Lord Krishna’s best celebrated friend is a poor old man, Sudama. They have been childhood friends and they left the ashram to make their own future. Krishna the Lord that he is always was in Sudama’s thought. Sudama also was in ever relentlessly in devotion to his friend.

But then when Sudama got married, he was still leading a poor man’s life. His wife was not at all happy, especially knowing that her husband was the friend of the ruler from Mathura. So she tells him to go and ask for a favour. Every one knows how rich and royal Krishna was. Intimidated though about visiting him at the palace, Sudama takes the road, reaches Mathura to stand at Lord Krishna’s palace.

He tells the guard to he would like to see Krishna and that he is Sudama, his friend. The message reaches the Lord and he comes all the way out of his chamber to welcome his old friend. The Lord has not changed Has he. Nor has his devotee Sudama.

The people are put to so much thinking, how come this poor man makes the Lord come to the gates to welcome him.

As they go to the chamber Krishna makes him sit on the throne, which Sudama thinks is so modest of him to be doing that. As is the custom, Krishna asks Sudama what he has got for him, there is a small packet of parched rice, now duly hidden across his waist, he was so ashamed to give it to Krishna living in all splendour, and majesty. But Lord knows how to play the trick and he almost searched him to part with the gift and he opens it to find the rice and takes it to his mouth and says that’s the best he has ever had.

So in all the best hospitality that can be served Sudama spends sometime and then one day he tells Krishna he wants to get back home.

Krishna wanted to know if he could help Sudama to which he said no. But his wife’s picture came to haunt him. On the other side, he was sure if he had all those things he yearned for then he would forget his Master. So even after Krishna desiring to make amends Sudama takes a no and leaves for his village.

He comes across a fine palatial buiding which he thought was a place he lived in and asks a fellow traveler who lives there, to which he replied Sudama is the owner. Surprised he pushes through the gates and behold his wife fully decked in ornament and jewelery makes her presence.

Sudama knew who had played the game. No he was lost in the game to be remembering the Lord. But Sudama did not lose and he was not swayed a little though he thought his family or wife needed that. He had this wonderful prayer please make me poor so I dont forget you. Might me a little pessimistic, but it serves the purpose for Sudama.

That was one Yuga and we live in another. If only Krishna was our friend today. Would we be still Sudama.

Senthilkumar

The most celebrated God celebrates his Birthday today…, searching for Lord Ganesha, I stumbled upon this symbolism picture… It is pretty significant for the fact that even management concepts can be taught with his elephantine head and human body. Take a look.

After a long time literally, there was an opportunity to listen to a spiritual discourse at the temple today. Remembering the halcyon school days we were exposed to lot of Vedanta and Spiritual treatise, it was after a long time I was listening to glories of the Lord of course in pure chaste Malayalam.

It was Narayaneeyam Sapthaham going on. It was simple a delight to listen to the glories of my sweet Lord who celebrated his birthday just two days before. Of course even swine flu could not deter the celebrations. (never mind the devotees had N95 masks)

There was a beautiful part on Friendship that of Krishna and Kushela, it is said to be a meeting after almost 70 years. It was so wonderful the meeting and the after math. Kuchela walks back empty handed his heart full of joy at having met his beloved friend only to see his hutment transformed to a palace. God gives you what you want – his wife wanted material comfort not to be denied, the Lord actually does it without his friend’s knowledge.

Then there was this advent of Kali episode, when it transported me to my spiritual or ISKCON theatre days. I vividly remember that as Parikshit Maharaj, the last ruler of Bharat in Dwapara Yuga, does all in his command to stop Kali from being the next ruler.

Parikshit, incidentally is the son of Abhimanyu and Uttara, son of Arjuna and daughter of Krishna respectively. His name when translated reads the one who is tested. It is because of him that we have something called Bhagavatham.

So the last few days of Dwapara Yuga had set in and Parikshit goes on a hunting trip to the forests. He becomes thirsty and looks for a hermitage or a river nearby. He walks a few minutes to reach one hermitage. A sage was in his meditation. Parikshit goes and prostrates before him and says he needs some water to quench his thirst.

He requests the same to the sage almost three to four times, the sage being in deep meditation does not hear any of these utterances.

In a fit of rage, so unlikely that of Parikshit, he caught hold of a snake passing nearby and garlands the sage as he felt insulted. He leaves the place.

On the way back he sees a black man ready to cut the limbs of a cow. He rushes there and asks the man to stop only to find that he is Kali – the ruler of Kali Yuga. So Parikshit in a fit of rage takes the sword but Kali surrenders to Parikshit and requests him to leave him so that the Time goes as planned. Parikshit reluctantly lets him stay at four places – Slaughter Houses, Prostitution, Gambling and alcohol bars. One more place Kalki request is Gold. Parikshit accepts that being tricked to the fact that he was wearing a gold crown.

It was going through my mind as the discourse went on to discuss the means to invoke him during this Kali Yuga…

So he is still in control….except for few people who try to befriend the Lord.