More pastimes of Lord Jagannath !

[Guest guest]

5) Epidemic

 

Another time there was a very serious epidemic in this area, a lot of people

were getting sick a some of them were dying. Lord Jagannath appeared in a

dream to the pujari and He told him of a medicine that would cure this

disease. So in the morning he called all the villagers and told them to

gather the ingredients to make this medicine but one ingredient they

couldn't find because it doesn't grow in this area. But later on in the day,

a small boy came, carrying a branch and he gave to the pujari's wife and

said, " I have brought this for your husband, but he is not here, so I am

giving it to you." So when the pujari returned and saw that branch he became

very excited and said, "Oh that's just what we want, this is the last herb

we need to make this medicine! Who has brought this?" - "Oh, a very charming

little boy brought it. I don't think he was from this village, for I had not

seen him before." So they made that medicine and everybody became cured.

>From that day Lord Jagannath has earned great respect even from the

non-Hindus.

 

 

6) Offense to the maha-prasadam

 

Lord Jagannath is very popular here. He is known as a very powerful Deity

amongst all the different villages in this area, even the Muslims sometimes

worship Him. On snan-yatra they bring their offerings. We have a big feast

on that day. So they all bring milk and eatables to offer to Lord Jagannath.

One time on snan-yatra, this was about 15 years ago, two rikshaw drivers

came. One rikshaw driver took some kitchari prasadam and he also took some

for his friend, who was a Muslim and didn't want to come in. The rikshaw

driver said to his Muslim friend, "I brought you some prasadam anyway", but

his friend threw it on the ground and said, "We don't eat these things." The

Muslim at that night in a dream saw: Lord Balaram was sitting on him,

squashing him and beating him like anything, and the man was coming very

fearful. Subhadra was there too. She was laughing and She was saying, "kill

him, kill him!" Also Lord Jagannath was there and he said, "No, no, no don't

kill him." And Lord Jagannath was laughing. The next day this Muslim came

very humbly before the Deity and offered some worship for Lord Jagannath and

also asked for some maha-prasadam kitchari. But there was nothing left.

There must be a little he pleaded. So the pujari went and searched the pots

and found a little bit, and he happily took that.