StoryofLordKrishnaandSudamateachustheimportanceofbeinggenerousandgiving.Readontoknowmoreaboutit.KrishnaandSudamawerechildhoodfriends.KrishnacamefromaroyalfamilywhereasSudamawasthesonofapoorBrahmin.Theycamefromdistinctfamilybackgroundsbutitneveraffectedtheirfriendship.BothofthemstudiedtogetherintheAshramofRishiSandipani.OnceRishiSandipaniorderedKrishnaandSudamatogototheforestandcollectbrushwood.Whilewalkingandchit-chattingwitheachothertheyreachedamidstdenseforest.TheygotverylateandKrishnastartedfeelinghungry.KrishnakeptonaskingforfoodfromSudamaasheknewthathehadsomeroastedchickpeas(Chana)withhim.ButSudamakeptdenyingthathewascarryingChanawithhim.KrishnaalsoknewthatevenSudamawashungry.Afterawhile,KrishnatoldSudamathathewasverytiredandwouldliketotakeaquicknap.Bothofthemrestedunderthetree.AsKrishnawasasleep,SudamaquicklyremovedtheChanafromhisBatwaandatethemallwithoutsharingthemwithKrishna.Krishnawasverywellawareofwhathadhappenedbutheneversaidanything.Aftertheshortnap,boththeboysgatheredthebrushwoodaspertheorderoftheirGuruandleftforhome.WhenKrishnaandSudamacompletedtheirstudies,theywenttotheirrespectivehomesafterwhichtheycompletelylostcontactwitheachother.AccordingtoHindumythology,bynotsharingthefoodwithKrishna–Thealmightyhimselfandleavinghimhungry,Sudamahadalreadyaccumulatedsin.Hehadtosufferbecauseofthesincommittedbyhim.LaterKrishnabecamethekingofDwarkaandSudamacontinuedtopracticeasaBrahmininhisvillage.Duetothesincommittedinchildhoodheandhisfamilyhadtocopewithpoverty.Everysingledayhischildrenandwifehadtostruggleforfood. ButduringhistestingtimestooherememberedKrishnaandlovedhimasmuchashedidinhischildhood.Tiredofpovertyandsuffering,Sudama’swifepersuadedhimtovisithischildhoodfriendwhowasnowthekingofDwarkaandseekhelpfromhim.So,hedecidedtovisitDwarkabuthehadnothingtocarrywithhimforKrishnaandwasfeelingembarrassedtogoempty-handed.Heaskedhiswifetohandhimsomeflatrice(Poha)thatwaslyinginoneofthecontainersinhishouse.WhenSudamareachedDwarka,Krishnawelcomedhimwithgreatfervourandshoweredalotofloveandaffectiononhim.SudamaofferedPohatoKrishnathathehadcarriedalongwithhim.Althoughitwasaportionofsimplefood,Krishnaacceptedithappily.So,SudamawasfreedfromthesinthathehadaccumulatedinhischildhoodbyleavingKrishnahungry.Krishnablessedhimwithprosperityandgoodluck.WhenSudamareturnedhome,hissmallhuthadturnedintoabigpalaceandhiswifeandchildrenweredressedinbeautifulclothes.HewasblessedwithalltheluxuriesduetotheblessingsofKrishna.Thereafter,helivedahappyandpeacefullife.Moral:Oneshouldneverletotherssufferdespitehavingtheabilitytogivethingsandhelpothers.BeingGenerouscanbringhappinessinthelifeofthereceiveraswellasthegiver.So,oneshouldalwaysgiveinsteadofholdingthingsback.
Story of Lord Krishna and Sudama teach us the importance of being generous and giving. Read on to know more about it.
Krishna and Sudama were childhood friends. Krishna came from a royal family whereas Sudama was the son of a poor Brahmin. They came from distinct family backgrounds but it never affected their friendship. Both of them studied together in the Ashram of Rishi Sandipani.
Once Rishi Sandipani ordered Krishna and Sudama to go to the forest and collect brushwood. While walking and chit-chatting with each other they reached amidst dense forest. They got very late and Krishna started feeling hungry. Krishna kept on asking for food from Sudama as he knew that he had some roasted chickpeas (Chana) with him. But Sudama kept denying that he was carrying Chana with him. Krishna also knew that even Sudama was hungry.
After a while, Krishna told Sudama that he was very tired and would like to take a quick nap. Both of them rested under the tree. As Krishna was asleep, Sudama quickly removed the Chana from his Batwa and ate them all without sharing them with Krishna. Krishna was very well aware of what had happened but he never said anything. After the short nap, both the boys gathered the brushwood as per the order of their Guru and left for home.
When Krishna and Sudama completed their studies, they went to their respective homes after which they completely lost contact with each other. According to Hindu mythology, by not sharing the food with Krishna – The almighty himself and leaving him hungry, Sudama had already accumulated sin. He had to suffer because of the sin committed by him.
Later Krishna became the king of Dwarka and Sudama continued to practice as a Brahmin in his village. Due to the sin committed in childhood he and his family had to cope with poverty. Every single day his children and wife had to struggle for food. But during his testing times too he remembered Krishna and loved him as much as he did in his childhood.
Tired of poverty and suffering, Sudama’s wife persuaded him to visit his childhood friend who was now the king of Dwarka and seek help from him. So, he decided to visit Dwarka but he had nothing to carry with him for Krishna and was feeling embarrassed to go empty-handed. He asked his wife to hand him some flat rice (Poha) that was lying in one of the containers in his house.
When Sudama reached Dwarka, Krishna welcomed him with great fervour and showered a lot of love and affection on him. Sudama offered Poha to Krishna that he had carried along with him. Although it was a portion of simple food, Krishna accepted it happily. So, Sudama was freed from the sin that he had accumulated in his childhood by leaving Krishna hungry. Krishna blessed him with prosperity and good luck.
When Sudama returned home, his small hut had turned into a big palace and his wife and children were dressed in beautiful clothes. He was blessed with all the luxuries due to the blessings of Krishna. Thereafter, he lived a happy and peaceful life.
Moral: One should never let others suffer despite having the ability to give things and help others. Being Generous can bring happiness in the life of the receiver as well as the giver. So, one should always give instead of holding things back.
