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Sri Bhakti Ratnakara Aug 18, CANADA (SUN) — A serial presentation of Sri Bhakti Ratnakara by Srila Narahari Cakravarti Thakur.
The residents of Ekchakra regularly visited the house of Harai Pandita to console him and his wife. Three months had passed but Harai and Parvati had not taken a bit of food. They had grown mad by continuous crying and calling out the name of Nityananda. Villagers would offer them food but the thought of sustaining their lives simply increased their misery. In hs madness Harai would call out to Nitai requesting him to come and sit on his lap for he had not seen him in such a long time. Other times he would call Nitai to accompany him to the tank for a bath. Then he would call his son to walk in front as they walked in the field inspecting the ripeness of the rice plants. Then he would call Nitai to accompany him to the market to but new clothes and other play things. He would callhis son to come and eat the prasad of Visnu, telling him that his mother was waiting. Or he would ask Nitai to take part in a debate on Sastra with other students of the Pandita. Occasionally he would call his wife in great excitement to come and see that Nityananda was coming down the road. The sannyasi Thakura had kindly returned their son. In this way the parents of Nityananda passed their day until the time of their death. After their disappearance the friends of Nityananda left Ekchakra and the villagers also moved to other places without telling anyone where they were going. Across the river a Yavana had built a village in his own name and a small population had developed there. In the passing of time, Ekchakra had become simply ruins. The old brahmana continued to tell Jahnava Isvari and the Vaisnavas that only he a few other men remained in Ekchakra because of the memory of Nityananda. Although he was old and he could not walk properly, he would nevertheless leave his home each day and wander the streets and fields of Ekchakra to visit the places where Nityananda used to play. Just in the shadow of his peepal tree Nityananda and his friends would eat and play. "Providence is cruel for I have lived this long life with only my memories of Nityandanda. I simply hoped that one day I would see him again but, alas, he has never returned to Ekchakra. I simply pray to be reborn in Ekchakra life after life on the hope of seeing my Nityananda. And at the end of each life let me simply call the name of Nitai Canda." The old brahmin broke down in bitter sobbing and called out the name of Nitai. Sri Jahnava and the other devotees left their emotions unchecked and tears rolled like rivers from their eyes. Krsnadasa Pandita bowed again and again at the feet of the brahmana.
The Vaisnava assembly to guide them through Ekchakra. He took them first to the house of Harai Pandita but he could not describe the house for he was choked with emotion. Without saying anything he left the assembly and returned to his own home crying bitterly. Sri Isvari did not stop him, but with heavy hearts the Vaisnavas entered the house of Harai Pandita although the house was simply ruins the devotees felt a strong attraction for it. They decided to pass the night in that house performing sankirtana.
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