Thakuraji’s Mental Food

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das 

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The Puranas, Goswami granthas and most Radha-Krishna Archana Puja books describe the bhakti sadhana of manasic-seva. This is one authentic limb of bhakti. It means to mentally, with your thoughts and feelings, offer varieties of invisible and intangible tasty foods to your beloved Thakurajis i.e. Radha-Krishna murtis. 

Sri Krishna equally accepts any favorable thing that is lovingly and caringly offered to Him, be it done externally with the body or internally with the mind. The bhakta gets the full benefit and result from both devotional practices. Everywhere shastras proclaim the efficacy of this sublime and mystical practice. 

Here are some examples of the visible effect and power of serving Sri Krishna within the mind.

1. The Padma Purana and Sri Rupa Goswamipada’s Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu (1.2.282) both narrate the famous story of the Pratiṣṭhānapura brahmin who burned his finger tip when testing the temperature of his mentally prepared sweet rice for Thakuraji. Afterwards, Sri Vishnu immediately took him to Vaikuntha. 

2. Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura: 

One day while mentally visualizing Radha-Krishna’s divya-lila, Sri Narottama Dasa Thakura was simultaneously mentally stirring milk (his nitya-seva for Swamini). Somehow due absorption in the lila, his “mental milk” boiled over and scalded his hand which he felt and saw upon returning to external consciousness. Sri Jiva Goswamipada thrilled with joy seeing how Narottama had attained bhajana siddhi. (PBC tika Sri Ananta Dasji Maharaja)

3. In Antya-two of Sri Chaitanya Caritamrita, Sri Krishna Dasa Kaviraja tells the amazing story of Nrisimhananda Dasa’s beautiful, opulent and comfortable “mental road” he offered to Mahaprabhu who was traveling outside of Navadvipa. Suddenly his meditation broke and his “mental road” abruptly stopped in the village of Kanai Natashala. And lo and behold in external time and space that is exactly where Mahaprabhu stopped His journey. 

4. Once Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami suffered severe indigestion. Doctors diagnosed him and found no cause, especially since he only ate a bit of buttermilk. Humbly, Dasa Goswami revealed the mystery—within in mind during his meditation, he relished a little too much of Srimati Radharani’s “mental kheer prasadam”!

5. Srila Prabhupada: 

“Krishna makes no distinction. Thus, if you serve Krishna by mind He will accept. That is sure!” (conv. Hrshikeshanandaji) “But in case you have nothing to offer materially, but still, you can offer in the mind.” (folio: 740417BG.BOM) “Yes, you are correct—spiritual activities, even mentally performed, are beneficial.” (SPletter 72.12-21)

Offer Mental Chappana Bhoga (56 delightful preps)

Devotees generally eat simply and also externally offer simple foods to Sri Krishna. So why not start doing this from today on to the lotus feet of Shyama in Vraja Dhama? Offer 6 items externally directly to Thakurji Sri Krishna. And then mentally offer 50 more to make it 56. Sri Sri Radha-Krishna pura santoshanam ki jai! Jagannatha Swami ki jai!

Srila Prabhupada introduced and beautifully sang the following bhoga bhajana which he wanted his followers to sing for the pleasure of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna when They enjoy our simple daily offerings. In Gaudiya Padavali i.e. songbooks, there are literally hundreds of such songs, many of them 500 years in vogue. The following bhajana was penned by Bhaktivinoda Thakura. 

It would be best if our friends and students would sing this song at least once daily during their “big” bhoga offering to Sri Krishna. While singing, meditate that in your siddha deha you’re right beside Radhika in Nandagrama, assisting Her by cutting, cooking and giving the various delicacies to Yashoda Ma to serve to Sri Krishna. You may become so absorbed in your bhoga-lila smarana manasi seva than you completely forget to eat! 

The proper raga and tune of this bhajan is available on I-net.  

Sri Krishna Pratah Bhojana Lila

(Nandagram: 7-8 a.m.)

=1 (refrain, sing between stanzas) 

bhaja bhakata-vatsala śrī-gaurahari 

śrī-gaurahari sohi goṣṭha-bihārī,

nanda-jaśomatī-citta-hari.

=2 belā ho'lo dāmodara āisa ekhano

bhoga-mandire bosi' koraho bhojana

=3 nandera nideśe baise giri-bara-dhārī

baladeva-saha sakhā baise sāri sāri

=4 śuktā-śākādi bhāji nālitā kuṣmāṇḍa

dāli dālnā dugdha-tumbī dadhi mocā

=5 mudga-borā māṣa-borā roṭikā ghṛtānna

śaṣkulī piṣṭaka khīr puli pāyasānna

=6 karpūra amṛta-keli rambhā khīra-sāra

amṛta rasālā, amla dwādaśa prakāra

=7 luci cini sarpurī lāḍḍu rasābalī

bhojana korena Krishna ho'ye kutūhalī

=8 rādhikāra pakka anna vividha byañjana

parama ānande Krishna korena bhojana

=9 chale-bale lāḍḍu khāy śrī-madhumaṅgala

bagala bājāy āra drya hari-bolo

=10 rādhikādi gaṇe heri' nayanera koṇe

tṛpta ho'ye khāy Krishna jaśodā-bhavane

=11 bhojanānte piye Krishna subāsita bāri

sabe mukha prakhāloy ho'ye sāri sāri

=12 hasta-mukha prakhāliyā jata sakhā-gaṇe

ānande biśrāma kore baladeva-sane

=13 jambula rasāla āne tāmbūla-masālā

tāhā kheye Krishna-candra sukhe nidrā gelā

=14 biśālākha śikhi-puccha-cāmara ḍhulāya

apūrba śayyāya Krishna sukhe nidrā jāya.

=15 jaśomatī-ājñā pe'ye dhaniṣṭhā-ānīto

śrī-krishna-prasāda rādhā bhuñje ho'ye prīto

=16 lalitādi sakhī-gaṇa avaśeṣa pāya

mane mane sukhe rādhā-Krishna-guṇa gāya

=17 hari-līlā ek-mātra jāhāra pramoda

bhogārati gāy ṭhākur bhakativinoda

Translation:

(1) Just worship bhakta-vatsala Śrī Gaurahari, who is the selfsame Goshtha-Bihariji Sri Krishna that forever steals the minds and hearts of Yashoda and Nanda Baba.

(2) Mother Yaśodā calls Krishna: “My dear Dāmodara, it’s very late. Please come right now, sit down in the dining hall, and take bhoga.”

(3) Nanda Baba directs Giridhari, Baladeva and the other gopas to sit down in rows to eat.

(4) Yashoda, Rohini, Kilimba and other mothers serve a sumptuous feast of bitter vegetables to increase appetite, leafy, pumpkin and banana flower sabzis, fried items, jute leaf salad, baskets of fruit, small square lentil cakes in condensed milk, and thick creamy yogurt.

(5) Also included are fried mung and urad dal patties, rotis, ghee-soaked rice, condensed milk, sesame and milk sweets, rice flour cakes; kheer and cakes floating in milk.

(6) And delicious cheese, nectar rivaling kheer spiced with camphor, bananas, and twelve sour preparations from tamarinds, limes, lemons, oranges, and pomegranates.

(7) And white flour puris sprinkled with sugar, cream-filled puris, laddus, dal patties boiled in misri rice. Krishna eagerly eats all the items.

(8) In supreme bliss, Krishna relishes Radhika’s rice, curries, sweets, and pastries.

(9) Mischievous Madhumaṅgala eats laddus, moves his right hand in his left armpit to make a funny thud noise while singing, “Haribol! Haribol!” 

(10) Glancing at Radhika and Her sakhis from the corners of His eyes, Krishna Govinda eats with great gusto in Yashoda bhavan.

(11) Afterwards, Krishna drinks rose-scented water, and all the boys stand in lines to wash their mouths.

(12) After washing their mouths and hands, Baladeva and the gopas take rest in great bliss. 

(13) Krishnachandra eats the tambula offered by the gopas Jambula and Rasāla, and happily sleeps.

(14) While Krishna rests blissfully on an unprecedented bed, Viśālākṣa gopa refreshes Him with a peacock fan.

(15) On Yashomati’s order, Dhaniṣṭhā brings Sri Krishna’s prasadi to Radha who lovingly enjoys it.

(16) Feeling extremely joyful to receive Radha’s prasada, all the sakhis beginning with Lalita start singing about the beautiful qualities of Radha and Krishna. 

(17) Thus I, Bhaktivinoda, whose only joy is hari-lila, sing this bhoga aroti song.

Radha-Krishna manasi chappana bhoga seva ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!