BHURIDA: The Most Munificent
While devotees from far and wide offered prasadam to Lord Jagannatha during the Rathayatra festival, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stopped His dancing and went to a nearby garden. There, immersed in a great ecstatic emotion, He fell flat upon a raised platform. Fragrant, cool breezes refreshed His transcendental form, covered with perspiration due to the hard labor of dancing. The devotees who had performed sankirtana also came there and took rest under every tree.
King Prataparudra entered the garden in the dress of a Vaisnava. With folded hands he humbly took permission from the devotees and, summoning all his courage, fell down and touched Lord Caitanya's feet.
The king began expertly massaging the Lord's legs while reciting the Gopi-gita from the Srimad-Bhagavatam. As Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu lay there with His eyes closed in a mood of ecstatic love, He became pleased beyond limits and said repeatedly, "Go on reciting! Go on reciting!"
Upon hearing the verse beginning with tava kathamrtam, the Lord rose up and embraced King Prataparudra, saying, "You have given me invaluable gems, but I have nothing to give you in return. Therefore I am simply embracing you."
The Lord then recited that verse again and again as both he and the king trembled, tears flowing from their eyes.
The Lord told King Prataparudra, "You are bhurida [the most munificent]." Then He bestowed upon that fortunate king His great and powerful mercy, making his life successful.
This is the verse spoken by the gopis to Lord Krsna that so increased Lord Caitanya's ecstatic mood:
tava kathamrtam tapta-jivanamkavibhir iditam kal masapaham
sravana-mangalamsrimad atatambhuvi grnanti ye bhuri-da janah
"The nectar of Your words and the descriptions of Your activities are the life and soul of those suffering in this material world. These narrations, transmitted by learned sages, eradicate one's sinful reactions and bestow good fortune upon whoever hears them. These narrations are broadcast all over the world and are filled with spiritual power. Certainly those who spread the message of Godhead are most munificent." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.31.9)
Prabhupada's Munificence
One can easily imagine Lord Caitanya embracing Srila Prabhupada and speaking these same words "Your are bhurida."Srila Prabhupada's whole life was dedicated to bringing the message of Godhead to everyone on the planet. He helped fulfill Lord Caitanya's prophecy that in every village His holy names would be chanted. He made available the transcendental narrations of ancient sages through more than sixty volumes of sacred literature, painstakingly filled with his Bhaktivedanta purports. His conversations alone fill almost forty books. He gave hundreds of lectures on Bhagavad-gita and Bhagavatam. He inspired Rathayatra festivals worldwide, taught us deity worship, and in the midst of all his preaching had time to write eight thousand letters to guide and uplift his followers.
Srila Prabhupada writes, "Even a little of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy serves as a great asset for spiritual advancement. Therefore the Krsna consciousness movement must be spread through the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Lord's special mission is the deliverance of all fallen souls in Kali-yuga."
Because Srila Prabhupada was fully dedicated to Lord Caitanya's mission, he was a complete embodiment of His mercy.
Becoming Bhurida Ourselves
Every December, ISKCON undertakes a marathon to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books. By taking part, we can all become bhurida. December also corresponds with Gita Jayanti, the month in which Krsna spoke Bhagavad-gita. And this December is especially significant because this is Srila Prabhupada's 108th anniversary year.
We encourage everyone temple devotees, life members, congregation members, and friends to take advantage of this time of year to distribute as many of Srila Prabhupada's books as possible. If we help Srila Prabhupada serve Lord Caitanya's mission, we will receive the unlimited mercy of his bountiful and loving blessings upon us. Then surely Lord Caitanya's golden arms will open wide to embrace each of us. What a glorious opportunity to receive benedictions from the ocean of mercy and make our lives successful!
INFORMATION
FEATURED 108 EVENTS
October 28-November 26: Vrndavana Karttika Festival Join the tour of Krsna's holy places in Vrndavana, India, during a month of festivals.
November 14-16: Vrndavana Prabhupada's Disappearance Day Festival Srila Prabhupada's departure from this world is celebrated in all ISKCON temples worldwide with remembrances, offerings, arati, and a feast.
December 18-19: World Enlightenment Weekend Devotees take time to join in the spirit of distributing books. This weekend gives us all an opportunity to go out armed with Srila Prabhupada's books and shower them into the laps of faithful conditioned souls. Prabhupada ordered us, "Distribute books, distribute books, distribute books." Contact vijay.hdg@pamho.net for details.
December 22: Gita Jayanti Day (Contact your local temple for dates.) Lord Krsna spoke Bhagavad-gita on this day. Huge quantities of the book are distributed in commemoration.
December 1-31: Prabhupada Book Distribution Marathon Devotees worldwide commit to distributing large quantities of Prabhupada's books throughout the month. Contact vijay.hdg@pamho.net for details.
PUBLICATION
• 108 Ways You Can Get Involved (download from website)
ADDITIONAL EVENTS
2005
January: Mumbai Re-enactment of Original Pandal Program
March 9-25: Mayapur Festival
March 9-13: Grand Srila Prabhupada Family Reunion (See www.mayapur.info for details.)
March 14-20: Navadvipa Mandala ParikramaMarch 21-24: Mayapur Seminars
June 6-11: Padayatra Week
June 12: World Holy Name Day
August 28: Kolkata Maha-Abhiseka Vyasa Puja (See www.mayapur.info for details.)
CONTACT
E-mail: sp108@prabhupada108.net
Website: www.prabhupada108.net