Potency of Prasadam – Story
(From the biography of Ramanujacarya)
Once Sripad Ramanujacarya was walking along a pond with few 5 top sannyasi disciples.
Stopping by a pond, he took some prasadam and threw half of it in the water for the fishes.
Then he got up to walk on.
The fishes that took the prasadam assumed the four handed forms, rose up in the air and reached Vaikuntha.
When his disciples saw this they are wonder stuck. They were amazed by this scene.
So these 5 sannyasis stopped and didn’t want to move forward.
Ramanuja turned and asked them why they were not following.|
They said, “We are thunder- struck. Please explain what we have just seen.
Otherwise, how can we follow behind you in this condition?”
Ramanuja told them that its the potency of maha – prasadam ( remnants of food eaten by great devotees of Krishna ).
They inquired how although they had been honoring the maha – prasadam all these years – nothing had happened to them so far.
Ramanauja replied:
“These creatures have no free will, and therefore make no offense. Nor do they doubt the transcendental power of maha – prasadam. So they get full benefit at once. But you with your free will and human intelligence make offenses and are lacking in faith, and thus you hinder your own progress.”
Moral of the story:
Krishna prasadam has immense potency. But many times we don’t realise its power.
So whenever we honour prasadam – we should understand that its Krishna’s mercy and honour the same with faith and gratitude.
Caitanya Caritamrita – Antya lila 16.59 says:
The remnants of food offered to Lord Krsna are called maha-prasadam. After this same maha-prasadam has been taken by a devotee, the remnants are elevated to maha-maha-prasadam.
TEXT 60:
The dust of the feet of a devotee, the water that has washed the feet of a
devotee, and the remnants of food left by a devotee are three very powerful
substances.
TEXT 61:
By rendering service to these three, one attains the supreme goal of ecstatic love for Krsna. In all the revealed scriptures this is loudly declared again
and again.
TEXT 62:
Therefore, my dear devotees, please hear from me, for I insist again and again: please keep faith in these three and render service to them without
hesitation.
TEXT 63:
From these three one achieves the highest goal of life-ecstatic love of
Krsna. This is the greatest mercy of Lord Krsna. The evidence is Kalidasa
himself.
(DETERIORATION OF KALIYUGA – STORY! READ HERE!)