It was a small hut. A small lamp placed in a corner of the hut was trying to spread its light far and wide. But its light was limited to one corner. Because of this, most of the hut was immersed in darkness. Still, the woman continued her efforts to make it free from darkness.
In the corner of the hut, two figures were sitting on a mat, whispering something. They were a husband and wife. The wife said, "Sir, the food and water in the house is completely exhausted; only these roasted gram are left."
The husband's voice rose, "Oh God! What kind of glory is this? Is this the result of goodness?" "Hmm?" The wife was lost in thought. The husband also fell into a thoughtful state.
They both thought for a long time. Finally, the wife said, "Swami! There's nothing to eat at home. Poverty has surrounded us. Your friend Krishna has now become the king of Mathura. You should go and ask him for some help."
The husband hesitated at first, but after his wife's repeated insistence, he agreed to leave for Dwarka.
That poor man, Sudama, had not a single penny in his possession, nor even shoes on his feet. He only had a dhoti, half wrapped around his body and half around his neck. Crossing a path full of dust and thorns, Sudama reached Dwarka. When he reached the gate of Krishna's palace, the gatekeeper stopped him.
Sudama said, "I want to meet Krishna."
The gatekeeper became angry and said, "Call him Krishna, you wicked king."
Sudama replied, "Krishna! He is my friend."
Hearing this, the gatekeeper glared at him from head to toe, and the next moment, he burst out laughing. "Why are you laughing?" Sudama asked.
"Go somewhere else, Your Majesty, you don't meet such friends," the gatekeeper said, diverting his attention. But Sudama remained adamant.
The gatekeeper, perturbed, approached Shri Krishna and began telling him about the visitor's plight. Hearing Sudama's name, Krishna ran barefoot toward the gate.
Seeing his childhood friend at the gate, he was overjoyed. He embraced Sudama and brought him to the court. He seated Sudama on his throne, removed the thorns from his feet, and washed his feet.
Sudama was witnessing this form of friendship for the first time. His tears of joy were unstoppable. Then Krishna had him change his clothes. Meanwhile, the bundle of roasted chickpeas tied in his dhoti fell out. Krishna opened the bundle and began eating them.
Sudama received great respect in Dwarka, but he was still filled with apprehension. Krishna hadn't once asked him the reason for his visit. He stayed there for several days. Even as he departed, neither could Sudama explain his plight to Krishna, nor did Krishna ask him anything.
All along the way, he kept thinking about how to demonstrate friendship. He entered his city, still thinking. His anger remained unabated. But then, he was struck with a sharp shock when he found his hut missing.
In place of the hut, a magnificent building had been erected. The sight of this distraught him. He couldn't understand how all this had happened. Where had his wife gone? He stood before the building. The gatekeeper, upon seeing him, saluted him and said, "Come, sir." Sudama's mind was blown.
"What is he saying?" he thought. Just then the doorman spoke again, "What are you thinking, sir? Come in." "Whose house is this?" Sudama asked, startled. "What are you saying, sir? It's yours."
Sudama's gaze involuntarily drifted upward. Looking up, he became even more surprised. His wife was talking to another woman.
He called out. Hearing her name, Sudama's wife, standing upstairs, looked down. Seeing her husband, she exclaimed happily, "Come in, sir! This is your house."
Hearing this, Sudama entered. When his wife came down, Sudama asked, "What is all this?"
The wife said, "Krishna! It's your grace, sir." "What?" Sudama blurted out. The next moment, he understood everything. Then, smiling to himself, he said, "You trickster."
A friend is one who helps a friend. True friendship is one in which a friend is helped without explanation or ingratiation, without even realizing it. Like the kindness that Lord Krishna showed to his childhood friend Sudama.
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