden form and the sun-like radiance, sent a current through his body. He felt as though his deity, Janarthanaswamy, the one who removes fear of the samsara, stood before him in the form of a little boy. He mentally bowed down at the lotus feet of Nimayi. He asked Vishwarupa, “Is he your brother?” Vishwarupa said, “Yes, Master. He is a very naughty boy but stands before you as though he knows nothing. You will see his true colours if you go to the Ganges. There he turns the whole world upside down”. The master’s face lit up with a smile.

As his brother left, Nimayi turned back a few times and looked at the master. The master stood transfixed and forgot his own self. He could not comprehend the experience he was going through. It was this Advaitacharya who later became an important apostle of Gauranga(Nimayi) and proclaimed to the world that Gauranga was a great Avatara Purusha!

To be continued......