SRI PURI DHAM MAHATMYA-MUKTA-MALA

(15) Mercy for King Prataparudra

Although King Prataparudra was a king, he always served Vaishnavs and always arranged everything for devotees; but still Mahaprabhu promised that He would not see his face because he was a king. Prataparudra was a king, but he had a very strong desire. If you have much desire, the Lord must bestow His mercy upon you. We also want to have such a strong desire, such a strong hankering. When you call the Lord, you must actually call Him – if you can do it, then the Lord will bestow His mercy on you.

So, King Prataparudra could not come to Mahaprabhu, but as the result of his service to Vaishnavs, he did get Mahaprabhu’s darshan in the end. This is how it happened.

Nityananda Prabhu, Sivananda Sen, Svarup Damodar and other devotees asked Mahaprabhu many times, ‘Prabhu, King Prataparudra wants You to mercifully allow him to meet You. Can You grant him Your darshan? Although he is a rich man, a king, he is a good man and has a good heart. He is always trying very hard to serve all the devotees. When Nityananda Prabhu and Sivananda Sen come with devotees, he always arranges accommodation for everybody.’ Mahaprabhu did not agree. He said, ‘I know it, but he is a king, so I do not want to see him.’ Devotees tried to soften the Lord’s mind again and again, but in the end Mahaprabhu got angry and said, ‘If you ever tell Me about him again, I will not stay here. I will go away, and you will never see Me again.’ Hearing this, devotees put fingers in their ears and promised, ‘We do not want to hear this. Prabhu, we will never speak to You about him again.’

In the meantime, King Prataparudra was restless. He asked devotees every day, ‘What is the news? What is the news? When will I get Prabhu’s mercy?’

adarsaniyan api nicha-jatin
samviksate hanta tathapi no mam
mad-eka-varjjam krpayisyatiti
nirniya kim so ’vatatara devah

‘He casts His merciful glance upon even lowborn persons who are unfit to be seen; yet He will not grant me His audience. Has the Lord (Sri Chaitanyadev) made His advent deciding that He will give His grace to all but me?’

(King Prataparudra, Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamrita, 8.20)

Somebody gave him an item of Mahaprabhu’s clothes, and he started worshipping it.

One day, he asked if he could send his son to Mahaprabhu, and Mahaprabhu agreed. Devotees dressed the king’s son in Vaishnav clothes and brought him to the Lord. When the boy returned home, the king embraced him and said, ‘How fortunate you are! You have got Mahaprabhu’s mercy! But I am so unfortunate…’

After some time, Nityananda Prabhu took pity on him. He told him, ‘O King! Your desire is so strong that you simply must get Mahaprabhu’s mercy! Listen carefully to what I shall tell you. I will tell you what to do. When Mahaprabhu comes in front of Lord Jagannath’s chariot and dances, chanting kirtan, He will become overwhelmed with asta-sattvika-vikara and fall unconscious. At that time you will come to Him – massage His feet and recite one verse.’ The king did as he was told.

On the day of Ratha-yatra, the king left his royal attire and wore a dhoti and a kurta. Then, he very humbly came to the chariots and swept the road in front of them. When Mahaprabhu got tired, He went to the Balagandi garden and fell there unconscious. Then, the king came to Him and, massaging His feet, recited:

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)

Hearing this verse, Mahaprabhu awoke. ‘Bhurida janah! Bhurida janah!’ – as He kept saying this, He forcefully embraced the king. What does ‘bhurida’ mean? It means a donor, a benefactor. Who is the greatest donor in this world? Those who give money and other wealth? Are they donors? The greatest donors are those who go door to door distributing the Holy Name of Lord Krishna in this world.

This is how King Prataparudra finally attained Mahaprabhu’s mercy.

— ☸ ☸ ☸ —

CONTENTS