Gopinatha hides sweet rice

Madhavendra proceeded towards the south. On the way he came to Remuna, where Gopinatha is situated. Upon seeing the beauty of the Deity, Madhavendra Puri was overwhelmed. In the courtyard of the temple, from which people generally took darshan, he chanted and danced in great ecstasy. After a wile he sat down on the temple floor. Observing the excellent food preparation made for the pleasure of the Lord he could understand that only the best quality of food was offered for the satisfaction of Gopinathaji. He thus thought, ‘I shall inquire from the priest what foods are offered to Gopinatha so that by making arrangements in our kitchen, we can offer the same kind of food to Sri Gopal.’

When the brahmana priest was questioned about this matter, he explained in detail what kinds of foods were offered to Gopinatha. Thus he explained: ‘In the evening the Deity is offered sweet rice in twelve earthen cups. Because the taste is as good as nectar, it is named amrita-keli. This sweet rice is famous as gopinatha-kshira. It is not offered anywhere else.’

While Madhavendra Puri was talking with the priest, the sweet rice was placed before the Deity as an offering. Thus he thought as follows. ‘If, without my asking, a little sweet rice is given to me, I can taste it and then make the same preparation for Gopal.’

Thinking like that, Madhavendra Puri became greatly ashamed when he desired to taste the sweet rice, and he immediately began to think of Lord Vishnu. While he was thus thinking of Lord Vishnu, the offering was completed, and the arati ceremony began.

After the arati was finished, Madhavendra Puri offered his obeisances to the Deity and then left the temple. He did not speak with anyone about his desire and thus he left the temple and sat down in the village marketplace, which was vacant. Sitting there, he began to chant.

In the meantime, the temple priest laid the Deity down to rest. After finishing his daily duties, the priest went to take rest. Then in a dream Gopinatha came to talk to him, ‘Pujariji, please get up and open the door of the temple. I have kept one pot of sweet rice for the sannyasi Madhavendra Puri. It is just behind My cloth curtain. You did not see it because I hided it. The sannyasi named Madhavendra Puri is sitting in the vacant marketplace. Please take this pot of sweet rice from behind Me and deliver it to him.’

Awaking from the dream, the priest immediately rose from bed and thought it wise to take a bath before entering the Deity's room. He then opened the temple door. According to the Lord's directions, the priest found the pot of sweet rice behind the cloth curtain. He removed the pot and mopped up the place where it had been kept. He then went out of the temple. Closing the door of the temple, he went to the village with the pot of sweet rice. He called out in every stall in search of Madhavendra Puri. Holding the pot of sweet rice, the priest called, ‘Will he whose name is Madhavendra Puri please come and take this pot! Gopinatha has hidden this pot of sweet rice for you! Would the sannyasi whose name is Madhavendra Puri please come and take this pot of sweet rice and enjoy the prasadam with great satisfaction! You are the most fortunate person within these three worlds!’

Hearing this, Madhavendra Puri came out and identified himself. The priest then delivered the pot of sweet rice and offered his obeisances, falling flat before him and then narrated to him about the dream. Understanding the Lord’s great affection for him Madhavendra Puri at once became absorbed in ecstatic love of Krishna.


Upon seeing the ecstatic loving symptoms manifest in Madhavendra Puri, the priest was struck with wonder. He could understand why Krishna had become so much obliged to him, and he saw that Krishna’s action was befitting. The priest offered his obeisances to Madhavendra Puri and returned to the temple. Then, in ecstasy, Madhavendra Puri ate the sweet rice offered to him by Krishna.

After eating, Madhavendra Puri washed the pot and broke it into pieces. He then bound all the pieces in his outer cloth and kept them nicely. Each day, Madhavendra Puri would eat one piece of that earthen pot, and after eating it he would immediately be overwhelmed with ecstasy.

Having broken the pot and bound the pieces in his cloth, Madhavendra Puri began to think, ‘The Lord has given me a pot of sweet rice, and when the people hear of this tomorrow morning, there will be great crowds. Thinking this, Sri Madhavendra Puri offered his obeisances to Gopinatha on the spot and left Remuna before morning broke.