PLATE ONE

“The devotees celebrated the festival of Janmastami, Krsna’s birthday,
which is also called Nanda-mahotsava, the festival of Nanda Maharaja. At
that time Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His devotees dressed themselves
as cowherd boys. It was at this time that Srila Advaita AcArya said, ‘Please
do not be angry. | speak the truth. | shall know whether You are a
cowherd boy only if You can wheel this rod about.’ Accepting Advaita
Acarya’s challenge, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu took a big rod and began to
wheel it around and around. Again and again He threw the rod into the
sky and caught it when it fell. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu wheeled and
threw the rod, sometimes over His head, sometimes behind His back,
sometimes in front of Him, sometimes to His side and sometimes be-
tween His legs. Indeed, all the people laughed to see this.” (pp.9-72 )
