UDIPI TEMPLE - GRUEL OFFERING AS NAIVEDYAM

Not only Kanakadasa's genuine bhakti broke open the temple wall and created history in the annals of temple history of Udipi Krishna temple; but also it established another sensational and awesome tradition in the same temple, which also emerged as a ripple from Balakrishna's a parakaruna sagar. His asritapakshapata- partial to the devoted, an attribute over which he had full monopoly, as it were. became instrumental in inducting the tradition of Gruel Naivedya in the temple. Kanakadasas',  part is insignificant, but the Lord's omni compassion excels. It emerged thus-

Another pious tradition extant here is attributed to this great saint poet. This great devotee one after-noon, before taking his lunch-rice cake. found gruel flowing down through a hole from the kitchen. He collected it m a coconut shell and went straight to the temple. Placing the rice cake and the shell overflowing with gruel, he prayed God to accept it as Naivedya as it was his daily diet. God did accept and drank it with utmost relish. Kanakadasa who witnessed it with his inner eye, sang ecstatically the Lord's preference for the poor, and their devotion. Then he ate that as God's Prasad. When, this reached the ears of Acharya Vadiraja, he declared his intention of introducing the practice of giving gruel to the Lord too everyday. Appreciation knows no bounds! And traditions thus emerge from devotion some times, take deep roots. Gain sanction by all. If God wills and is satisfied with emotion, he can assume any from and release the votaries from shackles of any type. No shrine ancient or modern is putting in practice this pious tradition of offering gruel as Naivedyam so far, but future can we predict it with certainty?

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