I have been walking since yesterday, my body refused to cooperate anymore and my legs asked for rest. The little food that remained with me was eaten by my good friend when I visited him. I continued to walk, for, in a while, I’d be back in my home.
I could see a white palace at a distance. I never saw this fort so close to my home. I wondered where it came from, I was away just for a few days. As I moved closer, I realized the Palace stood exactly where my home is situated, in fact, it replaced my home. Shocked and startled as I was, I went in through the entrance and saw both of my kids playing in the courtyard.
I asked one of them “Shravan, my son, whose house is this?”
“Its’ ours Dad”, an excited reply came from Shravan.
Hearing my voice, my wife came outside. She was dressed in a beautiful saree and had a lot of jewellary on her. I pinched myself to make sure I was not in a dream.
My wife smiled at me. I did not remember the last time I saw that expression on her.
“Your friend, Lord Krishna, visited us”, she said.
I knew he would help me but I did not know it would happen so soon.
Two days ago
My plate had one bread, that’s all I have for dinner today. My stomach has a strange pain since the past three days,
“Its’ called hunger”, my mother had once told me.
I saw my two kids silently staring at me from a distance. I could hear the words their eyes said, “Father, when would we have a full meal?”
I made two halves of my single bread and gave it to them. I satisfied my hunger with a glass full of water, once again. My wife looked at me; I saw a tear dropping from her eye. She loved me a lot, that’s the only thing which I had plenty in my life. I am not a good husband, I thought to myself. She never asked me for anything nor could I give her something. She worked outside to get us some money for food.
Every day I went out onto the streets singing songs which praised Gods. Those who liked my songs gave me food. This worked out fine when it was only my wife and me but when kids entered into our life, things got more difficult. We always offered our first meal to the God, we believed he would always watch us and soon fill our lives with happiness. We respect our guests and every time we offer them whatever we had with us. My family never disobeyed my ideals, they always held respect for my principles; I felt guilty for not being able to keep them happy though they had so much love for me.
That night I had a dream in which I saw my old friend Krishna. Krishna and I were best friends in school. We used to play together every day and we shared our food. My mother used to give me beaten rice for lunch, Krishna used to like it so much. In my dream, I saw him calling me again. I woke up startled. Even I longed to see my dear friend but I did not know whether he still remembered me. He is now the King of Dwaraka and people called him Lord Krishna.
The next day without a thought I set out to visit my friend in Dwaraka. It was a long journey so my wife gave me beaten rice and some starch to eat on the way. I walked and walked all the miles for the whole day.
The next morning I was in front of the Palace of Dwaraka. I am not sure if I’d be allowed in and stood there staring at the palace.
“Can I help you?”, the royal guard at the entrance asked me.
“I would like to me Krish...err... Lord Krishna”, I said feeling low.
“Who should I say you are?” the guard asked me.
“Tell him that I am his old friend, Sudhama.”
The guard went in. The next minute, I saw my friend coming out.
He hugged me straightaway, “Oh Sudhama, thank you for remembering me.” I was so glad He still remembered me and is so happy to see me.
Lord Krishna took great care of me and offered me good food. We both remembered how we spent time in our childhood. When I thought of asking him for the ultimate favor, Krishna asked me for something, “Sudhama, My friend, what did you bring for me?”
I opened my bag and gave him the box of beaten rice. I was amazed to see him still act a small child and eat my box of beaten rice. He drank from my bottle of starch water.
“Thank you Sudhama, I missed this food for a long food.”
“Thank you Krishna, but that is all I can offer you now.” I wanted to say.
I could not share my misery with my friend so I did not tell him anything about my poverty. I wanted him to believe that I am happy with my family. I set out for my home later that day.
All through my way back, I remembered how caring my friend was. I was never treated so well in my entire life. I felt lucky to have such a friend. Though he did not offer me any help, my respect and love for him has grown enormously. He told me that he would come visit me; I hope that never happens.
Now
No one in my home slept with an empty stomach. We offer more prayers to the Lord everyday and respect our guests. Everyone smiled with joy and happiness. All of this is possible only because of Lord Krishna and the love he has for his people.
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