Manabasa Gurubar is the worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Thursdays
in the Margashirsh month (December) in Odisha. The story of Manabasa Gurubar is
associated with Jagannath and Balabhadra in the famous Puri Jagannath Temple.
Legend has it that Goddess Lakshmi on one Thursday in
Margashirsh month left her abode in the Jagannath Temple and went to receive
worship from her female devotees.
During her wander, she came across the home of a low caste
woman, who was worshipping her with great devotion.
Goddess Lakshmi entered her home, accepted her worship, and
ate the food she cooked. Soon the fortune of the poor woman changed. She became
rich overnight.
Balabhadra, the elder brother of Jagannath, realized what
had happened and he demanded that Goddess Lakshmi should not allowed back in the
Shri Mandir as she had eaten from the hands of a low caste woman.
When Goddess Lakshmi returned, she was stopped at the main
door of the temple.
Goddess Lakshmi soon realized the reason for this rude
behavior. She smiled and walked away.
With Goddess Lakshmi gone, everything that Jagannath temple possessed
due to her grace disappeared.
Overnight the brothers became pauper.
All who tried to help the brothers had a similar fate.
Soon no one was ready to give even a morsel to the brothers.
Finally, the brothers reached the house of the low caste
woman. She had become rich but had not lost her human values and she was ready
to offer them food.
The brothers took the food given by her.
Goddess Lakshmi soon appeared there. Balabhadra realized his
mistake and asked for forgiveness.
She then returned to the temple and all the riches of the shrine
returned with her.
The story teaches us that discriminating people against the
caste and creed is against the teachings of Sanatana Dharma. The Supreme Truth
resides in all animate and inanimate. When we discriminate a person, we are
discriminating the Lord.