Unfortunately, the abbot died and no son was born. Dondrup and Loga then went to Kalek monastery’s abbot, Amdo Palden. He gave the same advice as Karma Norzang, but also told them if they had a son, that he must teach their son at Kalek monastery. Lolaga got pregnant again.

During this time, she had many auspicious dreams such as white cranes offerings her a bowl of yogurt, with a golden letter resting on top of the bowl. The three cranes sent by Guru Rinpoche in the dream informed Loga that this letter was the recognition letter for her son.

On June 26, 1985, the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje was born. The night before, rainbows stretched across the sky. After his birth a cuckoo landed on the tent and sang. Throughout the valley the sound of a conch shell and music resounded as everyone recalls. Throughout eastern Tibet, three suns were seen in the sky.

Amdo Palden refused to name the child because he knew the child was special, so for the time the Karmapa was just called Apo Gaga. Amdo Palden gave him a special seat in Kalek Monastery’s assembly. A mirror divination oracle proclaimed that Apo Gaga’s destiny would be known when he reached eight (seven years in the western calendar, Tibetans count a child as one year old when they are born). Apo Gaga received four years of learning under Amdo Palden. He returned to his family to help out during the harvest seasons. In his childhood, he was known for making small monasteries from earth, making thrones to sit on, spending time alone in the hills with wild animals and becoming upset whenever he saw an animal hurt.