Manabasa Gurubara

Manabasa Gurubara is the worship of Goddess Lakshmi on Thursdays in the Margasira month (December) in Odisha. The story of Manabasa Gurubar is associated with Lord Jagannatha and Balabhadra in the famous Puri Jagannath Temple, Odisha.

Mythology says that Goddess Lakshmi on one Thursday in Margasira month left her abode in the Jagannatha 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

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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 caste and creed is against the teachings of Sanatana Dharma. The Supreme Truth resides in all animate and inanimate. When we discriminate against a person, we are discriminating against the Lord.