Source
Texts:
The
Brâhmana Sudâmâ Visits Lord Krishna in
Dvârakâ
Text
1
The honorable
king said: 'My lord, I would like to hear what more valorous
deeds there are, o master, of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Soul of
Unlimited Powers.
King
Parîkchit said: My lord, O master, I wish to hear
about other valorous deeds performed by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Mukunda, whose valor is
unlimited.
Text
2
Who indeed,
disgusted with running after material desires knowing the
essence, o brahmin, can desist, repeatedly having heard the
transcendental topics of the Lord Hailed in the
Scriptures?
O
brâhmana, how could anyone who knows the essence of
life and is disgusted with endeavoring for sense
gratification give up the transcendental topics of Lord
Uttamahs'loka after hearing them repeatedly?
Text
3
The
actual power of speech is the one describing His qualities, the
hands are the ones that do His work, the mind is the mind that
remembers [Him] dwelling with the moving and unmoving,
and what hears is the ear to His sanctifying topics
[compare 2.3:
20-24].
Actual
speech is that which describes the qualities of the Lord,
real hands are those that work for Him, a true mind is that
which always remembers Him dwelling within everything moving
and nonmoving, and actual ears are those that listen to
sanctifying topics about Him.
Text
4
It
is the head that bows to both the manifestations
[moving/nonmoving] of Him, it is the eye indeed that
sees Him only, it are the limbs which regularly honor the water
that washed the feet of Vishnu or His
devotees'."
An
actual head is one that bows down to the Lord in His
manifestations among the moving and nonmoving creatures,
real eyes are those that see only the Lord, and actual limbs
are those which regularly honor the water that has bathed
the Lord's feet or those of His devotees.
Text
5
Sûta
[1.2:
1]
said: "Well questioned by Vishnurâta [Parîkchit
as being Vishnu-sent] spoke the powerful sage, the son of
Vyâsa fully absorbed in Vâsudeva, his
heart.
Suta
Gosvâmî said: Thus questioned by King
Vishnurâta, the powerful sage Bâdarâyani
replied, his heart fully absorbed in meditation on the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vâsudeva.
Text
6
S'rî
S'uka said: 'There was a certain friend of Krishna [called
Sudâmâ, 'giving well',not the same as mentioned in
10.41:
43],
a brahmin well versed in the Vedas, who peaceful of mind and in
control with the senses was detached from the sense
objects.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Lord Krishna had a certain
brâhmana friend [named Sudâmâ] who
was most learned in Vedic knowledge and detached from all
sense enjoyment. Furthermore, his mind was peaceful and his
senses subdued.
Text
7
Existing
as a householder by what came on its own accord was his wife,
just like him, poorly dressed and emaciated of
hunger.
Living
as a householder, he maintained himself with whatever came
of its own accord. The wife of that poorly dressed
brâhmana suffered along with him and was emaciated
from hunger.
Text
8
With
her face dried up, distressed of the poverty all trembling,
approached she, faithful to her husband, him and
said:
The
chaste wife of the poverty-stricken brâhmana once
approached him, her face dried up because of her distress.
Trembling with fear, she spoke as follows.
Text
9
'Isn't
it, o brahmin, that your friend, o master of devotion, is the
Husband of S'rî Compassionate with the Brahmins and as
the best of the Sâtvatas is willing to give
shelter?
[Sudâmâ's
wife said:] O brâhmana, isn't it true that the
husband of the goddess of fortune is the personal friend of
your exalted self? That greatest of Yâdavas, the
Supreme Lord Krishna, is compassionate to brâhmanas
and very willing to grant them His shelter.
Text
10
Approach
Him, my most gracious, and He, the Ultimate Shelter of the
Saintly, will give wealth in plenty to you suffering to
maintain a family.
O
fortunate one, please approach Him, the real shelter of all
saints. He will certainly give abundant wealth to such a
suffering householder as you.
Text
11
If
the Lord of the Bhojas, Vrishnis and Andhakas now present in
Dvârakâ, gives even Himself to the one who
remembers the lotus feet of Him, the Master of the Universe;
what then of the, to the ones of worship, not so desirable of
economic success and sensual gratification?'
Lord
Krishna is now the ruler of the Bhojas, Vrishnis and
Andhakas and is staying at Dvârakâ. Since He
gives even His own self to anyone who simply remembers His
lotus feet, what doubt is there that He, the spiritual
master of the universe, will bestow upon His sincere
worshiper prosperity and material enjoyment, which are not
even very desirable?
Text
12-13
The
one of learning this way time and again by his wife extensively
entreated thus thought: 'The sight of Uttamas'loka indeed is
the highest attainment', and having made up his mind to go he
asked her: 'Is there any gift in the house my good woman,
please give it to me!'
[S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî continued:] When his wife thus
repeatedly implored him in various ways, the brâhmana
thought to himself, "To see Lord Krishna is indeed the
greatest achievement in life." Thus he decided to go, but
first he told her, "My good wife, if there is anything in
the house I can bring as a gift, please give it to
me."
Text
14
Begging
four fists of husked and parched rice from the learned, she
wrapped them in a piece of cloth and gave it as a gift to her
husband.
Sudâmâ's
wife begged four handfuls of flat rice from neighboring
brâhmanas, tied up the rice in a torn piece of cloth
and gave it to her husband as a present for Lord
Krishna.
Text
15
He,
the best of the learned, taking them, went to
Dvârakâ thinking: 'How will this audience with
Krishna ever happen to me?'
Taking
the flat rice, the saintly brâhmana set off for
Dvârakâ, all the while wondering "How will I be
able to have Krishna's audience?"
Text
16-17
Passing with
[some other] twice borns three gates and guard
stations, walked he between the houses of Acyuta's faithful
followers, the Andakas and Vrishnis, where one normally
couldn't go and felt he, entering one of the opulent
eighteen-thousand residences of the Lord His queens
[*],
as if he had attained the bliss of the Pure
Spirit.
The
learned brâhmana, joined by some local
brâhmanas, passed three guard stations and went
through three gateways, and then he walked by the homes of
Lord Krishna's faithful devotees, the Andhakas and Vrishnis,
which ordinarily no one could do. He then entered one of the
opulent palaces belonging to Lord Hari's sixteen thousand
queens, and when he did so he felt as if he were attaining
the bliss of liberation.
Text
18
Acyuta sitting
on His consort's bed, seeing him from a distance immediately
rose and came forward to close him gladly in His
arms.
At
that time Lord Acyuta was seated on His consort's bed.
Spotting the brâhmana at some distance, the Lord
immediately stood up, went forward to meet him and with
great pleasure embraced him.
Text
19
The Lotus-eyed
One, in contact with His dear friend's saintly and wise body,
extremely ecstatic released affectionately some teardrops from
His eyes.
The
lotus-eyed Supreme Lord felt intense ecstasy upon touching
the body of His dear friend, the wise brâhmana, and
thus He shed tears of love.
Text
20-22
Next having him
seated on the bed came He up with some items to honor his
friend and wash his feet. The water took the Supreme Lord of
All the Worlds on His head, o King, after which the Purifier
anointed him with divinely fragrant sandalwood and aloe-wood
[lignaloes or aguru] paste and kunkuma. Gladly
worshiping His friend with aromatic incense and series of
lamps, said He welcome, offering betelnut and a cow.
Lord
Krishna seated His friend Sudâmâ upon the bed.
Then the Lord, who purifies the whole world, personally
offered him various tokens of respect and washed his feet, O
King, after which He sprinkled the water on His own head. He
anointed him with divinely fragrant sandalwood, aguru and
kunkuma pastes and happily worshiped him with aromatic
incense and arrays of lamps. After finally offering him
betel nut and the gift of a cow, He welcomed him with
pleasing words.
Text
23
Carefully
fanning with a yak's tail the dirty and poorly dressed
emaciated twice-born, whose veins could be seen, was the
goddess [Rukminî] personally of
service.
By
fanning him with her câmara, the divine goddess of
fortune personally served that poor brâhmana, whose
clothing was torn and dirty and who was so thin that veins
were visible all over his body.
Text
24
The people in
the palace seeing Krishna spotless in His glory, fell in
amazement about the intense love with which he so repudiate
[the avadûta] was honored:
The
people in the royal palace were astonished to see Krishna,
the Lord of spotless glory, so lovingly honor this shabbily
dressed brâhmana.
Text
25-26
'What
pious deeds did he, this unclean, condemned and lowly
mendicant, deprived of all prosperity in the world, perform to
be served with reverence by the Spiritual Master of the Three
worlds, the abode of S'rî. Sitting on her bed embraced He
him as an elder brother leaving aside the
goddess!'
[The
residents of the palace said:] What pious acts has this
unkempt, impoverished brâhmana performed? People
regard him as lowly and contemptible, yet the spiritual
master of the three worlds, the abode of Goddess S'rî,
is serving him reverently. Leaving the goddess of fortune
sitting on her bed, the Lord has embraced this
brâhmana as if he were an older brother.
Text
27
Taking
hold of each other's hands, o King, they discussed the topics
of the past they sat together in the school of their spiritual
master [see 10.45:
31-32].
[S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî continued:] Taking each other's
hands, O King, Krishna and Sudâmâ talked
pleasantly about how they once lived together in the school
of their guru.
Text
28
The
Supreme Lord said: 'O brahmin, after the guru received his
remuneration from you and, o knower of the dharma, you
returned, did you marry a suitable wife or not?
The
Supreme Lord said: My dear brâhmana, you know well the
ways of dharma. After you offered the gift of remuneration
to our guru and returned home from his school, did you marry
a compatible wife or not?
Text
29
With
your mind occupied by household matters is it non-desire that
drives you, neither, so I know to be true, do you take much
pleasure, o wise one, in the pursuit of material
happiness.
Even
though you are mostly involved in household affairs, your
mind is not affected by material desires. Nor, O learned
one, do you take much pleasure in the pursuit of material
wealth. This I am well aware of.
Text
30
Some people
execute their worldly duties, in their minds not being
disturbed by desires; just as I do to set an example, do they
shake off the propensities that naturally rise.
Having
renounced all material propensities, which spring from the
Lord's illusory energy, some people execute worldly duties
with their minds undisturbed by mundane desires. They act as
I do, to instruct the general populace.
Text
31
Do
you, o brahmin, still remember our staying in the
gurukula,
from which a twiceborn person, understanding what needs to be
known, experiences that what is transcendent to the
ignorance?
My
dear brâhmana, do you remember how we lived together
in our spiritual master's school? When a twice-born student
has learned from his guru all that is to be learned, he can
enjoy spiritual life, which lies beyond all
ignorance.
Text
32
The
first birth of someone twice born, my friend, is this material
life, that indeed under the direct supervision of a spiritual
master, the bestower of spiritual knowledge who is as Myself,
is sanctified [in a 'second birth'] by the duties he
teaches for all spiritual orders [see as'râmas
and 7.12].
My
dear friend, he who gives a person his physical birth is his
first spiritual master, and he who initiates him as a
twice-born brâhmana and engages him in religious
duties is indeed more directly his spiritual master. But the
person who bestows transcendental knowledge upon the members
of all the spiritual orders of society is one's ultimate
spiritual master. Indeed, he is as good as My own
self.
Text
33
For
sure are of those engaged in the varnâs'rama system
[see also
B.G.
4.13]
in
this world they the expert knowers of the true welfare, o
brahmin, who cross over the ocean of a material existence
through the words of Me as the spiritual master.
Certainly,
O brâhmana, of all the followers of the
varnâs'rama system, those who take advantage of the
words I speak in My form as the spiritual master and thus
easily cross over the ocean of material existence best
understand their own true welfare.
Text
34
I,
the Soul of All Beings, am not as satisfied by ritual worship,
brahminical initiation, austerity or self-control as I am by
faithful service [compare 7.14:
17].
I,
the Soul of all beings, am not as satisfied by ritual
worship, brahminical initiation, penances or self-discipline
as I am by faithful service rendered to one's spiritual
master.
Text
35-36
O
brahmin, do you remember what we, living with our spiritual
master, did when we once by the wife of our guru were sent to
fetch firewood? Having entered a big forest arose, o twice born
one, all out of season, a fierce harsh thundering wind and
rain.
O
brâhmana, do you remember what happened to us while we
were living with our spiritual master? Once our guru's wife
sent us to fetch firewood, and after we entered the vast
forest, O twice-born one, an unseasonal storm arose, with
fierce wind and rain and harsh thunder.
Text
37
With
the sun having set overcome by darkness could with all the
water around no direction, high or low land, be
recognized.
Then,
as the sun set, the forest was covered by darkness in every
direction, and with all the flooding we could not
distinguish high land from low.
Text
38
We,
constantly heavily besieged by the great wind and water there,
were in the flooding unable to make out which way to go and
then, wandering distressed in the forest, held each other's
hands.
Constantly
besieged by the powerful wind and rain, we lost our way
amidst the flooding waters. We simply held each other's
hands and, in great distress, wandered aimlessly about the
forest.
Text
39
Knowing
this did our guru Sândipâni, as the
âcârya in search for us disciples at sunrise, find
us in distress:
Our
guru, Sândîpani, understanding our predicament,
set out after sunrise to search for us, his disciples, and
found us in distress.
Text
40
'Oh
you children, how much have you suffered for our sake; in
disregard of the body that indeed to all living beings is most
dear, were you dedicated to me!
[Sândîpani
said:] O my children, you have suffered so much for my
sake! The body is most dear to every living creature, but
you are so dedicated to me that you completely disregarded
your own comfort.
Text
41
For
certain is this alone the truth to be respected by disciples:
to repay, perfectly pure in one's love, one's debt to the guru
offering the spiritual master one's self and one's
property.
This
indeed is the duty of all true disciples: to repay the debt
to their spiritual master by offering him, with pure hearts,
their wealth and even their very lives.
Text
42
Satisfied
I am, my dear ones, o best of brahmins, may your desires be
fulfilled and may in this world as well as in the next that
what evolves from your attraction [your words, your
mantras] never fade [compare 10.45:
48].
You
boys are first-class brâhmanas, and I am satisfied
with you. May all your desires be fulfilled, and may the
Vedic mantras you have learned never lose their meaning for
you, in this world or the next.
Text
43
There
were many things like this when we were living in the home of
the guru; simply by the mercy of the spiritual master is a
person fulfilled in his quest for peace.
[Lord
Krishna continued:] We had many similar experiences
while living in our spiritual master's home. Simply by the
grace of the spiritual master a person can fulfill life's
purpose and attain eternal peace.
Text
44
The
brahmin said: 'What have we not achieved, o God of Gods, o Guru
of the Universe, when I was living at the guru's house with You
whose all desires are fulfilled.
The
brâhmana said: What could I possibly have failed to
achieve, O Lord of lords, O universal teacher, since I was
able to personally live with You, whose every desire is
fulfilled, at the home of our spiritual master?
Text
45
O
Almighty One within whose body, that is the fertile field of
all welfare, is found the praise [the Veda's] relating
to the Absolute Truth; Your residing with spiritual masters is
all an imitation [see also e.g. 10.69:
44
and 10.77:
30]!
O
almighty Lord, Your body comprises the Absolute Truth in the
form of the Vedas and is thus the source of all auspicious
goals of life. That You took up residence at the school of a
spiritual master is simply one of Your pastimes in which You
play the role of a human being.
*
S'rîla Vis'vanâtha Cakravartî quotes from the
Padma Purâna, Uttara-khanda, which says that the
brâhmin actually entered the palace of Rukminî: 'sa
tu rukminy-antah-pura- dvâri kshanam tûshnîm
sthitah'; 'He stood for a moment in silence at the doorway of
Queen Rukminî's palace'.
