Sudama

[Guest guest]

When Sudama left the palace, Krishna followed him. (When any Vaisnava or

brahmana comes, we should stand up and go to meet them, and when they leave

we should follow them to the border of the village or the town.) Krishna was

saying very sweet things to His friend, and bade him farewell, but He did

not give him any gifts, although a wealthy householder normally offers

lavish presentations in charity to a worthy brahmana.

 

When they reached the border, Krishna returned, and Sudama went on by

himself just as he had come — in dirty, old, worn and torn clothes. He

thought happily to himself, “Krishna is so merciful! If He had given me

wealth, I would have become absorbed in thinking about my opulence, and I

would have forgotten Him. He saw that I am not qualified, and that is why He

did not give me anything.” Thinking how kind and merciful Krishna is, Sudama

began to cry.

 

TRANSFORMATION AT HOME

 

It was evening when he reached his village. But as he came close to his

house, he was puzzled. “Where is my hut, which always leaks when it rains

and which has no rats because we have no food-grains? Where is my cow, which

is as thin as a skeleton? Where is my old meditation seat of kusa grass? It

has all disappeared!”

 

And indeed, everything had changed. In place of what he had known before,

there were 16,108 royal palaces. People were riding horses and royal

elephants along the splendid roads. There were very beautiful gardens full

of lovely flowers and berries, and decorated with attractive ponds of cool

water. Peacocks danced madly, and doves and cuckoos called melodiously.

 

“What has happened?” thought Sudama. “Where have I come? Am I in heaven?”.

 

Meanwhile, someone told his wife, “Your husband has returned.” Oh, she was

so happy. She came out very joyfully to meet her husband. She was just like

an angel, for during the night Krishna had made her as beautiful as a young,

teenage girl. She was surrounded by thousands of

maidservants, for each of Krishna’s 16,108 queens had given something to

Sudama and his wife. Now they had all the wealth and opulence that one could

ever imagine. That is why he could not believe that he had come to his own

house. Sudama’s wife saw her husband coming, with his stick in his hand. He

had not changed. He still wore the same dirty, old clothes, and looked like

a poor, old person, although he was still young. Then she came out with her

whole party of 16, 108 maidservants, singing and playing drums and many

other musical instruments.

 

Sudama saw the party coming with golden water pots to welcome him. He was

surprised. “Why are they coming towards me? Perhaps they have mistaken me

for someone else.” But there was no mistake. If Krishna had changed Sudama

as well as his wife, she would not have recognised him when he came back.

That is why Krishna left him in his original form.

 

When she came towards Sudama with her arms outstretched, he became alarmed

and began to run away, but they detained him. Immediately his wife touched

him, he became as young and beautiful as she was, and very strong. Then

Sudama said out loud, “O Krishna, you are wonderful. I never wanted

anything, but during the night while we were asleep, You gave me so much

wealth and opulence!” and he began to weep. “How kind and merciful Krishna

is. We thought that He might give some donation, but we cannot believe what

He has given.”

 

KRISHNA LOOKS AFTER HIS DEVOTEES

 

We should understand that Krishna is very merciful. If you chant His name,

Hare Krishna, He will provide enough for you if you have some requirements

or even if you don’t have any requirement. So don’t be afraid. If you have a

job, you can donate one thousand or ten thousand dollars a month. But if

Krishna is pleased, then hundreds and millions of dollars may come without

your having to do anything. Krishna will give so much. He will break open a

hole in the ceiling and he will pour it in.

 

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