From fish to four-handed forms

[Guest guest]

Once Ramanuja was walking along with his 5 top sannyasi disciples. Stopping

by a pond, he took some prasadam and threw half of it in the water for the

fish. Then he got up to walk on. Just then the fish who had taken the

prasadam assumed four-handed forms and rose up in the air, returning home,

back to Godhead. The 5 sannyasis stopped. 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 answered, "You've seen the power of taking

maha-prasadam." They answered, "But we are taking your maha-prasadam daily,

and this is not happening to us." Ramanuja said, "These creatures have no

free will, and therefore make no offense. So they get full benefit at once.

But you with your free will and human intelligence make offenses, and thus

you hinder your own progress."

 

Cc Antya 16.59

 

krsnera ucchista haya `maha-prasada' nama

`bhakta-sesa' haile `maha-maha-prasadakhyana'

 

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

bhakta-pada-dhuli ara bhakta-pada-jala

bhakta-bhukta-avasesa,--tina maha-bala

 

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

 

ei tina-seva haite krsna-prema haya

punah punah sarva-sastre phukariya kaya

 

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

tate bara bara kahi,--suna bhakta-gana

visvasa kariya kara e-tina sevana

 

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

 

tina haite krsna-nama-premera ullasa

krsnera prasada, tate `saksi' kalidasa

 

>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.