Prasadam in Raga Marga

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Why do we offer obeisances before taking Sri Krishna prasadam? Srila Prabhupada answers, “Because the prasadam is also Krishna. So by taking prasadam, I am contacting Krishna.” (Folio 661205CCNY)

The standard is to first offer obeisances to Krishna prasadam, and then glorify Krishna’s grace food with selected prayers. Most Vaisnavas utter the following Skanda Purana verse:

maha-prasade -govinde
-nama-brahmani -vaishnave
svalpa-punyavatam -rajan –
vishvaso -naiva -jayate

“A person with little piety can never develop faith in Krishna’s maha-prasada, Bhagavan Sri Govinda, Krishna’s transcendental Name, or the Vaisnavas.” (Caitanya-caritamrta 3.16.96)

Srila Prabhupada often quoted Bhagavad-Gita (2.65) to glorify Sri Krishna prasadam, the sanctified food remnants of Radha and Krishna.

In Paris (1974), when he saw a plate of Krishna prasadam brought in by a disciple, Srila Prabhupada excitedly uttered, “Hare Krishna! Prasade -sarva-duhkhanam hanir-asyopajayate!” (Folio 740610R1.PAR)

Once an Indian gentleman asked, “What is the importance of Krishna prasada?

Srila Prabhupada answered, “Yes, prasada! Very good! Prasada is Krishna’s special favor. That is prasada. Prasade -sarva-duhkhanam hanir-asyopajayate. If we simply eat Krishna prasada, without any culture, we can get spiritual knowledge.” (Folio (660812.BG.NY)

By reciting the following Gita verse before honoring Sri Krishna’s sacred food remnants, devotees can simultaneously glorify the tremendous power of Krishna prasadam, and remember our “ever well-wisher”, Srila Prabhupada:

prasade -sarva-duhkhanam
hanir -asyopajayate
prasanna-cetaso hy -ashu
buddhih –parya -vatishthate

“Krishna prasada destroys all miseries, fills the mind with happiness, and establishes the intelligence in self-realization.” (Bhagavad-gita 2.65)

Devotees doing raganuga –bhakti –sadhana often recite the following verse while remembering the sweet compassion of Kishoriju Srimati Radharani:

sri –radhaya -madhura –madhur -occhishta -piyusha -saram
bhojam -bhojam -nava -nava -rasananda -magnah -kada -syam

“When will I be absorbed in relishing ever-new blissful rasa by repeatedly chewing Sri Radha’s sweeter than sweet remnants which are the essence of nectar?” (Radha Rasa Sudhanidhi 87)

Jagannatha maha-prasada ki jai! Radha Raman maha-prasada ki jai!

Srimati Radharani’s nectarean prasadi ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!