Introduction: A Simple Request
Mukunda Dasa, a devoted follower, once had to leave his home for urgent medical business. Before leaving, he entrusted his young son, Raghunandana, with the important duty of offering the raja bhoga (midday meal) to their family Deity, Gopinatha. Although Raghunandana was still a child, he approached the task with sincerity and devotion, remembering his father’s instructions, “Make sure the Deity eats.”
The Child’s Devotion
Raghunandana, filled with love and respect, carefully prepared the offering and presented it to Gopinatha. With innocent faith, he rang the bell and sincerely urged the Deity, “Eat, eat!” However, when he saw that the food remained untouched, the young boy began to cry, fearing his father’s disappointment for failing to make the Deity eat.
Moved by the child’s pure and intense devotion, Lord Gopinatha could not resist. In a miraculous act of divine love, the Lord consumed everything on the plate, leaving no remnants behind.
Mukunda’s Astonishment
When Mukunda returned home, he asked Raghunandana for Gopinatha’s Maha-Prasadam. To his surprise, his son innocently replied that the Deity had eaten everything. Astonished by this, Mukunda asked Raghunandana to make another offering. This time, Mukunda hid and watched from a distance to see what would happen.
As Raghunandana offered a laddhu to Gopinatha, Mukunda was amazed to see that the Lord only took half of it. Mukunda realized that Gopinatha had only taken half because He was still full from the earlier offering, which He had accepted in its entirety out of love for Raghunandana’s devotion.
Overcome with emotion and deep appreciation for his son’s pure devotion, Mukunda embraced Raghunandana, recognizing the depth of his bhakti.
Lord Gauranga’s Question
Later, when Mukunda and Raghunandana visited Jagannatha Puri, Lord Gauranga (Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) asked Mukunda a profound question, “Who is the father and who is the son?”
Mukunda, fully aware of the divine nature of his son’s devotion, humbly replied, “Raghunandana is definitely my father. Because he has given me Krishna bhakti and shown me what pure Krishna consciousness is.”
Significance in Krishna Lila
In Krishna lila, Raghunandana is recognized as Kandarpa-manjari or Pradyumna, one of the expansions of the Lord in the Catur-vyuha. His samadhi (final resting place) is located in the 64 Samadhis Area, a testament to his eternal position in the spiritual realm.
Conclusion: The Power of Childlike Devotion
The story of Raghunandana and Gopinatha is a beautiful example of how pure, unpretentious devotion can move the heart of the Lord. It reminds us that bhakti is not about elaborate rituals or scholarly knowledge but about sincere love and faith in the Supreme. Raghunandana’s simple yet profound act of devotion teaches us that Krishna responds to the purity of our hearts, no matter our age or status.
Prayer:
O Lord Gopinatha, we bow before You, marveling at the depth of Your love for Your devotees. Please grant us the purity and sincerity of devotion that Raghunandana demonstrated. May we approach You with the same childlike faith, free from doubt and pretense, knowing that You respond to the love in our hearts. Help us to remember that true devotion lies in simplicity and sincerity. And just as You accepted Raghunandana’s offering, may You also accept our humble offerings of love and devotion. Jai Shri Krishna! Jai Raghunandana!
