श्रीमते भगवते रामानुजाय नम: । श्रीमते निगमान्त महादेशिकाय नम: ।
- Kucela decides to meet Krishna
Kucela , a poor brahmana was forced by his wife to meet his friend Krishna and obtain financial help. Krishna studied along with Kucela in the Gurukula of Sandipani Rishi. Kucela was reluctant as he felt it would not be appropriate to meet the friend seeking favour. However, the poor condition of his wife and children forced him to seek help. Sage Shuka narrates the story to King Pareekshit (from Srimad Bhagavatam)
ननु ब्रह्मन् भगवत: सखा साक्षाच्छ्रिय: पति: ।
ब्रह्मण्यश्च शरण्यश्च भगवान् सात्वतर्षभ: ॥
तमुपैहि महाभाग साधूनां च परायणम् ।
दास्यति द्रविणं भूरि सीदते ते कुटुम्बिने ॥
ब्रह्मन् भगवत: सखा साक्षात् भगवान् सात्वतर्षभ: श्रिय: पति: ननु ब्रह्मण्य: च शरण्य: च | महाभाग तम् साधूनां च परायणम् उपैहि ते सीदते कुटुम्बिने द्रविणं भूरि दास्यति
Kucela’s wife said :
O Brahman ! Your Lordship’s friend is none other than Lord Krishna, Bull among Yadavas, husband of Goddess of fortune, Rukmini. He is the ultimate shelter of Brahmanas. O Illustrious Lord ! he is ultimate resort of sages. Please go to him. He will give sufficient wealth to suffering family men like you.
स एवं भार्यया विप्रो बहुश: प्रार्थितो मुहु: ।
अयं हि परमो लाभ उत्तम:श्लोकदर्शनम् ॥
इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा गमनाय मतिं दधे ।
अप्यस्त्युपायनं किञ्चिद् गृहे कल्याणि दीयताम् ॥
स: विप्र: बहुश: एवं भार्यया मुहु: प्रार्थित: अयं हि परम: लाभ: इति उत्तम:श्लोकदर्शनम् मनसा सञ्चिन्त्य गमनाय मतिं अपि दधे गृहे किञ्चित् उपायनं अस्ति दीयताम्, कल्याणि
That Brahmana, Kucela, having been persuaded by wife repeatedly, thought, in any case meeting him is great blessing, thus excited about darshan of Krishna who is praised by Vedas, gave his mind for the travel also. He said, O auspicious lady ! is there any gift available in our house for giving to Krishna ?
याचित्वा चतुरो मुष्टीन् विप्रान् पृथुकतण्डुलान् ।
चैलखण्डेन तान् बद्ध्वा भर्त्रे प्रादादुपायनम् ॥
याचित्वा चतुर: मुष्टीन् विप्रान् पृथुकतण्डुलान् चैलखण्डेन तान् बद्ध्वा भर्त्रे उपायनम् प्रादात्
Kucela’s wife having begged four fistful of beaten rice from the neighbouring brahmanas tied them in a torn piece of cloth, made the gift to be presented to Krishna.
- Krishna receives Kucela, Krishna & Rukmini serve Kucela
As there is standing instruction not to stop any brahmanas visiting Krishna, Kucela passed through three security enclosures, and went directly to his palace who was resting in couch with his favorite consort Rukmini.
तं विलोक्याच्युतो दूरात् प्रियापर्यङ्कमास्थित: ।
सहसोत्थाय चाभ्येत्य दोर्भ्यां पर्यग्रहीन्मुदा ॥
सख्यु: प्रियस्य विप्रर्षेरङ्गसङ्गातिनिर्वृत: ।
प्रीतो व्यमुञ्चदब्बिन्दून् नेत्राभ्यां पुष्करेक्षण: ॥
अच्युत: प्रियापर्यङ्कं आस्थित: दूरात् तं विलोक्य सहसा उत्थाय च अभ्येत्य दोर्भ्यां मुदा पर्यग्रहीत् | पुष्करेक्षण: सख्यु: प्रियस्य विप्रर्षे: अङ्गसङ्गातिनिर्वृत: प्रीत: अब्बिन्दून् नेत्राभ्यां व्यमुञ्चत् |
Acyuta (Krishna), resting on Rukmini’s couch having seen him from distance, immediately got up, rushed towards him, delightedly hugged him with both his hands. Lotus eyed Lord, with the joyful experience of bodily touch of dear friend, brahmana sage, delighted, shed tear drops from both his eyes.
अथोपवेश्य पर्यङ्के स्वयं सख्यु: समर्हणम् ।
उपहृत्यावनिज्यास्य पादौ पादावनेजनी: ॥
अग्रहीच्छिरसा राजन् भगवाँल्लोकपावन: ।
व्यलिम्पद् दिव्यगन्धेन चन्दनागुरुकुङ्कुमै: ॥
धूपै: सुरभिभिर्मित्रं प्रदीपावलिभिर्मुदा ।
अर्चित्वावेद्य ताम्बूलं गां च स्वागतमब्रवीत् ॥
कुचैलं मलिनं क्षामं द्विजं धमनिसन्ततम् ।
देवी पर्यचरत् साक्षाच्चामरव्यजनेन वै ॥
राजन् अथ भगवान् लोकपावन: स्वयं सख्यु: पर्यङ्के उपवेश्य समर्हणम् उपहृत्य अवनिज्य अस्य पादौ पादावनेजनी: शिरसा अग्रहीत् | दिव्यगन्धेन चन्दनागुरुकुङ्कुमै: धूपै: सुरभिभि: मित्रं व्यलिम्पत् | प्रदीपावलिभि: मुदा अर्चित्वा ताम्बूलं गां च अवेद्य स्वागतम् अब्रवीत् | देवी कुचैलं मलिनं क्षामं द्विजं धमनिसन्ततम् साक्षात् चामरव्यजनेन वै पर्यचरत्
Sage Shukha continues to narrate the story –
O King Pareekshit ! Then Bhagavan, who is purifier of whole universe, himself made the friend seated on the couch, having brought the materials for guest worship, having washed his feet, took the few drops of water from the washed feet on his head. Then , Krishna applied divinely fragrant sandal paste and Kumkum on his friend and He also did the guest worship with fragrant incense sticks and row of lamps. Then he gave him Betelnut and a cow and recited the hymns of welcome. None other than Queen Rukmini, served Kucela, lanky with veins visible, poorly clothed, by fanning him with Yak tail hand fan.
- Krishna seizes the gift hidden by Kucela
Krishna & Kucela spent hours discussing their Gurukula days and other worldly subjects. Kucela was treated with great hospitality, with great food and accommodation. After seeing the opulence of Krishna, Kucela did not offer him the beaten rice gift tied in a torn piece of cloth.
श्रीभगवानुवाच
किमुपायनमानीतं ब्रह्मन् मे भवता गृहात् ।
अण्वप्युपाहृतं भक्तै: प्रेम्णा भूर्येव मे भवेत् ।
भूर्यप्यभक्तोपहृतं न मे तोषाय कल्पते ॥
पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति ।
तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मन: ॥
श्रीभगवानुवाच
ब्रह्मन् ! भवता मे किम् उपायनम् गृहात् आनीतं ? अनु अपि भक्तै: प्रेम्णा उपाहृतं भूर्य इव मे भवेत् । भूर्य अपि अभक्तोपहृतं मे तोषाय न कल्पते । य: पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति अहं प्रयतात्मन: तत् भक्त्युपहृतं अश्नामि ।
Shri Krishna Said –
O godly Sage ! What gift was brought for me by you from the home ? Even a small gift given by devotee is very big for me. On the other hand, big gifts of non-devotees do not bring satisfaction for me. One who gives me a leaf, flower, fruit, water with devotion, I receive gladly that devoted gift of person who makes sincere effort.
इत्युक्तोऽपि द्विजस्तस्मै व्रीडित: पतये श्रिय: ।
पृथुकप्रसृतिं राजन् न प्रायच्छदवाङ्मुख: ॥
राजन् इति उक्त: अपि अवाङ्मुख: द्विज: व्रीडित: तस्मै श्रिय: पतये पृथुकप्रसृतिं न प्रायच्छत्
O King Pareekshit ! Even after this reassurance by Krishna, brahmana, shameful, face down did not give the handful of flat rice to the Lord of Goddess of Fortune, Lakshmee.
सर्वभूतात्मदृक् साक्षात् तस्यागमनकारणम् ।
विज्ञायाचिन्तयन्नायं श्रीकामो माभजत्पुरा ॥
पत्न्या: पतिव्रतायास्तु सखा प्रियचिकीर्षया ।
प्राप्तो मामस्य दास्यामि सम्पदोऽमर्त्यदुर्लभा: ॥
इत्थं विचिन्त्य वसनाच्चीरबद्धान्द्विजन्मन: ।
स्वयं जहार किमिदमिति पृथुकतण्डुलान् ॥
साक्षात् सर्वभूतात्मदृक् तस्य आगमनकारणम् विज्ञाय अचिन्तयत् । न अयं श्रीकाम: मा अभजत् पुरा । सखा पत्न्या: पतिव्रताया: तु प्रियचिकीर्षया मां प्राप्त: । अस्य सम्पद: अमर्त्यदुर्लभा: दास्यामि । इत्थं विचिन्त्य किम् इदं पृथुकतण्डुलान् इति द्विजन्मन: वसनात् चीरबद्धान् स्वयं जहार ।
Bhagavan, inner soul and witness of all living beings, having known the purpose of his visit became thoughtful. Earlier, he never worshiped for the reason of wealth. My friend to fulfil the desire of chaste wife has arrived here. I would give him wealth unimaginable even by immortal demi gods. Having thought like this, ‘Oh what is this beaten rice ?’ thus he himself seized it from the cloth of brahmana.
नन्वेतदुपनीतं मे परमप्रीणनं सखे ।
तर्पयन्त्यङ्ग मां विश्वमेते पृथुकतण्डुला: ॥
इति मुष्टिं सकृज्जग्ध्वा द्वितीयां जग्धुमाददे ।
तावच्छ्रीर्जगृहे हस्तं तत्परा परमेष्ठिन: ॥
एतावतालं विश्वात्मन् सर्वसम्पत्समृद्धये ।
अस्मिन्लोकेऽथवामुष्मिन् पुंसस्त्वत्तोषकारणम् ॥
अङ्ग सखे एते पृथुकतण्डुला: एतत् उपनीतं मे परमप्रीणनं मां विश्वं ननु तर्पयन्ति इति मुष्टिं सकृत् जग्ध्वा द्वितीयां जग्धुम् आददे । तावत् श्री: परमेष्ठिन: तत्परा हस्तं जगृहे । विश्वात्मन् एतावत् अलं । पुंस: सर्वसम्पत्समृद्धये अस्मिन्लोके अथवा अमुष्मिन् त्वत् तोषकारणम् ।
O dear friend ! these flat rice brought for me is very dear to me, this would not only satisfy me but whole world. Having said thus, he took fistful once and took it and went forward to take second time. By that time, Rukmini, Goddess of fortune, devoted to Krishna held his hand and prevented him. O Lord of universe ! this is enough . Your satisfaction is the cause of prosperity and well being of people in this world and also in the next.
श्वोभूते विश्वभावेन स्वसुखेनाभिवन्दित: ।
जगाम स्वालयं तात पथ्यनुव्रज्य नन्दित: ॥
तात श्वोभूते विश्वभावेन स्वसुखेन अभिवन्दित: नन्दित: पथि अनुव्रज्य स्वालयं जगाम
O dear Pareekshit ! Next day morning, the brahmana, duly honoured, by the Sustainer of Universe, for his own satisfaction, taking the path left for his own place.
(The brahmana did not ask anything nor did Krishna give anything while he left Dwaraka)
- How it ended ?
As Kucela entered his place, he could not recognize anything. It has become like Indra’s Amarawati. His house has turned in to wealthy mansion.
पत्नीं वीक्ष्य विस्फुरन्तीं देवीं वैमानिकीमिव ।
दासीनां निष्ककण्ठीनां मध्ये भान्तीं स विस्मित: ॥
प्रीत: स्वयं तया युक्त: प्रविष्टो निजमन्दिरम् ।
मणिस्तम्भशतोपेतं महेन्द्रभवनं यथा ॥
स: पत्नीं विस्फुरन्तीं देवीं वैमानिकीम् इव वीक्ष्य दासीनां निष्ककण्ठीनां मध्ये भान्तीं विस्मित: प्रीत: स्वयं तया युक्त: निजमन्दिरम् मणिस्तम्भशतोपेतं महेन्द्रभवनं यथा प्रविष्ट: ।
Kucela having seen his wife, shining like celestial goddess, midst of maids adorned with ornaments, astonished, delighted, together with her entered own house, with pillars fitted with gems and jewels, just like Indra’s palace.
इत्थं व्यवसितो बुद्ध्या भक्तोऽतीव जनार्दने ।
विषयान् जायया त्यक्ष्यन्बुभुजे नातिलम्पट: ||
इत्थं भक्त: बुद्ध्या जनार्दने अतीव व्यवसित: न अतिलम्पट: विषयान् त्यक्ष्यन् जायया बुभुजे ॥
In this manner, Kucela the devotee, fixing his extreme faith in Krishna, not becoming greedy in spite of sudden arrival of wealth, giving up his desires on sense objects lived a contented life with wife.
sanskritathome 