(5/7) Small Service, Great Heart

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Speaking to devotees worldwide,
30 November 2020, part 5

There are so many pastimes that Mahaprabhu showed in Puri. One time, Mahaprabhu sent Pradyumna Misra to Raya Ramananda to hear Krishna-katha. There is also another Mahaprabhu's pastime that I would like to remind you of. This pastime involved Govinda, Mahaprabhu servant who cooked for Mahaprabhu and massaged Mahaprabhu's feet every day.

One day, when Govinda came to Mahaprabhu's room, he could not go inside because Mahaprabhu was lying in the doorway. Actually, Mahaprabhu wanted to test Govinda, 'I want to see what his service mood is like.' Seeing Mahaprabhu lying in the doorway, Gavinda asked, 'Prabhu, could You move a little so that I could go inside to massage Your feet?'

'No, I am very tired and cannot move,' Mahaprabhu answered.

'But I do this service every day...' Govinda tried to say.

'That is your matter. Whether you will do it or not, it is your matter.'

What did Govinda do then? He took his uttariya cloth and, putting it on top of Mahaprabhu's body, jumped over into the room. Then, he massaged Mahaprabhu's feet very nicely, and Mahaprabhu had a good rest. Govinda stayed in the room. He sat against a well and rested, feeling a little tired. At midnight, Mahaprabhu woke up and saw Govinda was still in the room.

'Oh, you are still here?' He said. 'Did you not go outside to take prasad and take rest?'

'Prabhu,' Govinda answered, 'how will I go out? You are lying in the door way. How can I cross You?'

'How did you come inside then?'

'Prabhu, at that time, I came for Your service. I can commit any sin, any offence for Your service – if any offence or sin comes, I will no doubt never leave Your service. But for my own interest, for my own enjoyment (for my eating or sleeping), I cannot cross You.'

There are many other similar examples in Mahaprabhu's pastimes. We can remember King Prataparudra, too.

In Mahaprabhu's time, King Prataparudra was the king in Odisha, similar to King Gajapati at present. King Prataparudra tried to meet with Mahaprabhu many times, but Mahaprabhu showed an example to everybody, 'I am a sannyasi, and if I meet with the king, everybody will think that I only meet with rich people. I do not want to meet with him.' Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya and Nityananda Prabhu tried to persuade Mahaprabhu in many ways, but Mahaprabhu did not agree. King Prataparudra lamented, 'I am a big king, I have a great kingdom and much money, but what is the use of all this money and kingdom if I cannot meet with Mahaprabhu?' Still, Mahaprabhu was very strong about it. Finally, when devotees ask Him one more time, Mahaprabhu said, 'I do not want to meet with him! If you ever take his name again, I will not stay here. I will leave this place!' Feeling scared, nobody spoke to Mahaprabhu about King Prataparudra again. But everyone always kept in touch with the king and prayed for him. King Prataparudra also often prayed to Nityananda Prabhu, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya or Raya Ramananda, 'How can I meet with Mahaprabhu?' King Prataparudra was a very pious man, and he did very much service for Gaudiya Vaishnavs. During the Ratha-yatra time, many devotees would come from all over Bengal (they were brought to Puri by Nityananda Prabhu and Sivananda Sen), and King Prataparudra made all arrangements for them. He gave everyone rooms to stay, prasad to take. He took care of all the pilgrims and arranged everything for them. At some point, King Prataparudra became desperate. He said, 'How can I meet with Mahaprabhu? If I do not get His mercy, I will become a yogi! I will go to the forest, leaving my kingdom and everything else.' Devotees tried to comfort him, 'Please do not do this. Please wait. Have patience.' Then, one day, Nityananda Prabhu told him, 'Give your son a good devotional dress and send him to me. I will take him to Mahaprabhu.' Mahaprabhu accepted King Prataparudra's son – He was very happy to see him. When the king's son came back to the palace, King Prataparudra was overwhelmed, 'My son has got Mahaprabhu's mercy!' Overjoyed, he embraced his son. But then he felt very upset. He thought, 'Oh, how can I meet with Mahaprabhu? Will He never give His mercy to me? He says that He will bestow His mercy on all fallen soul, but it seems that He has promised to bestow His mercy on everybody except me!' In the end, Nityananda Prabhu devised a way for the king to get Mahaprabhu's mercy. Nityananda Prabhu told King Prataparudra, 'When Mahaprabhu is dancing and chanting in front of chariots at the Ratha-yatra time, He will swoon in ecstasy (asta-sattvik vikar) and faint. At this time, He will be taken to Balagandi Udyan (Lord Jagannath's garden). You will come there and recite this particular sloka from Srimad Bhagavatam:

তব কথামৃতং তপ্তজীবনং
কবিভিরীড়িতং কল্মষাপহম্ ।
শ্রবণমঙ্গলং শ্রীমদাততং
ভুবি গৃণন্তি তে ভূরিদা জনাঃ ॥

tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanam
kavibhir iditam kalmasapaham
sravana-mangalam srimad-atatam
bhuvi grnanti te bhurida janah

'My Dear, bestowing the greatest fortune that is attained after so many births, exalted souls come to this world and live here by singing and spreading Your nectarean glories that are life and soul for those suffering in this material world being devoid of Your divine love; that are the gist of all poets' songs; that are the destroyer of all sins; that benefit anyone who hears them; and that possess universal attraction.'

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.14.13)

Before the Ratha-yatra started that year, King Prataparudra took up the lowest service. You know that during the Ratha-yatra of Lord Jagannath, the king always comes and sweeps the chariots and the street. King Prataparudra thought, 'Oh, the chariots and the devotees will be going down this street. I will sweep it for them.' He did this lowest service of a sweeper. That is why he could get Mahaprabhu's mercy. Mahaprabhu was very happy with his mood, and He gave him much mercy. When Mahaprabhu was resting in the garden, King Prataparudra came to massage His feet. As he massaged Mahaprabhu's feet, he recited the sloka that Nityananda Prabhu had told him, and Mahaprabhu forgot Himself – He did not see that it was the king in front of him; He embraced King Prataparudra and cried out, 'Bhuri da! Bhuri da!' 'Bhuri da' means a great donor. Who is the greatest donor in this world? Those who distribute Mahaprabhu's message, who distribute the Holy Name in this world are the greatest donors. This is said in Srimad Bhagavatam. Mahaprabhu embraced King Prataparudra and cried, 'Bhuri da! Bhuri da! Those who distribute the Holy Name in this world are great donors!'

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Length: 49 min
Language: English

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Understanding Religion of Kali-Yuga
2) Who Is Mahaprabhu?
3) Understanding Lord Jagannath
4) Mahaprabhu's Mystic Pastimes
5) Small Service, Great Heart
6) Love and Appreciate Mahaprabhu's Gift
7) Highest Devotion