41. In the town of Nabadwip there was no end of students;
    All of them at noon went to the Ganges for their bath after study;
42. And the thousands of pupils of every separate professor
    Engaged in mutual quarrels all the time.
43. In years but a child and of a restless disposition
    The Lord quarrelled with the students.
44. Some said, ‘your teacher, what does he understand?’
    Some boasted, ‘I will teach you whose student I am!’
45. In this way by degrees it became a quarrel
    Next ensued throwing of water at one another and thereafter sand.
46. Then there was fighting in right earnest every one beating whom he could,
    And mud was employed as a legitimate missile of war,
47. Some took prisoner their assailants in the name of the king,
    And some having thrashed their enemy slipped off across the Ganges.
48. The students displayed such an immense activity
    That all the water of the Ganges was turned into a thick mixture of sand and mud.
49. The women were unable to fill their pitchers with water,
    The Brahmans and worthy persons found it impossible to bathe.
50. The Lord Biswambhar was exceedingly turbulent
    And in this manner made His way to every separate bathing ghat,
51. There was no end of students at every bathing place,
    And the Lord quarrelled with them at every ghat.
52. The Lord swimming with the current made His way to all the ghats
    And at each bathing place played for an hour or so.
53. Those who were reputed to belong to the class of superior students
    Intervened and asked what did they quarrel about?
54. Were they examining one another to find out the intelligence of each?
    Were they trying to find out who knew His britti, panji, and tika correctly?
55. The Lord said, ‘this is indeed, a grand proposal!
    Let any body ask Me any questions that he likes.’
56. Some one said, ‘why do you make such an excessive boast?’
    And the Lord retorted, ‘Better ask any question that occurs to you.’
57. That student put the question, ‘construe the Sutra of the verbal root’.
    The Lord made reply, ‘listen to Me closely as I explain’.
58. The Lord God is possessed of all power,
    He offered the true explanation of the Sutra.
59. Having listened to His explanation all praised.
    Then the Lord said, ‘Now listen to the refutation of the explanation’.
60. He then found fault with every item in the explanations.
    And asked any among them who possessed the ability to support them.
61. All of them thought within themselves that it was most wonderful.
    The Lord said, ‘Hear now I defend My explanation..’
62. Once again in such a manner did Gaur Chandra construe
    That it was excellent in every way and there was no defect anywhere.
63. All those who ranked as the best among the students,
    Every one of them, embraced Him to express satisfaction.
64. The students said, ‘Thou mays’t go home today;
    But must be also able to answer what we ask to-morrow’.
65. In this manner every day in the water of the Jahnavi
    The Lord of Vaikuntha did play pastimes that were mellowed by the exquisite taste of learning.
66. For the purpose of this sport Brihaspati possessed of all knowledge
    Was born in Nabadwip with his disciples.
67. The Lord played in the water of the Jahnavi every day,
    And for fun often crossed over to the opposite bank of the Ganges.
68. The Ganges had of yore conceived many a wish
    Witnessing in the Jamuna the sports of Krishnachandra.
69. ‘Oh when shall myself be blessed with the good fortune of the Yamuna!’
    Constantly did Ganga speak these words.
70. Although the Ganges is ever worshipped by Brahma, Siva and those under them
    Yet did she covet the state of the Yamuna.
71. Sri Gaursundar is the purpose tree that fulfils every desire;
    He fulfilled the desires of the Ganges all the time.
72. Having played in many a diverse way in the water of the Jahnavi,
    Gaurchandra returned home with high pleasure.
73. After worshipping Sri Vishnu as laid down in the Scriptures
    And having duly offered water to the holy tulasi, He sat down to His meal.
74. No sooner did He finish His meal than the Lord
    Taking His books retired to a secluded corner.
75. He prepared His own tippanis of the sutras;
    The jewel of all the gods forgot everything by the taste of books.
76. The high-souled Misra beholding all this swam in happiness
    And night and day was oblivious for joy of everything else.
77. Gazing ever and anon on the face of his Son
    Every day Jagannath experienced delights that no words can describe.
78. In such wise did the Misra drink the beauty of his Child
    That he realised union with the Divinity while he was still in this body.
79. For Misra’s external joys such as those of union with the Deity were as nothing.
    The Misra held as trivial the bliss of corporeal union with God and the like.
80. Manifold obeisance at the feet of Jagannath Misra
    Whose Son is the Lord of the infinity of the worlds.
81. In this manner the best of the Misras at sight of his Son
    Floated continuously on the sea of happiness.
82. The Lord surpassed the god of love in beauty;
    The grace of every several limb of His was beyond compare.
83. Misra noted all this and the thought occurred to him
    ‘Some witch or demon might possess his Son.’
84. For fear the Misra made a surrender of his Son to Krishna,
    Lord Gaurchandra laughed as He overheard.
85. The Misra said, ‘Krishna, Thou are the protector of all,
    May Thou have Thy auspicious eye on My child.
86. ‘Inside the home of the person who remembers Thy lotus feet
    No mishap ever makes it appearance.
87. ‘In all those evil places that are void of Thy remembrance
    There abide witches, ghosts and the bad spirits.
88. ‘Where, in the sacrificial performances, the demonscaring account of the Lord of devotees
    Is not listened to, there the evil spirits do abound.’
89. ‘Thy servant, Lord, I am; to whatsoever belongs to me
    My Thou extend Thy own protection as all those are Thine.
90. ‘Wherefore whatever form of mishap or misery there may be
    May none of those ever come near my Son.’
91. In this manner, constantly, with his whole heart and with uplifted hands,
    Prayed Misra Jagannath for the Divine favour.
92. It so chanced that on a certain day the worthy Misra had a dream
    Which detailed all this happiness and made him most wretched.
93. On beholding the dream he made a prostrated obeisance reciting a prayer,
    ‘Grant, O Govinda, that Nimai may remain in my house.
94. ‘This is the only boon that I beg of Thee Krishna,
    That my Nimai may be a house-holder and stay in the family’.
95. Sachi was very much surprised and asked,
    “Why do you thus all on a sudden pray for such boons?”

(To be continued.)

Taking Refuge

(Continued from P.24, June, 1928.)

1. I have now understood that Thy feet, O Lord
   Are ever full of the nectar that dispells all fear and sorrow.
2. I have surrendered everything at Thy lotus feet:
   I have laid myself down, O Lord, under the shelter of Thy feet.
3. Thy lotus feet, O Lord, be my protection.
   No other protector have I in this worldly sojourn.
4. I know now that I am Thy eternal servant;
   The charge of my maintenance now belongs to Thee.
5. In the life that was unsubmissive to Thee I suffered much sorrow.
   All my miseries are ended by gaining those holy feet of Thine.
6. For gaining those feet Rama practised austerities.
   By obtaining Thy feet Siva attained his own well-being.
7. Thy feet fulfilled all the desire of Brahma.
   Narad Muni clasped Thy feet to his heart.
8. Thy feet that chase away all fear I hold on my head,
   And dance with the greatest joy and sing the praises of Thy feet.
9. From the perils of the worldly journey
   Thy feet will surely deliver Bhaktivinode.

(To be continued.)