Generally, we think that reading Srimad Bhagavatam makes Krishna joyous, and it is true. But, when a guru is happy with us, we get the taste of reading and enjoying Srimad Bhagavatam, and that only makes Krishna happy. One may ask if it is okay reading Srimad Bhagavatam without understanding even a single Sanskrit letter. Of course it is okay! Even if we don’t understand Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavan Krishna understands and he loves listening to us read Srimad Bhagavatam.
There is a beautiful story that occurred about five-hundred years ago in Puri, Odisha. There, the Lord of the universe is sitting and controlling us, and His name is Jagannatha Swami. A Ratha Yathra (which Jagannatha Swami enjoys) happens every year where Lord Jagannatha, Balarama (Swami Jagannatha’s brother), and Subhadra Devi (Swami Jagannatha’s sister) are majestically seated and thousands of devotees pull their chariot. Puri is known for their mouthwatering prasadam. They give many flavors of prasadam like sweets and spicy food. Anyone who goes to Puri always brings back dried rice. That dried rice is very holy and there are no conditions for eating the Prasadam. You could even eat it before you’ve taken a bath.
The songs that are sung in Puri temple are called Gita Govindam (Ashtapadi) which are twenty four songs, eight line verses, written by Sri Jayadeva Swami and enacted by Padmavati Devi (Sri Jayadeva’s wife). It is about Bhagavan Krishna’s lila with Radha Rani. Bhagavan ordered that these songs should be sung every day, and there is a beautiful story that goes with it.
In those days, kings were very devoted to the presiding deity of their kingdom. In Puri, the king himself used to clean the temple. As a king, he could have just called a person to clean up the temple, but he did it himself since he had so much love for Bhagavan. Bhagavan was pleased with these actions and He often gave darshan to the king in his dreams.
After Jayadeva had written his Ashtapadi, he would teach it to the boys living there. The girls learnt from Padmavati Devi. Padmavati Devi enjoyed teaching them the Ashtapadi since she knew the meaning. One among them was a girl by name Manjula, a flower vendor’s daughter. Manjula had no idea what any of the verses meant. She didn’t even know Sanskrit, but she still enjoyed singing the Ashtapadi since she knew that it was about the love for Bhagavan Krishna. She always loved and enjoyed singing the Ashtapadi.
One day, Manjula went to the garden to pluck jasmine flowers while singing the very important 19th Ashtapadi. As she sang this Ashtapadi, Bhagavan became very pleased and he dropped a ring gifted by the king into Manjula’s flower basket. Manjula was not even aware of all this.
The minister of the city came to ask for some jasmine flowers to do puja. It was perfect timing as Manjula came right in carrying a basket full of jasmine flowers. She gave the basket containing the ring to the minister and he returned to the palace.
He started the archana and suddenly a beautiful gold ring studded with diamonds came in his hands. He rushed to the king and showed the king Swami Jagannath’s ring. The king was flabbergasted and quickly asked where he got the ring from. The minister said he got the ring from a flower basket given by Manjula.
Manjula was called to the palace and the king asked her how she got Jagannatha’s ring. Manjula started crying and she told him that she knew nothing about the ring. The king asked the guards to keep Manjula locked up safe in a room. Manjula cried and cried in the room thinking of her guru, Padmavati Devi.
That night, when the king was sleeping, Bhagavan with Sridevi came in his dreams and told him that Manjula made no mistake and that it was He who had dropped the ring in her basket. Bhagavan also told the king that Manjula didn’t even know that Bhagavan dropped the ring and that He left it there since she was singing His favourite Ashtapadi. Bhagavan also ordered the king to have someone sing Gita Govindam in the temple everyday.
The king suddenly woke up and ran to the room where Manjula was and he fell at her feet and told her all about how Bhagavan had told him everything. The king also gave her the ring and she ran home and gave this ring to her guru. Padmavati Devi and Jayadeva Swami blessed her abundantly. Even to this day, the rendering of Gita Govindam happens in Puri Jagannath temple.
We can learn from this story that it doesn’t matter if you understand Gita Govindam, Srimad Bhagavatam, or any other spiritual scriptures, but what matters is that our guru or Bhagavan understands and enjoys it.
By Mohanakrishnan Narayanan, 13 yrs, Boston, MA Based on Sri Poornimaji’s Kishora Bhagavatam sessions.
