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One day, Mahaprabhu, in 'Gopi' bhãva, started chanting 'Gopi','Gopi' loudly. A pandit, well known to Prabhu's father came there. He was a scholar in the Shãstras. However he failed to cognize 'prema bhakti'. He told Nimãyi, "what benefit would you reap screaming aloud 'Gopi'. Chant 'Krishna', 'Krishna'. That makes it a Nãma Kirtan too, well conforming to the Shãstras." Hearing this, Prabhu, entranced in the divine bhãva, thought him to be a friend of Krishna deceiving him, in a fit of rage, pounced on him with a club to attack him. The pandit fleed, and Prabhu started following him too. The bhaktas, noticing the pundit running, panting with his shoulder cloth and bag falling apart and prabhu following him with a club, stopped the latter. Prabhu fell unconscious.

The Pandit had run far away and then turned back. Noticing that Prabhu was not in the vicinity, stopped to rest. Everyone around questioned him as he was panting and sweating. He slowly said, "Hearing about the devotion of Jagannath Misra's son, I went to see him. He was screaming aloud the name 'Gopi'. I advised him not to do so, and instead chant the name of Krishna as it would be in keeping with the Shãstras. He started chasing me with a club. IS this devotion? Isn't this savage? Should a devotee not possess the feeling of calmness and non-violence towards all living beings?". He lectured, "I have a thousand disciples under me. By my mere insinuation, I could have them attack Nimãyi and his disciples. Wait and watch!". He explained all the happenings to his disciples. A few of them who were wise pacified him, saying that nothing had really happened and suggested that they wait and watch. A few other greedy disciples immediately readied for a quarrel.

Returning to normalcy from his trance, Prabhu was briefed on the happenings. He repented for his deed. He was already distressed at his home, friends, disciples and his kirtan. This incident only added more fuel to the fire. He now sake solitude. His heart now longed to forsake everything and take up Sanyãsa to work for the well-being of the masses.

As Prabhu's heart was always filled with waves of 'Vairãgya' (determination and renunciation), he now longed to renounce everything. There was no one to stop him. He had already been doing good for the world from his home. Still, how can one, who was born to propogate the Name of the Lord to the whole world, live as a family man? He decided to receive Sanyãsa diksha.

To be continued...

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