Maha-Prasade Govinde – A True Story

By: Avyanga Das

Hare Krishna to you all devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisance,

All glories to Sri Guru & Sri Gauranga,

Sometimes in our lives certain things happen in such a way that we don’t understand them, else keep silent and try to understand reason behind them. Similarly; there had been many times when devotees have experienced living dramas which were difficult to believe. Like our previous posts we are again trying to add another milestone in the series of True Stories. This time we are describing an incident happened with one of our devotee friends who keeps immense faith in our practices and philosophy.

It was a routine day for Madhava (name has been changed on request); he was highly occupied in his office where he works in night shifts. Being in quality department, he and his team is supposed to have complete quality check on operations and maintain high standards. Days have not been passing good for him because of high work pressure, which even forced him to extend his shift and stay back till late. He had been working hard to meet deadlines before the end of the month. It was the last day of month when all efforts were paid when it was declared that he and his team met with all standards and were able to over achieve targets.

It was the time of great happiness and relaxation when all team members decided to go out for celebration. It was 03:00 o’clock (early morning) and team members decided to go out to a bar cum restaurant for Wine “n” Dine. All team members were supposed to attend the celebration without any excuse as per the order of the director. Madhava had no way to escape. All of them boarded in cars and reached the venue which was full of living dead bodies, so called sophisticated rich and high-class people, half awake by the influence of liquor. All of them entered the site and got mixed with the crowd. Unpleasant surroundings made Madhava felt like an uninvited guest. It was Brahama Muarata, around 04:00 a.m. which is considered to be the best time for religious activities in every religion but he could see none of them even thinking about anything apart from sense gratification. People around were all drinking, dancing on loud music and misbehaving with one another. Most of them were indulge in intoxication and other abusive activities with people of opposite sex. Looking that Madhava tried to escape out of that crowd for a while and prayed for the mercy of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Guru Maharaja so that he does not even get attracted towards such “Maya” even for a second.

Within no time, of them were settled on tables and started deciding about drinks and food to have. They ordered in bulk for Beer, Whiskey and other alcoholic drinks with big amount non-vegetarian snacks. All of them started to ask him (Madhava) to share with them, but he simply refused to eat anything for a non-vegetarian kitchen. All of them respected him for his strong faith and believes. Finally he grabbed a bottle of mineral water and started sipping some out of that. He was constantly watching all his team mates enjoying drinks and gulping dead-bodies down their throats. He was surprised to see that there was no limit of their love for such contaminated things.

Then the moment came to grab the dance floor. All of them were really excited to dance wild now. During dance they were hitting each other and also abusing and misbehaving with one another. This made Madhava think about the real pleasure of singing and dancing together during Mangal Arotik at ISKCON Temples. There was no comparison between both. Later his team mates indulged into fight with other gang which accused them for stealing one’s wallet full of money. After lot of arguments, it was finally resolved. Even after being insulted, there were no signs of embarrassment on their faces, they were still enjoying every bit of being there just like a pig enjoys stool and think it to be the best thing in the world.

A while after, all of them were tired of dancing and wanted to take some rest, they approached the table where Madhava was sitting, watching and not responding to anything happening. After that they decided Smoking to be the best way to reenergize and within no time all girls and boys including managers were enjoying their so called relaxing smoke. Following that a discussion session started about other seniors and managers at office. It was more or less a bitching session where people were taking their frustration out.

After it was enough of drinking, dancing and chit chatting, they decided to have food. Again so many innocent animals and birds were slaughtered and offered to them as an offering. Every single moment was difficult for starving Madhava to spend in that grave yard. He had not eaten anything for many hours and he wanted to get back home. He started to ask his people to leave the place and get back to their respective homes. One girl commended “Madhava – I am still offering you to eat some rice with chicken otherwise you will die before you reach your home”. Madhava smiled and replied “How can dead bodies save someone from death?” and walked out.

People started gathering outside the pub and heading towards their respective homes. A boy dropped Madhava half way from his place and he started looking for an auto-rickshaw to reach home.

While Madhava was waiting for an auto-rickshaw, he saw one of ISKCON devotee crossing the road and walking towards him. After greeting each other the devotee assumed Madhava is waiting for a cycle rickshaw or a bus to reach ISKCON Temple (as it was quite near). They kept talking and waiting for rickshaw (but for different purpose). Time went on but they kept talking about the last visit of Guru Maharaj. After a while, devotee said “I think bus will not come, let’s walk”.

Madhava: “I stay very far so I have to wait for the auto rickshaw”.

Devotee: “I thought you are going to temple.”

Madhava: “I want to, but I will come in the evening.”

Devotee: “Why not now? We will listen to morning lecture.”

Madhava: “I understand, but I have not taken bath coz I am coming back from my office.”

Devotee: “Doesn’t matter. I am sure you had taken bath after you got up last evening and you haven’t slept after that. Please come because today we have a lecture from a senior devotee who is Prabhupada’s disciple”.

Devotee was convincing and made Madhava walk towards temple. Within no time they were at the lotus feet of Sri Sri Radha Krishna. Madhava didn’t want to enter the temple hall because he was ashamed of coming from such a filthy place. He sat outside the temple hall and listened to the lecture. After the lecture was over, starving Madhava started his journey towards his home.

He was on a shoe stall where he met with a Mataji. Looking at him taking his shoes she said “Are you not coming for prasadam?” Madhava wanted to go but was reluctant because of feeling himself not fit to sit with devotees and have prasadam. He disliked himself for being in company of such bad people, so wanted to get back home and take a shower. But Mataji was extra caring and forced him to go and have prasadam with her son and husband. Again, he had no way to escape.

He was amazed to look inside the prasadam hall that the mercy of Lord was showered with its fullest. There was a huge feast going inside the prasadam hall. It was sponsored by a devotee couple on their wedding anniversary. Starving Madhava who was thinking of cooking something after reaching home to offer to his lord and then partake was blessed with sumptuous prasadam to partake. There were different dishes and sweets offered to devotees. He was simple astonished looking at the mercy of Lord Krishna. There were fewer devotees than expected so; even the Maha Prasad was to them in quantity. He partake prasadam more than he could out of the love with it was served.

This incident made it clear that the causeless mercy of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga is readily available for each and every living entity. It depends upon the way we take it. Everything that we use in this world is given by the grace of god and in a way it belongs to Him. So, if we use everything for his service or keeping Him in our minds, it will become Maha Prasad for us. It will always shower nectar to satisfy our all thirst.

With above I tried to offer little service to explain the causeless mercy of Lord Sri Krishna for all living entities. Please overlook my mistakes and offences that I have made while writing it.