Nityananda Prabhu and the Lime Tree

Yesterday I began reading Sri Vrindavana Das Thakur's Chaitanya Bhagavat. In this book one discovers many detailed descriptions of Nityananda Prabhu and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu that do not seem to be elaborately depicted elsewhere. Here is one such story.

baDa prIta AmAra kadamba-puSpa-prati |

kadambera vane nitya AmAra vasati ||

My love for kadamba flowers is very great. I always reside in a forest of kadamba flowers. ||CB 278||

One day Nityananda Prabhu asked Raghava Pandit for a garland of kadamba flowers. Sorrowfully, Raghava folded his hands and replied, "This is not the season. There are no kadamba flowers to be found anywhere!" Nitai smiled and said, "Just search carefully around the house. Perhaps you will find some blooming somewhere!"

Raghava Pandit began to search. To his amazement, the lime tree in his courtyard was covered with freshly-blossomed kadamba flowers! When he saw those flowers, Raghava was filled with joy and lost external consciousness. Then, collecting himself, he gathered some of those kadamba flowers and strung a beautiful garland. As he presented that miraculous garland to Nitai Chand, everyone swam in bliss.