Honoring the Divine: A Guide to Serving and Partaking of Shri Mahaprasad

The Shri Mahaprasad of Lord Jagannath is more than just food; it’s a sacred offering, imbued with divine grace, which, when consumed with proper respect and devotion, becomes a source of spiritual nourishment. This blog post will guide you on the traditional practices of serving and partaking in this holy offering.

Guidelines for Serving Shri Mahaprasad

The way the Shri Mahaprasad is served is just as important as the offering itself. Here are some of the key guidelines:

1. Seating: Always sit on the floor to partake in Shri Mahaprasad. It should be done on the floor without using any asana (seat).

2. Leaf Plate: Always use a banana leaf for serving.

3. Leaf Plate Placement: When arranging the banana leaf, ensure the narrow end faces the left and the wider end faces the right. This arrangement allows more Shri Mahaprasad to be served on the right side of the leaf, making it easy for a person to use their right hand to partake in the offering.

4. Serving Order:

   • Lemon, Salt, and Chili: These should be placed at the top edge of the leaf, on the right side.

   • Anna (Cooked Rice): The rice should be served close to the person partaking, in the center of the leaf.

   • Dal & Dalma: The dal and dalma should be placed next to the rice.

   • Other Items: Other Shri Mahaprasad should be placed around the center portions, in a circle.

Before Partaking: The Invocation

Before starting to eat the Shri Mahaprasad, it’s important to recite the following verse:

“Nilachala-Nivasaya Nityaya Paramatmane,
Balabhadra-Subhadrabhyam Jagannathaya te Namah.”

This translates to:

“Oh Shri Mahaprasad, I bow to you, the resident of Nilachala, the eternal Supreme Lord, Sri Jagannath, along with Balabhadra and Subhadra and partake in your holy offering.”

This verse expresses gratitude and reverence for the divine nature of the Shri Mahaprasad.

After Partaking: Gratitude and Absolution

After completing the meal, the following verse should be recited:

“Yadannam pachayet lakshmi bhungte Shri Purushottama,
Tadamokshadam divyam bhakshanat papa nashanam.”

This translates to:

“O Shri Mahaprasad, you are prepared by Goddess Lakshmi and consumed by Shri Purushottama (Lord Jagannath). You are the remnant of his holy meal and you provide liberation and the absolution of sins to the ones who partake in it.”

This verse acknowledges the divine process that goes into preparing and offering this holy meal and recognizes its power to cleanse and liberate.

Cleanliness After Partaking

When rinsing the mouth, it is important to avoid spitting the water out from the mouth as that is considered disrespectful to the divine, as the text states, ” Kulukucha kari jala bahar kariba uchita nuhen karana eha dwara papa lagithae”. Instead, the water should be swallowed and then the mouth can be wiped.

Universal Acceptance and Purity of Shri Mahaprasad

• Universality: It’s believed that Shri Mahaprasad can be shared by anyone irrespective of caste, creed, or religion, and it can be partaken by everyone together.

• Purity: This holy offering is considered to be eternally pure and never becomes aaintah (defiled). It can also be eaten together by many people from the same vessel or plate.

These beliefs highlight the unifying and all-encompassing nature of Lord Jagannath’s grace and his acceptance of every devotee.

Bringing the Grace Home

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