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Mahãprabhu was determined to correct the Kãji who banned Nãma Sankirtan. Giving courage to his bhaktas, he told them, "None of you need to worry. I shall myself perform Nãma Sankirtan in front of Kãji. Let us see who would stop me and how!"

Prabhu said to Nithyãnanda, "I shall leave for Nãma Sankirtan this evening. We should ask our Bhaktas to reach my house. For lighting, we should carry a few firesticks." The information was conveyed to all the devotees in the city. Nithyãnanda was also very happy about Prabhu himself performing Nãma Sankirtan around the city. He felt that only that would make the masses understand the melody and beauty of Nãma Kirtan. He himself went roaming from door to door, ringing a bell to invite the devotees to join Prabhu's Nãma Sankirtan. People's enthusiasm knew no bounds.

The people in Navadweepa heard about the Nãma Sankirtan. But many of them did not have the fortune of witnessing it. Only a few of them in Srivãs Pundit's house had permission. Is it not? Now the people in the town were filled with joy, saying "It seems that Mahãprabhu is going to come singing and dancing on the streets!"

Everyone decorated their entrances with plantain 'Torans' (festoons) and put pandals in front of their houses. They drew huge 'kolams' on the street and lighted different incense sticks to spread fragrance. Colorful festoons and flags were found everywhere. Even an emperor would not get such a reception! The whole Navadweepa was glittering with decoration and expectations.

Starting in the afternoon, Mahãprabhu took strong precautions for the Nãma Sankirtan. He planned and instructed his Bhaktas as to who would lead the crowd and who would follow, who would play each instrument, who would dance for each Kirtan and so on.

Gadhãdhar, Mahãprabhu's intimate Bhakta, decorated him. He anointed Prabhu's curly hair with fragrant oils. Then he plaited it beautifully and decorated it with different flowers. He also placed the Urdhva Pundra (The sandal talisman on the forehead). He adorned Prabhu's forehead and cheeks with saffron paste. His beauty was enhanced by the lengthy garment and the long Vyjayanti garland. His lips, reddened by the specially prepared thãmbula (betel leaf and nuts) put the Kovai Pazham (a small fruit with deep red color) to shame. Thus decorated, as Mahãprabhu left his house, the Sankirtan started amidst people shouting "Hari bol! Hari bol!" (say 'Hari',say 'Hari').

Each one pushed the other to get closer to Mahãprabhu and Mahãprabhu pacified everyone. Gadhãdhar wore anklets on Prabhu's feet. All the devotees wore anklets too. Sweet sound came from Prabhu's anklets first followed by all the other devotees' anklets, as the atmosphere was filled with waves of joy. The whole crowd was immersed in Nãma Kirtan without any gender bias.

The evening rays of the half-moon envied the full-moon-like face of Mahãprabhu. Prabhu instructed his Bhaktas to lead the group singing. Sri Advaitãchãrya, who was the eldest in the group, led them, followed by Srivãs Pundit and his team. Then came Haridãs and his devotees. Finally went Mahãprabhu along with his devotees, with Gadhãdhar on his left and Nityãnanda on his right.

The ringing of the anklets and the sound of the music and the instruments reached the skies. People started losing their body consciousness and they jumped up thier feet, dancing. The whole city was filled with dance and the music of the Kirtan "Hari Bol","Hari Bol", "Gaur Bol". It was a wonderful sight!

With Gadhãdhar and Nityãnanda, Prabhu started dancing too. His dance was special today. His garland touched the ground when he danced passionately, bending his hips and raising his hands. His eyes closed in, sight turned inside and tears filled his eyes and he sang in a melodious voice. This divine dance of Prabhu made everyone fix their eyes on him. Even those who dreaded Nãm Kirtan understood that it was a superhuman Bhakti and exclaimed, "What a Bhakti! None of us have experienced such a bliss since our birth!"

The crowd grew by the hour. Everyone performed 'Ãrti' for Prabhu at their doors. They showered flowers on him. The whole route was filled with flowers. Thus singing, Prabhu reached the banks of the Ganges and then the 'Madhayi Ghat' with his devotees. Then he headed towards 'Belpukra', which was the residence of the Kãji. Only then did people realize about the Kãji. Passionately, they shouted, "Beat up the Kãji! Kill him!" and entered Kãji's house even without Prabhu's permission. They routed the plants and shrubs in his house and started behaving savagely. Kãji's men wrongly thought that Nimãyi came with his thousands of men to attack Kãji and Kãji ran inside for safety.

To be continued...

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