Sudama's Gift of Rice

As children, Shri Krishna and Sudama studied together at Guru Sandipani's ashram in Ujjain. They were the best of friends. Once, the guru's wife sent them into the forest to bring firewood. Suddenly a strong storm and heavy rain began. It grew dark, and they could not see the way. The two friends spent the whole night in the forest, holding each other's hands. In the morning, their guru came looking for them, found them and gave them many blessings.

Years went by. Krishna became the king of Dwarka. Sudama was a learned, simple brahmin. He was happy with whatever came his way. But there was often very little to eat in his home.

One day his wife said, "Your friend Krishna is the king of Dwarka. He loves his friends dearly. Please go and meet him once." Sudama did not want to ask for anything, but he thought, "At least I will get to see my friend." His wife asked the neighbours for four handfuls of chivda, flattened rice, and tied it in an old piece of cloth for him.

Sudama walked all the way to Dwarka. Seeing the golden palaces, he wondered, "Will such a great king even recognise me?" But the moment Krishna saw Sudama, he rose from his seat, ran to him and hugged him. Tears of joy flowed from his eyes. Krishna seated Sudama on his own bed and washed his feet with his own hands, and Rukmini ji fanned him. The people of the palace were amazed that a brahmin in torn clothes was being honoured like this.

The two friends laughed as they remembered their ashram days and that stormy night. Then Krishna smiled and said, "My friend, what have you brought for me from home?" Sudama felt shy and tried to hide the little bundle. Krishna lovingly pulled it from him, opened it and said, "Oh, this is the best gift for me!" He happily ate a handful of the chivda. As he reached for a second handful, Rukmini ji gently held his hand.

The next day, Sudama set off for home. He had not asked Krishna for anything. All the way, he kept thinking, "How much love my friend gave me!"

When he reached home, he could not even recognise his own house. Where his broken hut had stood, there was a beautiful palace, and his wife came out happily to welcome him. Sudama understood that this was his friend's love. Even so, he stayed as simple as before and remembered Krishna with love all his life.