ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ମହିମା .08

BONDHU MOHANTY

@ (Naaoham tisthami Baikunthe...

Yoginam hrudaye na cha...

Madvakta yatro dhyantee...

Tatra tisthami narado...)@

Thousands of devotees have preached the supremacy of lord Jagannath once and again.One such devotee is Bondhu Mohanty of Jajpur. He was a poor and pious devotee with a couple of children to look after. Once it was drought- time and Bondhu -family had nothing to eat.Bondhu mohanty had no other way but to pray lord jagannath.He used to say to his wife that he has a friend(sakha) at shreekhetra and He will help him.At last on request of his wife he decided to visit lord jagannath to beg His blessings. With much difficulty the family reached Shreekhetra(puri). On the first day they had to take only gruel coming out of the Atharanala (pipes of coocking room) and in the evening the hungry family slept beside the Mandir bedha . The whole family slept but bondhu's wife was awake. Bondhu surrendered before the lord saying "The lord is the saviour" and see , the lord had to come to His devotee's rescue. All of a sudden a pujaponda with grand items of lord's mahaprasada (Offerings of the lord) in a golden plate, appeared and called Bandhu Mohanty in a loude voice. The whole family woke up and to their surprise found their friend offering a grand meal . The members took the prasad thinking that their friend had sent it .The story goes on as the God in guise disappears leaving behind the golden plate. Bondhu searched for the pujapnnda to return the plate, but in vain. In the morning the pujapandas found the golden plate missing and traced out it with Bondhu Mohanty who had no option but to keep it for the night. The king knew about the missing and Bondhu was put behind the bars by the king's order. The lord God , knowing this, directed the king to release his devotee.The king came running to embrace the great soul. The king honored him and made arrangements for his stay at shreekhetra. Bondhu Mohanty was offered the God's mercy with kings respect.

(jai jagannath)

Kalia name mahanando

padu jharuchi makarando

se makarande moro asho

mu chharo hari toro dasha