Dharma Kshetra

Krishna and Sudama, a story of friendship and devotion

Krishna, the Supreme Master, accepted Sandipani Muni as his spiritual guide when He descended to earth. While studying under Sandipani Muni, Krishna accepted the friendship of a poor Brahmana named Sudama. Sudama was born to Matuka and Rochana Devi in a poor Brahmana family, while Krishna came from a royal family and enjoyed a higher social status. Despite their differences, their friendship was unbreakable while they studied together at Sandipani's asrama in Vrndavana.

Once the two boys were ordered by Guru Sandipani to collect firewood from the forest. They were given roasted gram by Guru Sandipani's wife as a snack for when they became tired. The boys worked hard, cutting wood in the forest from dawn to dusk, when it started raining. They quickly wrapped up the firewood to make sure it stayed dry and while doing so they heard a tiger roaring nearby! To protect themselves they climbed a tree and spent the night on the tree branches. In the middle of the night, Sudama felt very hungry and he stealthily ate all the roasted gram without telling S´ri¯ Krishna. When S´ri¯ Krishna felt hungry, He asked Sudama for the gram, but Sudama lied and said that the bag of a gram had fallen and the gram scattered. S´ri¯ Krishna could still hear chewing and He playfully asked Sudama, "What is that sound then?". Sudama lied again and said, "That is just the sound of my teeth chattering!". Sri Krishna despite knowing about the lie did not reveal anything and smilingly forgave Sudama in true friendship. The Guru's wife unfortunately was not that forgiving. The boys went back to the asrama and S´ri¯ Krishna being very hungry asked Guru Sandipani's wife for some food. She was puzzled as she had given enough grams for both boys. When she found out what had happened, she cursed Sudama with lifelong poverty!

After completing their studies, Krishna and Sudama lost touch with each other for several years. Krishna moved away from Vrndavana and became the royalty in Dwaraka. Sudama, on the other hand, got married to Susila and lived a simple life as a householder. He was never interested in accumulating wealth and preferred to spend his time contemplating the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, due to his financial status, he had very little money to spare for his wife and children. There were many occasions when the family did not even get two meals a day. The children often cried out of hunger and drank a lot of water to satiate themselves.

Sudama's wife repeatedly requested her husband to visit his old friend Krishna and ask for financial assistance. She reminded Sudama that since he was a true Brahmana, a devotee, and a long-lost close friend of Krishna, the latter would be willing to help him in his time of need. Susila, like her husband, was not concerned about acquiring material wealth, but she was worried about the health of her family, especially that of her children.

An arrogant king resided in the same town as Sudama. The king despised the popularity of Krishna and the devotion of his followers, including Sudama. One day, the king called Sudama and offered to grant him anything he wished for if he would only chant the king's name instead of Krishna's. However, Sudama refused to comply with the king's vain request and declared that he would only chant the name of Lord Krishna, and no one else. The king threatened Sudama with severe consequences if he continued to defy him, but Sudama remained steadfast in his devotion.

Meanwhile, Sudama's wife, Susila, kept urging him to visit his old friend, Krishna, knowing that He would help them in their time of need. However, Sudama was hesitant to ask for such a big favor from Krishna. He said that since Krishna is sitting as Paramatma in everyone's heart, He would already know everything and is aware of the suffering.

The king was angry with Sudama for not showing him respect and decided to punish him. He went to Sudama's house and started hitting him. At that moment, Krishna, sitting in his palace with his wives Rukmini and Satyabhama, felt the pain of the king's attack on Sudama. He knew what Sudama was going through, but He chose to remain silent, waiting for Sudama to approach Him on his own.

The king continued to hit and punish Sudama for many days, but Sudama still refused to visit Krishna. Finally, Susila ordered him to leave immediately and ask Krishna for help. Sudama agreed to visit his long-lost friend in Dwaraka but realized he couldn't go empty-handed. He asked his wife to prepare some food to bring to Krishna. Since they had nothing to eat, she gave him some flattened rice wrapped in a cloth. Sudama happily set off for Dwaraka.

Reaching Dwaraka, Sudama stared in amazement at the massive gates of the palace, and then entered therein, passing through several military camps and residential quarters on the way. Once inside, he saw Krishna seated with Rukmini. The Lord immediately got up and warmly received Sudama, fondly embracing him. The palace attendants were shocked to see Krishna's humility. Sudama was completely overwhelmed by the rousing welcome that Krishna gave him.

The Lord asked him to be seated and washed Sudama's feet, as a mark of respect for a Brahmana. Krishna then took some of the water used to wash his feet and sprinkled it over his head. He then offered Sudama food and drink to refresh him after his long journey. The Lord recounted several incidents during their time together, including one where the boys entered the forest to collect dried wood, on the order of their Guru's wife.

Krishna talked in detail about the many incidents, relating how lucky they were to find such a spiritual master and how his blessings had helped them achieve much in their own lives. Sudama was wonderstruck by the Lord's own humility and how simple he was, despite being the controller of the whole universe.

Krishna's mood turned jovial and with a mischievous glint in his eye he asked his friend what he had brought him as a gift. Sudama felt ashamed to offer the flattened rice he had brought. Krishna, ever the prankster, with a twinkle in His eye, exclaimed to Sudama repeatedly, "Why don't you show me what is in this bag my dear friend, it is something for me isn't it?". Sudama kept dodging Krishna to avoid having to give Him flattened rice. But Krishna won the little duel and snatched the bag of rice, leaving Sudama dismayed.

Smiling, Krishna put a handful of the flavorless flattened rice in his mouth and ate it with great relish. With this mouthful, he gave Sudama riches enough for the present lifetime and the next. Fully under the sway of love, He was about to take a second mouthful. With it, He would have given all the three Loka (realms) he had dominion over, to Sudama. This is when Rukmini stopped Him!

He then fed his friend a lavish meal, asked him to rest for a while, and spent more time talking with him. Sudama, in the meantime, was in a state of transcendental bliss and so forgot the reason why he had come here. He spent the night at the palace and left for home early the next morning. Krishna lovingly bade him farewell, though He did not offer him anything in material terms. On the way, Sudama was completely happy and absorbed in thinking of the wonderful time he had spent with the Lord.

He thought that Krishna had desisted from giving him money and other material things, as he probably thought that those things may spoil his attitude and make him too proud and arrogant; finally making him forget his friend. Thinking thus, he continued on his way back home.

As he neared his home, Sudama was dismayed that his humble little cottage was missing. In place of that was a large, gleaming palace, made of gold, stones, and jewels. His poor and shabby neighborhood had been converted into beautiful gardens and parks with lovely lotus-filled lakes, filled with flocks of different multi-colored birds! Regal-looking men and women were strolling around the parks and divine music was playing somewhere in the background.

Sure that he had come to the right place, Sudama wondered where his little home had disappeared, virtually overnight. As he stood looking, his wife ran out of the palace to greet him. She was dressed in opulent, rich silks and heavy gold jewelry and seemed to him like the Goddess of Fortune herself. She affectionately led her amazed husband inside the palace. Its chambers were beautiful and ornate, fit for Indra, the king of the demigods. The palace consisted of several ornamented columns and pillars, with rich silk and velvet canopies hanging from the windows.

Sudama then understood that all of this was Krishna's doing. The Lord had been silently watching him and his suffering for all these years. But his small, seemingly meaningless offering of the flattened rice had paid rich rewards. He had been bestowed wonderful and incomparable riches and a palace, beautiful beyond imagination.

Sudama then prayed to Krishna, promising that he would never forget his Lord amid all this wealth and opulence. He accepted Krishna's grace as prasada and also resolved to use the money to serve the Lord. He lived peacefully with his wife and spent the rest of his life in luxury. However, he did so with a permanent and unwavering sense of gratitude and devotion toward the Lord, never once falling into the trap of ego and greed that wealth, power, and position invariably bring with them. The Lord's grace proportionately increased day after day, bestowing more well-being, happiness, and peace on him.

Krishna is "Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam", which means that He is everyone's best friend and well-wisher. However, He waits for us to turn towards Him because He knows what we truly need better than we do. One should accept the friendship of Lord Krishna, just like Sudama, who was not only His friend but also His devotee. Sudama didn't ask for anything from the Lord but instead offered whatever he could. Krishna rewarded him so that he and his family could continue on the spiritual path with more enthusiasm and without hindrances. Friendship in the material world fades away, but the friendship with Krishna never fades. That's the beauty of the friendship with Lord Krishna.

(From S´ri¯mad-Bha¯gvatam, Canto 10, Chapter 80-81)

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