Sudama's Story

When the above story was being narrated, Hemadpant was reminded of similar story of Sudama, which illustrates the same
priciple and, therefore, it is given here.
Shri Krishna and His elder brother, Balarama, were living with a co-student, named Sudama, in the ashram of their Guru,
Sandipani. Once Krishna and Balarama were sent to the forest for bringing fuel. Then the wife of Sandipani sent also
Sudama for the same purpose with some quantity of grams for the three. When Krishna met Sudama in the forest, he said to
him - "Dada, I want water as I am thirsty". Sudama replied - "No water should be drunk on an empty stomach, so it is better
to rest a while". He did not say that he had got grams with him and that He should take some. As Krishna was tired, He lay
down for rest on the lap of Sudama and was snoring. Seeing this, Sudama took out the grams and began to eat. Then
Krishna suddenly asked him - "Dada, what are you eating, whence is the sound?". He replied - "What is there to eat? I am
shivering with cold and my teeth are chattering. I can't even repeat distinctly Vishnu-Sahastra-Nama". Hearing this, the
Omniscient Krishna said - "I just dreamt a dream, in which I saw a man, eating things of another, and when asked about
this, he said - "What earth (dust) should he eat?", meaning thereby that he had nothing to eat? The other man said - "Let it
be so". Dada, this is only a dream. I know that you won't eat anything without Me; under the influence of the dream I asked
you what you were eating?" If Sudama had known a bit of the Omniscient, Shri Krishna and His Leelas, he would not have
acted, as he did. Therefore, he had to suffer for what he did. Though he was a chum of Shri Krishna he had to pass his later
life in utter poverty. But when he later offered Krishna a handful of parched rice, earned by his wife with her own labour,
Krishna was pleased and gave him a golden city to enjoy. This story should be remembered by those who have the habit of
eating things alone without partaking them with others.
The Shruti also emphasizes this lesson, and asks us to offer things first to God and then enjoy them after they are renounced
by Him. Baba also has taught us the same lesson in His inimitable and humorous way.