by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
(This account originally appeared in a short work by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura entitled "Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu: His Life and Precepts." (August 20, 1896))
Caitanya Mahāprabhu was born in Māyāpur, in the town of Nadia, just after sunset on the evening of the 23rd Phālguna, 1407 Śakābda, answering to the 18th of February, 1486, of the Christian Era. The moon was eclipsed at the time of His birth, and the people of Nadia were then engaged, as was usual on such occasions, in bathing in the Bhāgīrathī with loud cheers of "Haribol!" His father, Jagannātha Miśra, a poor brāhmaṇa of the Vedic order, and His mother, Śacī-devī, a model good woman, both descended from brāhmaṇa stock originally residing in Sylhet. Mahāprabhu was a beautiful child, and the ladies of the town came to see Him with presents. His mother's father, Paṇḍita Nīlāmbara Cakravartī, a renowned astrologer, foretold that the child would be a great personage in time; and he therefore gave Him the name Viśvambhara. The ladies of the neighborhood styled Him Gaurahari on account of His golden complexion, and His mother called Him Nimāi on account of the nimba tree near which He was born. Beautiful as the lad was, everyone heartily loved to see Him every day. As He grew up He became a whimsical and frolicsome lad. After His fifth year, He was admitted into a school, where He picked up Bengali in a very short time.
Most of His contemporary biographers have mentioned certain anecdotes regarding Caitanya which are simple records of His early miracles. It is said that when He was an infant in His mother's arms He wept continually, and when the neighboring ladies cried "Haribol!" He used to stop. Thus there was continual utterance of "Haribol!" in the house, foreshowing the future mission of the hero. It has also been stated that when His mother once gave Him sweetmeats to eat, He ate clay instead of the food. His mother asking for the reason, He stated that as every sweetmeat was nothing but clay transformed, He could eat clay as well. His mother, who was the consort of a paṇḍita, explained that every article in a special state was adapted to a special use. Earth, while in the state of a jug, could be used as a waterpot, but in the state of a brick such a use was not possible. Therefore clay in the form of sweetmeats was usable as food, but clay in its other states was not. The lad was convinced and admitted His stupidity in eating clay and agreed to avoid the mistake in the future.
The following miraculous act has been related. It is said that a brāhmaṇa on pilgrimage became a guest in His house, cooked food and read grace with meditation upon Kṛṣṇa. In the meantime the lad came and ate up the cooked rice. The brāhmaṇa, astonished at the lad's act, cooked again at the request of Jagannātha Miśra. The lad again ate up the cooked rice while the brāhmaṇa was offering it to Kṛṣṇa with meditation. The brāhmaṇa was persuaded to cook for a third time. This time all the inmates of the house had fallen asleep, and the lad showed himself as Kṛṣṇa to the traveler and blessed Him. The brāhmaṇa was then lost in ecstasy at the appearance of the object of his worship.
It has also been stated that two thieves stole away the lad from His father's door with a view to purloin His jewels and gave Him sweetmeats on the way. The lad exercised His illusory energy and deceived the thieves so that they went back toward His own house. The thieves, for fear of detection, left the boy there and fled.