The Pastimes & History of LORD JAGANNATH IN RAJAPUR by Pankajanghri dasa
Offense to Maha-prasadam (Page 49)
Lord Jagannātha is very popular here. He is known as a very powerful Deity amongst all the different villages in this area. About 25 years ago, on snāna-yatra day, a riksha driver took some kicheri prasādam while at the temple, and also took one pot for his Muslim friend. But his friend threw it on the ground and said, “I don’t eat food that has been offered to idols!”
The next morning he came to the temple, offered some items of worship and asked the pujari if he could have some of the kicheri prasada that had been offered the day before. The pujari replied that he had just offered bhoga and he could give him some fresh prasadam. “No! I want the kicheri from yesterday.” The pujari said, “You made an offering to Jagannath and you want yesterday’s prasadam and you are a Muslim? What’s going on?”
Then he replied, “Yesterday I had some of that kicheri prasada and rejected it. That offence almost cost me my life. Last night in my dream, this white deity threw me down on the ground. He sat on me and began beating me severely. I was begging him to stop.
“Please have mercy on me,” I implored Him but He was very angry and said, “Mercy, mercy, you are asking me for mercy, don’t you know that My brother is the most merciful Lord. He has appeared in a wooden form so that rascals like you can see Him. And He is especially worshipped by honoring His mahā-prasādam. You had some of that mahā-prasādam, and you dared to throw it on the ground! I will finish you off!” It was terrifying and the yellow one was there too laughing and saying, “Very good. Kill him, kill him!” Jagannath was also laughing, but He said, “No, don’t kill him. Let him go, he has learnt his lesson.” “It was a very fearful dream I would realy appreciate it if I could get some of that prasadam from yesterday.” The pujari did manage to find some of the kichari, which that fortunate person ate with great respect.
He is So Greedy (Page 86)
The same pujari told us that shortly after we put a Govardhana sila on the altar, Lord Jagannatha appeared to him in a dream and started complaining in his dream: “That Govardhana sila, He is so greedy you know – He eats everything and He is very quick. He doesn’t even wait until it is offered. As oon as the pujari comes in He starts eating, and He eats all the sweets first. Please do something!”
So the pujaris arranged a separate plate for Giri Govardhana and now there is peace in the house.