This is the observance of the Jata karma samskara for baby Nimai (Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu)
Generally speaking what is to happen is that on the day of Gaura Purnima everyone holds a fast from grains up until the evening when the full moon rises commemorating the time when the Lord appeared.
The next day is for feasting. That is today. So first after meditating on performing tha Jata karman ceremony on baby Nimai - at the Yoga Pith in Mayapur where they have a Deity of Baby Nimai on Mother Sachi lap they formally perform the Jata karman ceremony after reading from Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat (which deals specifically with Baby Nimai's pastimes) or Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta Adi Lila about the childhood pastimes of Lord Chaitanya.
Amongst the Gaudiya Vaishnavas in the Gaudiya Maths this festival is termed as Anandotsava of Sri Jagannath Mishra - the feast celebrating Mahaprabhu's appearance.
SRI CAITANYA BHAGAVATA
Adi Lila Chapter
3.
Even
before He took his birth, the Lord propagated the chanting of His holy
name.
1
Streams
of people went for their bath in the Ganga at the time of the eclipse and
all the way they chanted the Lord's name.
2
Some,
who from their birth never once uttered the Lord's name, now chanted that
name on their way to the Ganga.
3
The sound of chanting
emanated from every direction and the Supreme Lord, the best of the brahmins,
smiled to Himself as He made His appearance.
4
Sri Jagannatha
Misra and Srimati Sacidevi glanced at their child's beautiful face and
were over come with unbounded joy.
5
Ladies
stood around the child not knowing what to do; fussily they ululated in
jubilation.
6
Relatives
and friends hurried to see the new born child; Sri Jagannatha Misra's
house was a scene of great exultation.
7
Srimati
Sacidevi's father, Sri Nilambara Cakravarti, found esoteric and wonderful
signs in every house of the child's astrological chart.
8
Sri Cakravarti
was astounded by the baby's beauty and saw all divine symbols on His person.
9
A much
accepted prophesy in Bengal was that someday a king would be born in Bengal
as a brahmin's son, so Sri Cakravarti thought that only the future would
prove whether this was the child.
10
In the
presence of all, Sri Nilambara Cakravarti, an expert astrologer, began
explaining the ramifications of different astrological signs in the Lord's
chart.
11
The further
he delved into the child's exalted chart, the more difficulty he found
in describing the Lord's position.
12
The child
will conquer Brhaspati (the sign for learning and education) and be a scholar;
He will be a natural repository of all divine qualities.
13
Present
in that gathering was a great saint in the guise of a brahman who made
predictions on the Lord's future.
14
The brahman
said, "This child is the Supreme Lord Narayana Himself. He will establish
the essence of all religion.
15
"He will
initiate a wonderful preaching movement and deliver the whole world.
16
"He will
give everyone that which is forever desirable even by Lord Brahma, Lord
Siva or Srila Sukadeva Gosvami.
17
"Upon
seeing Him people will feel compassion for all living entities and become
callous toward material pains and joys. This will be the great benediction
for the whole world.
18
"Not
to mention ordinary men, even hard-core atheists will worship the child's
lotus feet.
19
"He will
be glorified throughout the entire creation and people from all orders
of life will come to worship Him.
20
"He is
the personification of pure Bhagavat religion (eternal religion), the benefactor
of brahmanas, cows and devotees and the affectionate, devoted son of His
parents.
21
"This
child has come to accomplish great works, just as the Supreme Lord Narayana
incarnated to re-establish religious principles."
22
"Who
can explain the imports of this child's exalted astrological and esoteric
symptoms?
23
"How
fortunate you are, Sri Jagannatha Misra, a leader amongst men. I
offer my obeisances to you, the illustrious father of this child.
24
"I feel
greatly fortunate that I could calculate his astrological chart.
His name accordingly will be Sri Visvambhara.
25
"He will
be known to all as Navadvipa-Chandra (the moon of Navadvipa). He is spiritual
bliss personified."
26
The brahmin
did not speak further about Lord Caitanya's pastime of accepting the renounced
order of sannyasa since that would disturb the loving emotion of His parents.
27
Sri Jagannatha
Misra was enthralled with ecstasy over the descriptions of his son.
He immediately wanted to offer gifts to the brahmin.
28
He was
a poor man with few possessions, yet feeling great jubilation Sri Misra
fell at the brahmin's feet and cried.
29
The brahman
also caught Sri Misra's feet, and everyone present
shouted "Hari, Hari"
in great joy.
30
The relatives
and friends were all praise for the child, and they blessed Him as they
heard the super-natural predictions about His future.
31
Soon
the musicians arrived playing their respective instruments - clay drums,
flutes and shanhai (a reed instrument) – and filled the air with wonderful
music.
32
Ladies
from the higher planets mingled freely yet unnoticed with the ladies from
earth in this wonderful gathering.
33
The mother
of the demigods (Aditi) smiled and placed her right hand holding auspicious
grass and paddy on the child's head to bless him saying, "Long life".
34
"Please
remain eternally in this material world and manifest Your pastimes".
This explained the expression "Long life".
35
Srimati
Sacidevi and the others noticed the extraordinary beauty of these ladies
but they hesitated to inquire about their identity.
36
The demigods
respectfully took the dust from Sacidevi's feet, and she lost her speech
in extreme exultation.
37
Neither
the Vedas nor Lord Ananta Sesa could describe the waves of jubilation that
drowned Sri Jagannatha Misra's house. Entire Nadia seemed to be present
at Sacidevi's house to experience that indescribable joy.
38 & 39
Wherever
the people were - in their houses, or on the banks of the Ganga, or on
the streets, - they all loudly chanted the Lord's name.
40
Everyone
jubilantly celebrated the Lord's birth, unknowingly thinking the festivity
was actually for the lunar eclipse.
41
Lord
Caitanya appeared on the full moon night of the month of Phalguna; this
day is the most worshippable by Lord Brahma and other great personalities.
42
This
day of the Lord's appearance is the holiest of holy occasions; this day
is devotion personified.
43
Lord
Caitanya appeared on the full moon night of Phalguna and Lord Nityananda
appeared on the 13th night of the waxing moon. Both these days are all
auspicious and transcendental occasions.
44 & 45
If one
properly follows these two holy occasions he develops love of Godhead and
cuts asunder the knots of material illusion.
46
The appearance
days of pure Vaishnava devotees like the appearance day of the Supreme
Lord, are also all auspicious and transcendental.
47
Whosoever
hears the narrations of Lord Caitanya's birth is freed from all miseries
in life and in death.
48
Anyone
who hears Lord Caitanya's pastimes immediately gets love of God and becomes
his eternal servitor; he comes with the Lord each time He advents in this
material world.
49
The Adi
Khanda text is wonderful to hear because it contains descriptions of Lord
Caitanya's appearance.
50
The Vedic
literature describes these pastimes of the Lord as eternal, although He
sometimes appears and sometimes disappears.
51
Lord
Caitanya's pastimes have no beginning and no end; I write them down by
the mercy of the Lord.
52
I offer
my humble obeisances at the Lord's feet and at the feet of all His devotees.
I pray that I may be excused from all offenses.
53
I, Vrndavana
dasa, offer this song to the lotus feet of my life and soul, Lord Sri Krsna
Caitanya and Lord Sri Nityananda Prabhu.
54
SRI CHAITANYA BHAGAVATA.
Adi Lila Chapter
4.
All glories,
all glories to the lotus feet-eyed, moon-like Lord Caitanya; all glories,
all glories to all Your loving devotees.
1
O Lord,
look upon me mercifully so that my delusion is dispelled and I may be able
to serve and worship You day and night.
2
The wonderful
appearance of the Lord increased the happiness of everyone in Srimati Sacidevi's
house. Both Sri Jagannatha Misra's and Srimati Sacidevi's hearts
heaved joyous waves while looking at the Lord's beautiful face.
3 & 4
Sri Visvarupa
would pick up his brother in his arms and smile gleefully at the Supreme
Lord, the abode of all transcendental joys.
5
Friends
and relatives lingered, surrounding the Lord affectionately all the time.
6
Some
chanted mantras of enchantments in the Lord's room for His protection.
The Vishnu Raksa mantra (invoking Lord Vishnu's protection) or Devi mantra
(invoking Durga devi's protection) were chanted while some people circumambulated
the Lord' house.
7
And when
the Lord would cry, shedding tears from His lotus eyes, only the sound
of the holy name of Krsna would pacify Him.
8
Finally
everyone understood the secret message and whenever the Lord cried, they
immediately chanted Lord Hari's name.
9
The demigods
were in a jovial mood and decided to play some practical jokes on the people
who always surrounded Nimai.
10
A demigod
in a spiritual body stole quietly about the house, unseen by human eyes.
When the peopled saw a shadowy figure slither past they exclaimed, "There
goes a thief!"
11
Terror-stricken,
some of them loudly chanted "Nrsimha! Nrsimha!", while others murmured
the Aparajita Stotra (prayers to Parvati devi, wife of Lord Shiva) for
protection.
12
While
many persons were going around the house chanting all different mantras
and prayers, a great commotion was heard from inside Srimati Sacidevi's
house.
13
The demigods
had assembled to see the Lord, but the people outside thought that thieves
were entering.
14
Some
shouted, "Catch the thief! Thief!", while others continuously chanted,
"Nrsimha, Nrsimha".
15
A brahmin
priest endowed with powers of exorcising ghosts threatened the invisible
demigods, "You're lucky you got away today, but you do not know the tremendous
power of Lord Nrsimha-deva."
16
Unseen
by anyone, the demigods laughed to themselves. In this way a month
passed.
17
Completing
her one-month of confinement, the period of contamination after childbirth,
Srimati Sacidevi went for a bath in the Ganga with the other ladies.
18
Amongst
singing and joyous clamor Sacidevi bathed in the Ganga. She worshipped
Ganga devi and thereafter she worshipped a village goddess called Sasthi.
19
After
worshipping different demigods in accordance with proper rites Sacidevi
returned with the satisfied ladies.
20
According
to the social custom, Sacidevi respectfully offered all the ladies roasted
paddy, bananas, oil, vermilion powder, betel nuts and betel leaf.
21
The ladies
in turn blessed the child and offered respects to Sacidevi before they
returned to their respective homes.
22
In this
way the Supreme Lord Caitanya performed His childhood pastimes. Without
the Lord's mercy these pastimes are incomprehensible.
23
The lord
as a child cried frequently. His real intention in crying was to
induce everyone to chant the Lord's holy name.
24
The ladies
tried one way or another to pacify Him, but He cried all the more.
25
As soon
as they chanted "Hari, Hari", a beaming smile spread across the Lord's
exquisite moon-like face.
26
Discovering
that this pleased the Lord, everyone got together and repeated Lord Hari's
name while clapping their hands.
27
Happily
everyone performed congregational chanting and Saci devi's house resounded
with the Lord's name.
28
Unknown
to all, Lord Caitanya's childhood pastimes in Sri Jagannatha Misra's house
were a facsimile to Gopala Krsna's childhood pastimes.
29
When
no one was present in a room, He would intentionally scatter things around
after pouring milk, butter or oil on the floor.
30 & 31
Forewarned
that mother Saci devi was approaching, He would quickly lay down and start
crying.
32
Mother
Saci devi would pacify Him by repeating Lord Hari's name until she noticed
the different substances spread all over the floor.
33
"Who
has scattered the rice, wheat and dahl? Why are these broken pots
of curd and milk on the floor?
34
No one
could understand who had done this. There was only the four-month-old
baby in the house.
35
Curiosity
drew everyone to that room, but they could not find any trace of the culprit.
36
Some
conjectured, "A demon or ghost must have come, but due to the effect of
the mantras it could not harm the baby. Angry that it could do nothing
to the child, it threw everything around and escaped".
37 & 38
This
incident left Sri Jagannatha Misra quite perplexed, but thinking it a providential
interference, he did not comment.
39
In spite
of the extensive damage, both Sri Jagannatha Misra and Sacidevi felt their
sorrows soothed by just looking at the child's face.
40
Days
passed wrapped in mystery until the day of the name giving ceremony arrived.
41
Sri Nilambara
Cakravarti and other learned scholars and friends assembled there.
42
Respectable,
chaste ladies who looked as fresh and glowing as Laksmi devi, the goddess
of fortune, attended the ceremony in beautiful saris.
43
Everyone
discussed which name the child would have. Some ladies made one suggestion
while other ladies made another.
44
"This
child will have no younger brother or sisters, so being the last child
of the family, he should be named Nimai", said one lady.
45
After
considering all points the scholars said there was one name appropriate
for the child.
46
As soon
as He was born, famine ended in the land and the farmers were blessed with
the long-awaited rain.
47
Happy
and healthy conditions returned to the land at His birth. It was similar
to the ancient story of Lord Narayana protecting and upholding the universe
during devastation.
48
Hence,
His name should be Sri Visvambhara (sustainer of the world). This
is confirmed in His horoscope, for He is the brightest torchbearer of His
family.
49
The name
Nimai that the respected ladies gave will be His second name.
50
The name
was given at an auspicious moment when all the planetary indications were
right and amidst readings of ”Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam, and the
Vedas, etc. by the brahmins.
51
The demigods
and humans assembled together on this occasion and offered benedictions.
They chanted Lord Hari's all-auspicious holy names while blowing conch
shells and ringing bells.
52
Rice,
paddy, books, roasted paddy, coins, gold and silver were placed for the
child to hold (testing the child's tendency).
53
Sri Jagannatha
encouraged his son, "My dear Visvambhara, take whatever your heart desires".
54
Sacidevi's
son, the Supreme Lord, ignored all items and picked up the ”Srimad Bhagavatam
and embraced it.
55
The ladies
loudly glorified the Lord. Everyone was impressed and said, "He will
be a great scholar".
56
Some
commented that the child would turn out to be an elevated Vaishnava devotee
with the extraordinary capacity to easily grasp the imports of the scriptures.
57
Whoever
saw Lord Visvambhara's enchanting smile became drenched in showers of bliss.
58
Once
the ladies had the child on their laps, they would not put Him down.
This child, the Supreme Lord, is almost unapproachable even by demigods.
59
And whenever
the Lord started crying the ladies clapped their hands and chanted Lord
Hari's name.
60
Hearing
the chanting the Lord swayed blissfully as though he were dancing on their
laps. This excited the ladies who in turn increased their chanting.
61
The Supreme
Lord, by His desire, had everyone constantly chanting the Lord's name,
on any available pretext.
62
The Vedas,
”Srimad Bhagavatam and other scriptures conclude that no undertaking reaches
success without the Supreme Lord's desire.
63
Sacidevi's
son, the Supreme Lord Caitanya, grew day by day, motivating everyone to
chant His own holy name.
64
When
the Lord began to crawl on His knees He looked most charming. The
small ankle bells on His feet were pleasing to hear.
65
The Lord
fearlessly moved around everywhere, catching anything he saw - fire, snakes,
anything.
66
One day
a snake slithered through the courtyard and the Lord caught hold of him
simply to enact another pastime.
67
The Lord
lay down on the coils of the snake.
68
When
the residents of the house saw Him they screamed in alarm, but the Lord
calmly smiled and remained in that relaxed position.
69
The people
shouted, "Garuda! Garuda!" while Nimai's parents waited in anxiety.
70
The snake,
who was really Lord Ananta Sesa, started to slither away when he heard
all the crying and commotion, but little Nimai tried to stop him.
71
The ladies
rushed over and grabbed up the Lord in their arms, each one blessing Him
that he might have a long life.
72
Some
relatives tied a talisman on Nimai for his protection, while some chanted
benediction hymns and others poured Ganga water on different parts of His
body.
73
Some
of them thought that the child had got a new life while others realized
that the snake was Ananta Sesa.
74
The Supreme
Lord Caitanya who was radiant like the moon, tried repeatedly to go back
to the snake, but everyone stopped Him.
75
These
pastimes are not revealed even in the Vedas, and anyone who hears them
is free from the bite of the serpent of material illusion.
76
Lord
Caitanya, the pleasure of Sacidevi soon toddled about the house.
77
Lord
Caitanya's extraordinary beauty eclipsed the beauty of millions of cupids:
even the radiant moon longed to behold the Lord's beauty.
78
Curly
locks decorated His exquisitely formed head and with lotus-shaped eyes
He looked like Gopala Krsna.
79
His long
arms stretched to His knees. He had an expansive chest and reddish
pink lips. All His limbs were beautifully formed.
80
His brilliant
sun-red complexion was always attractive and His fingers, hands and feet
were like blooming lotuses.
81
The Lord's
reddish complexion sometimes cause Sacimata anxiety; as the child ran about
she kept thinking she could see red, gaping wounds.
82
Sacidevi
and Sri Jagannatha Misra were always struck with great wonder at the Lord's
beauty. Although they were needy, their son was a source of unending joy
for them.
83
Together
in seclusion they whispered to each other, "I wonder what great personality
has come as our son.
84
"An elevated
and distinguished personality has taken birth in our house; perhaps this
will terminate all our material miseries.
85
"I have never
heard of any other child as wonderful as ours. He smiles and dances
without stopping when he hears the chanting of Lord Hari's name.
86
"When
He cries no amount of consoling will calm Him, but when He hears loud chanting
of Lord Hari's name He stops crying and listens.
87
"From
early morning the ladies surrounded the Lord and loudly sing Lord Hari's
name; they clap their hands in rhythm and the Lord dances gleefully."
88 & 89
The Lord
playfully rolled in the dust, then laughing he would jump into his mother's
lap.
90
The Lord
danced, moving His body in such a manner that no one can contain his laughter.
91
Nobody
could understand how the Lord through his childish pranks motivated everyone
to chant the holy name.
92
The Lord
was so vivacious and restless, fleeting in and out of the house, that no
one could catch Him.
93
Venturing
out on His own, Nimai wanted to taste whatever he saw - roasted rice, banana,
sandesh, etc.
94
The Lord
was so extremely attractive that strangers gave him whatever he requested.
95
Strangers
gave Him sandesh or banana, and pleased with His gifts the Lord returned
home. He then distributed the food to those ladies who sang Lord
Hari's name.
96 & 97
Everyone
merrily applauded the child's ingenuity and continuously sang Lord Hari's
name.
98
The Lord
wandered freely in and out of the house, whether morning, noon, evening
or night.
99
Daily
He went to a friendly neighbor's house and mysteriously stole from him.
100
In some
houses He drank all the milk and in others He ate all the rice. Wherever
He found nothing to eat He was satisfied to break all the earthen pots.
101
If He
found a small child in any house He would tease him to tears, but when
He was observed He fled.
102
But if
by chance some one caught Him, Nimai would catch the person's feet and
plead.
103
"Please let
me go this one last time; I shall never come back again. I will never
steal anymore. Please be merciful."
104
Astounded
by the boy's sharp intelligence, no one could remain angry with Him.
Ultimately everyone was affectionate towards Him.
105
People
were naturally captivated just by seeing Him, and parents loved Him more
than they loved their own children.
106
The Lord
of Vaikuntha, Lord Caitanya, passed His childhood in this manner, moving
and mischievous.
107
One day
two thieves saw the Lord roaming about the streets alone. Seeing His fine
ornaments, they conspired to steal them.
108 & 109
One of
the thieves picked Him up saying "Oh dear! Oh dear!", while the other joined
him saying, "Where have you been for so long?"
110
"Come
quickly home, dear", the thieves said. The lord smiled and replied,
"Yes, let us go home."
111
Busily
the two thieves sped away with the Lord in their arms while the street
onlookers ignorantly thought that the rightful guardians had taken their
child.
112
Teeming
thousands of people were on the streets, but all were strangers to each
other. The thieves were happy with themselves and with the ornaments
on the child.
113
Overtaken
by greed the thieves were trying to eat the imaginary pie-in-the-sky thinking
they would surely steal the golden bangles.
114
They
carried Him on their shoulders toward their hideout while the Lord rode
along chuckling to Himself.
115
One thief
passed a sandesh into the Lord's hand, while the other said comfortingly,
"We have almost reached home".
116
The thieves
had kidnapped the Lord and run far away when the Lord's relatives began
to search for Him.
117
"Visvambhara!
Come home, Nimai!" they shouted .
118
Everyone grew frantic
and restless like fish out of water.
119
In distress
they remembered Lord Govinda while far away the thieves carried Nimai toward
their house.
120
Deluded
by the Supreme Lord's illusory potency "maya", the thieves mistook the
way to their hideout; they arrived instead at the residence of Sri
Jagannatha Misra.
121
The bewildered
thieves thought they were in their own house, so they busied themselves
trying to remove the Lord's ornaments.
122
"Get
down now. We are home." said the thieves, and the Lord replied, "Yes,
yes put me down."
123
Inside
Sri Jagannatha Misra's house everyone sat around with their heads in their
hands in utter despair.
124
The beguiled
thieves took the Lord down from their shoulders, thinking the house to
be their own.
125
As soon
as Nimai was on the ground He ran straight to his father. A joyous
uproar shook the house as the relatives loudly chanted, "Hari, Hari".
126
An understandable
transformation overwhelmed the people as if life had returned to their
bodies.
127
The thieves
realized that the house was not their own, but they could not recognize
where they were.
128
Taking
advantage of the commotion, the fearful thieves stealthily left the place
without being noticed by anyone.
129
Reflecting
on the strange and wonderful incident, the thieves thought, "Who is playing
tricks with us?"
130
"Candidevi
(goddess Durga) certainly saved us today," they said after regaining their
composure. Then they embrace each other.
131
The thieves
actually gained immeasurable piety and good fortune because they carried
the Supreme Personality of Godhead on their shoulders.
132
In Sri
Jagannatha Misra's house the happy relatives asked, "Who brought the child
back? We should offer him nice gifts and tie a turban on his head."
133
Some
one said, "I saw two persons come with the child, put him down and leave,
but I do not know which direction they went after that.
134
Everyone was
surprised that whoever brought the child back did not stay to be acknowledged.
135
They
turned to Nimai and asked, "Our dear child, tell us who brought you back.
We are puzzled."
136
The Lord
replied, "I went to the banks of the Ganga but I lost my way home and was
roaming about in the town. Two persons took me in their arms and
brought me home".
137 & 138
"The
words of the scriptures are never wrong, The unseen hand of God always
protects children, old persons and the helpless, "they all said.
139
Being
bewildered by the Lord's illusory energy "maya" the relatives conjectured
in many ways.
140
The Supreme
Lord performed His wonderful pastimes in this manner; no one can understand
them without the Lord's direct mercy.
141
Whoever
hears these narrations - which are a mystery even in the Vedas - can easily
get undeviating devotion at Lord Caitanya's lotus feet.
142
I, Vrndavana
dasa, offer my humble song at the lotus feet of Sri Krsna Caitanya and
Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who are my life and soul.
143