537. Sudama did not ask even a Jequirity Bean from Krishna…..!

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/god-and-i/sudama-did-not-ask-even-a-jequirity-bean-from-krishna

Sudama and Krishna were batch mates at Guru Sandipani’s Ashram. After their sojourn with their Guru, they parted. Years rolled by and Krishna was at Dwaraka while Sudama lived a life of poverty. It was hard for him to provide even the basic needs to his family, but he still led a contented life, thanking himself for having the grace of Krishna on him and his family.
 

One day his wife Kalyani was upset looking at her starving children. She gently brought up an idea with Sudama, “You have told me that Krishna of Dwaraka is your friend and his wife is the Goddess of Prosperity incarnate. I plead you, for the sake of our dear children go and meet Krishna”.

Sudama replied: “I will go and meet him, as it is been so many years since I have seen my childhood friend, but I will not ask for anything”.

“My Lord, even a visit to Krishna will be a benefit for us”, hoped his wife.

There is a tradition that if one has to meet someone after a long period he would take something as token of love. Sudama remembered that beaten rice was Krishna’s favorite and decided to give it as a gift to the Lord and he had only that in his house.

Sudama happily set off for Dwaraka recalling the happy moments he had spent with Krishna. When he reached Dwaraka, his eyes widened with wonder. The city was so stunning and beautiful!
 

Krishna saw Sudama from a distance and rushed out and grasped him in his arms. Krishna’s eyes were filled with tears to see this old, devoted friend. He seated Sudama in the royal seat, washed his feet and honored him. The classmates then walked down memory lane, recalling the sweet times they had spent together at the Guru Sandipani’s ashram. But Sudama did not spell out his woes.
 

Sudama suddenly remembered the flattened rice, but was ashamed to offer something so meager to a great person. As he hesitated, Krishna noticed the little bag and asked “What is it that you are hiding from me? Let me see…”
 

Krishna grabbed the little bag from him and exclaimed in joy when he saw what it contained. “Sudama, you remembered that I love beaten rice!” He ate a fistful of it, and was about to eat a second when Rukmini Devi stopped him. She said, “Lord, one fistful is more than enough for this world and the next.” Sudama could not understand what she meant. But he was happy that the Lord had enjoyed his meager offering.
 

Sudama spent that night happily with his friend and the next morning, he took leave of Krishna and Rukmani Devi. On his way home he thought: “The moments I spent with Krishna enchants me. I did not ask and he did not give. But I am content. He received me with great warmth.”

When he neared his home, he saw a palace instead of his hut and everyone were happy. His wife asked him: “Beloved, how did this happen?”

“Believe me, I asked for nothing and He showered his love and affection on me. I could not ask for anything, but Krishna knows all that is in our mind”, he replied.

The Lord had bestowed great wealth on Sudama without him asking for it, simply because He was grateful for his friend’s selfless devotion and love. This episode is captured by Sri Dasappana in one of his Ugabhoga (freestyle Kannada verses) in Dasa Sahitya. It goes like this:

“Kuchelananu Suchelana madide,

Kaya, Vaacha, Manasa ava Nina Bedidane Kadidane

Neenagi nachiyetteyo Varada Gopala Vittalareya”

The composer writes “You (Krishna) made Sudama's life worthy. He never nagged or begged at you in his action, or in words, or in thought but it was you who granted him out of embarrassment.