> > S'rîmad Bhâgavatam - Canto 10
> > Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
> > (for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

> > *******

> > Canto 10: 'Summum Bonum'

> > *******

> > Chapter Eighty-one: The Lord Blesses Sudâmâ Brâhmana

> > TEXTS 1 - 2

> > s'rî-s'uka uvâca

> > sa ittham dvija-mukhyena

> > saha sankathayan harih

> > sarva-bhûta-mano-'bhijn'ah

> > smayamâna uvâca tam

> > brahmanyo brâhmanam krishno

> > bhagavân prahasan priyam

> > premnâ nirîkshanenaiva

> > prekshan khalu satâm gatih

> > s'rî-s'ukah uvâca - S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said; sah - He; ittham - in this manner; dvija - of brâhmanas; mukhyena - with the best; saha - together; sankathayan - conversing; harih - Lord Hari; sarva - of all; bhûta - living beings; manah - the minds; abhijn'ah - who knows perfectly; smayamânah - smiling; uvâca - said; tam - to him;

> > brahmanyah - devoted to the brâhmanas; brâhmanam - to the brâhmana; krishnah - Lord Krishna; bhagavân - the Supreme Personality of Godhead; prahasan - laughing; priyam - at His dear friend; premnâ - lovingly; nirîkshanena - with a glance; eva - indeed; prekshan - looking; khalu - indeed; satâm - of the saintly devotees; gatih - the goal.

> > TRANSLATION

> > [S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said:] Lord Hari, Krishna, perfectly knows the hearts of all living beings, and He is especially devoted to the brâhmanas. While the Supreme Lord, the goal of all saintly persons, conversed in this way with the best of the twice-born, He laughed and spoke the following words to that dear friend of His, the brâhmana Sudâmâ, all the while smiling and looking upon him with affection.

> > ******

> > TEXT 3

> > s'rî-bhagavân uvâca

> > kim upâyanam ânîtam

> > brahman me bhavatâ grihât

> > anv apy upâhritam bhaktaih

> > premnâ bhury eva me bhavet

> > bhûry apy abhaktopahritam

> > na me toshâya kalpate

> > s'rî-bhagavân uvâca - the Supreme Lord said; kim - what; upâyanam - gift; ânîtam - brought; brahman - O brâhmana; me - for Me; bhavatâ - by you; grihât - from your home; anu - infinitesimal; api - even; upâhritam - thing offered; bhaktaih - by devotees; premnâ - in pure love; bhûri - immense; eva - indeed; me - for Me; bhavet - it becomes; bhûri - huge; api - even; abhakta - by nondevotees; upahritam - presented; na - not; me - My; toshâya - for the satisfaction; kalpate - is competent.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The Supreme Lord said: O brâhmana, what gift have you brought Me from home? I regard as great even the smallest gift offered by My devotees in pure love, but even great offerings presented by nondevotees do not please Me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 4

> > patram pushpam phalam toyam

> > yo me bhaktyâ prayacchati

> > tad aham bhakty-upahritam

> > as'nâmi prayatâtmanah

> > patram - a leaf; pushpam - a flower; phalam - a fruit; toyam - water; yah - whoever; me - unto Me; bhaktyâ - with devotion; prayacchati - offers; tat - that; aham - I; bhakti-upahritam - offered in devotion; as'nâmi - accept; prayata-âtmanah - from one in pure consciousness.

> > TRANSLATION

> > If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.

> > ******

> > TEXT 5

> > ity ukto 'pi dviyas tasmai

> > vrîditah pataye s'riyah

> > prithuka-prasritim râjan

> > na prâyacchad avân-mukhah

> > iti - thus; uktah - addressed; api - although; dvijah - the brâhmana; tasmai - to Him; vrîditah - embarrassed; pataye - to the husband; s'riyah - of the goddess of fortune; prithuka - of flat rice; prasritim - the palmfuls; râjan - O King (Parîkchit); na prâyacchat - did not offer; avâk - bowed down; mukhah - whose head.

> > TRANSLATION

> > [S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued:] Even after being addressed in this way, O King, the brâhmana felt too embarrassed to offer his palmfuls of flat rice to the husband of the goddess of fortune. He simply kept his head bowed in shame.

> > ******

> > TEXTS 6 - 7

> > sarva-bhûtâtma-drik sâkshât

> > tasyâgamana-kâranam

> > vijnâyâcintayan nâyam

> > s'rî-kâmo mâbhajat purâ

> > patnyâh pati-vratâyâs tu

> > sakhâ priya-cikîrshayâ

> > prâpto mâm asya dâsyâmi

> > sampado 'martya-durlabhâh

> > sarva - of all; bhûta - living beings; âtma - of the hearts; drik - the witness; sâkshât - direct; tasya - his (Sudâmâ's); âgamana - for the coming; kâranam - the reason; vijn'âya - understanding fully; acintayat - He thought; na - not; ayam - he; s'rî - of opulence; kâmah - desirous; mâ - Me; abhajat - worshiped; purâ - in the past;

> > patnyâh - of his wife; pati - to her husband; vratâyâh - chastely devoted; tu - however; sakhâ - My friend; priya - the satisfaction; cikîrshayâ - with the desire of securing; prâptah - now come; mâm - to Me; asya - to him; dâsyâmi - I will give; sampadah - riches; amartya - by the demigods; durlabhâh - unobtainable.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Being the direct witness in the hearts of all living beings, Lord Krishna fully understood why Sudâmâ had come to see Him. Thus He thought, "In the past My friend has never worshiped Me out of a desire for material opulence, but now he comes to Me to satisfy his chaste and devoted wife. I will give him riches that even the immortal demigods cannot obtain."

> > ******

> > TEXT 8

> > ittham vicintya vasanâc

> > cîra-baddhân dvi-janmanah

> > svayam jahâra kim idam

> > iti prithuka-tandulân

> > ittham - in this manner; vicintya - thinking; vasanât - from the garment; cîra - in a strip of cloth; baddhân - tied up; dvi-janmanah - of the twice-born brâhmana; svayam - Himself; jahâra - He took hold of; kim - what; idam - this; iti - so saying; prithuka-tandulân - the grains of flat rice.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Thinking like this, the Lord snatched from the brâhmana's garment the grains of flat rice tied up in an old piece of cloth and exclaimed, "What is this?

> > ******

> > TEXT 9

> > nanv etad upanîtam me

> > parama-prînanam sakhe

> > tarpayanty anga mâm vis'vam

> > ete prithuka-tandulâh

> > nanu - whether; etat - this; upanîtam - brought; me - for Me; parama - supreme; prînanam - giving satisfaction; sakhe - O friend; tarpayanti - ingratiate; anga - My dear; mâm - Me; vis'vam - (who am) the whole universe; ete - these; prithhuka-tandulâh - grains of flat rice.

> > TRANSLATION

> > "My friend, have You brought this for Me? It gives Me extreme pleasure. Indeed, these few grains of flat rice will satisfy not only Me but also the entire universe."

> > ******

> > TEXT 10

> > iti mushthim sakrij jagdhvâ

> > dvitîyâm jagdhum âdade

> > tâvac chrîr jagrihe hastam

> > tat-parâ parameshthhinah

> > iti - thus speaking; mushthim - a handful; sakrit - one time; jagdhvâ - eating; dvitîyam - a second; jagdhum - to eat; âdade - He took; tâvat - thereupon; s'rîh - the goddess of fortune (Rukminî-devî); jagrihe - seized; hastam - the hand; tat - to Him; parâ - devoted; parame-sthinah - of the Supreme Lord.

> > TRANSLATION

> > After saying this, the Supreme Lord ate one palmful and was about to eat a second when the devoted goddess Rukminî took hold of His hand.

> > ******

> > TEXT 11

> > etâvatâlam vis'vâtman

> > sarva-sampat-samriddhaye

> > asmin loke 'tha vâmushmin

> > pumsas tvat-tosha-kâranam

> > etâvatâ - this much; alam - enough; vis'va - of the universe; âtman - O Soul; sarva - of all; sampat - opulent assets; samriddhaye - for the prospering; asmin - in this; loke - world; atha vâ - or else; amushmin - in the next; pumsah - for a person; tvat - Your; tosha - satisfaction; kâranam - having as its cause.

> > ******

> > TEXT 12

> > brâhmanas tâm tu rajanîm

> > ushitvâcyuta-mandire

> > bhuktvâ pîtvâ sukham mene

> > âtmânam svar-gatam yathâ

> > brâhmanah - the brâhmana; tâm - that; tu - and; rajanîm - night; ushitvâ - residing; acyuta - of Lord Krishna; mandire - in the palace; bhuktvâ - eating; pîtvâ - drinking; sukham - to his satisfaction; mene - he thought; âtmânam - himself; svah - the spiritual world; gatam - having attained; yathâ - as if.

> > TRANSLATION

> > [S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued:] The brâhmana spent that night in Lord Acyuta's palace after eating and drinking to his full satisfaction. He felt as if he had gone to the spiritual world.

> > ******

> > TEXT 13

> > s'vo-bhûte vis'va-bhâvena

> > sva-sukhenâbhivanditah

> > jagâma svâlayam tâta

> > pathy anavrajya nanditah

> > s'vah-bhûte - on the following day; vis'va - of the universe; bhâvena - by the maintainer; sva - within Himself; sukhena - who experiences happiness; abhivanditah - honored; jagâma - he went; sva - to his own; âlayam - residence; tâta - my dear (King Parîkchit); pathi - along the path; anuvrajya - walking; nanditah - delighted.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The next day, Sudâmâ set off for home while being honored by Lord Krishna, the self-satisfied maintainer of the universe. The brâhmana felt greatly delighted, my dear King, as he walked along the road.

> > ******

> > TEXT 14

> > sa câlabdhvâ dhanam krishnân

> > na tu yâcitavân svayam

> > sva-grihân vrîdito 'gacchan

> > mahad-dars'ana-nirvritah

> > sah - he; ca - and; alabdhvâ - not having obtained; dhanam - wealth; krishnât - from Lord Krishna; na - not; tu - however; yâcitavân - did beg; svayam - on his own initiative; sva - to his; grihân - home; vrîditah - embarrassed; agacchat - he went; mahat - of the Supreme Lord; dars'ana - by the audience; nirvritah - made joyful.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Although he had apparently received no wealth from Lord Krishna, Sudâmâ was too shy to beg for it on his own. He simply returned home, feeling perfectly satisfied to have had the Supreme Lord's audience.

> > ******

> > TEXT 15

> > aho brahmanya-devasya

> > drishthâ brahmanyatâ mayâ

> > yad daridratamo lakshmîm

> > âs'lishtho bibhratorasi

> > aho - ah; brahmanya - who is dedicated to brâhmanas; devasya - of the Supreme Lord; drishtha - seen; brahmanyatâ - the devotion to brâhmanas; mayâ - by me; yat - inasmuch; daridra-tamah - the poorest person; lakshmîm - the goddess of fortune; âs'lishthah - embraced; bibhratâ - by Him who carries; urasi - on His chest.

> > TRANSLATION

> > [Sudâmâ thought:] Lord Krishna is known to be devoted to the brâhmanas, and now I have personally seen this devotion. Indeed, He who carries the goddess of fortune on His chest has embraced the poorest beggar.

> > ******

> > TEXT 16

> > kvâham daridrah pâpîyân

> > kva krishnah s'rî-niketanah

> > brahma-bandhur iti smâham

> > bâhubhyâm parirambhitah

> > kva - who am; aham - I; daridrah - poor; pâpîyân - sinful; kva - who is; krishnah - Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; s'rî-niketanah - the transcendental form of all opulence; brahma-bandhuh - the friend of a brâhmana, not fit even to be called a brâhmana; iti - thus; sma - certainly; aham - I; bâhubhyâm - by the arms; parirambhitah - embraced.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Who am I? A sinful, poor friend of a brâhmana. And who is Krishna? The Supreme Personality of Godhead, full in six opulences. Nonetheless, He has embraced me with His two arms.

> > ******

> > TEXT 17

> > nivâsitah priyâ-jushthe

> > paryanke bhrâtaro yathâ

> > mahishyâ vîjitah s'rânto

> > bâla-vyajana-hastayâ

> > nivâsitah - seated; priyâ - by His beloved; jushthe - used; paryanke - on the bed; bhrâtarah - brothers; yathâ - just as; mahishyâ - by His queen; vîjitah - fanned; s'rântah - tired; bâla - of (yak-tail) hair; vyajana - a fan; hastayâ - in whose hand.

> > TRANSLATION

> > He treated me just like one of His brothers, making me sit on the bed of His beloved consort. And because I was fatigued, His queen personally fanned me with a yak-tail câmara.

> > ******

> > TEXT 18

> > s'us'rûshayâ paramayâ

> > pâda-samvâhanâdibhih

> > pûjito deva-devena

> > vipra-devena deva-vat

> > s'us'rûshayâ - with service; paramayâ - sincere; pâda - of the feet; samvâhana - massaging; âdibhih - and so on; pûjitah - worshiped; deva-devena - by the Lord of all the demigods; vipra-devena - by the Lord of the brâhmanas; deva - a demigod; vat - like.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Although He is the Lord of all demigods and the object of worship for all brâhmanas, He worshiped me as if I were a demigod myself, massaging my feet and rendering other humble services.

> > ******

> > TEXT 19

> > svargâpavargayoh pumsâm

> > rasâyâm bhuvi sampadâm

> > sarvâsâm api siddhînâm

> > mûlam tac-caranârcanam

> > svarga - of heaven; apavargayoh - and of ultimate liberation; pumsâm - for all men; rasâyâm - in the subterranean regions; bhuvi - and on the earth; sampadâm - of opulences; sarvâsâm - all; api - also; siddhînâm - of mystic perfections; mûlam - the root cause; tat - His; carana - of the feet; arcanam - the worship.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Devotional service to His lotus feet is the root cause of all the perfections a person can find in heaven, in liberation, in the subterranean regions and on earth.

> > ******

> > TEXT 20

> > adhano 'yam dhanam prâpya

> > mâdyann uccair na mâm smaret

> > iti kâruniko nûnam

> > dhanam me 'bhûri nâdadât

> > adhanah - poor person; ayam - this; dhanam - riches; prâpya - obtaining; mâdyan - delighting; uccaih - excessively; na - not; mâm - Me; smaret - will remember; iti - thus thinking; kârunikah - compassionate; nûnam - indeed; dhanam - wealth; me - to me; abhûri - slight; na âdadât - He did not give.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Thinking "If this poor wretch suddenly becomes rich, he will forget Me in his intoxicating happiness," the compassionate Lord did not grant me even a little wealth.

> > ******

> > TEXTS 21 - 23

> > iti tac cintayann antah

> > prâpto niya-grihântikam

> > sûryânalendu-sankâs'air

> > vimânaih sarvato vritam

> > vicitropavanodyânaih

> > kûjad-dvija-kulâkulaih

> > protphulla-kamudâmbhoja-

> > kahlârotpala-vâribhih

> > jushtham sv-alankritaih pumbhih

> > strîbhis' ca harinâkshibhih

> > kim idam kasya vâ sthânam

> > katham tad idam ity abhût

> > iti - thus; tat - this; cintayan - thinking; antah - inwardly; prâptah - arrived; nija - his; griha - of the home; antikam - at the vicinity; sûrya - the sun; anala - fire; indu - and the moon; sankâs'aih - rivaling; vimânaih - with celestial palaces; sarvatah - on all sides; vritam - surrounded;

> > vicitra - wonderful; upavana - with courtyards; udyânaih - and gardens; kûjat - cooing; dvija - of birds; kula - with hordes; âkulaih - swarming; protphulla - fully bloomed; kumuda - having night-blooming lotuses; ambhoja - day-blooming lotuses; kahlâra - white lotuses; utpala - and water lilies; vâribhih - with reservoirs of water;

> > jushtham - adorned; su - well; alankritaih - ornamented; pumbhih - with men; strîbhih - with women; ca - and; harinâ - like those of she-deer; akshibhih - whose eyes; kim - what; idam - this; kasya - whose; vâ - or; sthânam - place; katham - how; tat - it; idam - this; iti - so; abhût - has become.

> > TRANSLATION

> > [S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued:] Thinking thus to himself, Sudâmâ finally came to the place where his home stood. But that place was now crowded on all sides with towering, celestial palaces rivaling the combined brilliance of the sun, fire and the moon. There were splendorous courtyards and gardens, each filled with flocks of cooing birds and beautified by ponds in which kumuda, ambhoja, kahlâra and utpala lotuses grew. Finely attired men and doe-eyed women stood in attendance. Sudâmâ wondered, "What is all this? Whose property is it? How has this all come about?"

> > ******

> > TEXT 24

> > evam mîmâmsamânam tam

> > narâ nâryo 'mara-prabhâh

> > pratyagrihnan mahâ-bhâgam

> > gîta-vâdyena bhûyasâ

> > evam - thus; mîmâmsamânam - who was deeply pondering; tam - him; narâh - the men; nâryah - and women; amara - like the demigods'; prabhâh - whose effulgent complexions; pratyagrihnan - greeted; mahâ-bhâgam - most fortunate; gîta - with singing; vâdyena - and instrumental accompaniment; bhûyasâ - loud.

> > TRANSLATION

> > As he continued to ponder in this way, the beautiful men-and maidservants, as effulgent as demigods, came forward to greet their greatly fortunate master with loud song and instrumental music.

> > ******

> > TEXT 25

> > patim âgatam âkarnya

> > patny uddharshâti-sambhramâ

> > nis'cakrâma grihât tûrnam

> > rûpinî s'rîr ivâlayât

> > patim - her husband; âgatam - come; âkarnya - hearing; patnî - his wife; uddharshâ - jubilant; ati - extremely; sambhramâ - excited; nis'cakrâma - she came out; grihât - from the house; tûrnam - quickly; rûpinî - manifesting her personal form; s'rîh - the goddess of fortune; iva - as if; âlayât - from her abode.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When she heard that her husband had arrived, the brâhmana 's wife quickly came out of the house in a jubilant flurry. She resembled the goddess of fortune herself emerging from her divine abode.

> > ******

> > TEXT 26

> > pati-vratâ patim drishthvâ

> > premotkanthhâs'ru-locanâ

> > mîlitâkshy anamad buddhyâ

> > manasâ parishasvaje

> > pati-vratâ - devoted to her husband; patim - her husband; drishthvâ - seeing; prema - of love; utkanthha - with the eagerness; as'ru - tearful; locanâ - whose eyes; mîlita - holding closed; akshî - her eyes; anamat - she bowed down; buddhyâ - with thoughtful reflection; manasâ - with her heart; parishasvaje - she embraced.

> > TRANSLATION

> > When the chaste lady saw her husband, her eyes filled with tears of love and eagerness. As she held her eyes closed, she solemnly bowed down to him, and in her heart she embraced him.

> > ******

> > TEXT 27

> > patnîm vîkshya visphurantîm

> > devîm vaimânikîm iva

> > dâsînâm nishka-kanthhînâm

> > madhye bhântîm sa vismitah

> > patnîm - his wife; vîkshya - seeing; visphurantîm - appearing effulgent; devîm - a demigoddess; vaimânikîm - come in a heavenly airplane; iva - as if; dâsînâm - of maidservants; nishka - lockets; kanthhînâm - on whose necks; madhye - in the midst; bhântîm - shining; sah - he; vismitah - amazed.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sudâmâ was amazed to see his wife. Shining forth in the midst of maidservants adorned with jeweled lockets, she looked as effulgent as a demigoddess in her celestial airplane.

> > ******

> > TEXT 28

> > prîtah svayam tayâ yuktah

> > pravishtho nija-mandiram

> > mani-stambha-s'atopetam

> > mahendra-bhavanam yathâ

> > prîtah - pleased; svayam - himself; tayâ - by her; yuktah - joined; pravishthah - having entered; nija - his; mandiram - home; mani - with gems; stambha - columns; s'ata - hundreds; upetam - having; mahâ-indra - of great Indra, the King of heaven; bhavanam - the palace; yathâ - like.

> > TRANSLATION

> > With pleasure he took his wife with him and entered his house, where there were hundreds of gem-studded pillars, just as in the palace of Lord Mahendra.

> > ******

> > TEXTS 29 - 32

> > payah-phena-nibhâh s'ayyâ

> > dântâ rukma-paricchadâh

> > paryankâ hema-dandâni

> > câmara-vyajanâni ca

> > âsanâni ca haimâni

> > mridûpastaranâni ca

> > muktâdâma-vilambîni

> > vitânâni dyumanti ca

> > svaccha-sphathika-kudyeshu

> > mahâ-mârakateshu ca

> > ratna-dîpân bhrâjamânân

> > lalanâ ratna-samyutâh

> > vilokya brâhmanas tatra

> > samriddhîh sarva-sampadâm

> > tarkayâm âsa nirvyagrah

> > sva-samriddhim ahaitukîm

> > payah - of milk; phena - the foam; nibhâh - resembling; s'ayyâh - beds; dântâh - made of elephant tusks; rukma - golden; paricchadâh - whose ornamentation; paryankâh - couches; hema - of gold; dandâni - whose legs; câmara-vyajanâni - yak- tail fans; ca - and;

> > âsanâni - chairs; ca - and; haimâni - golden; mridu - soft; upastaranâni - cushions; ca - and; muktâ-dâma - with strings of pearls; vilambîni - hanging; vitânâni - canopies; dyumanti - gleaming; ca - and;

> > svaccha - clear; sphathika - of crystal glass; kudyeshu - upon the walls; mahâ- mârakateshu - with precious emeralds; ca - also; ratna - jeweled; dîpân - lamps; bhrâjamânân - shining; lalanâh - women; ratna - with jewels; samyutâh - decorated;

> > vilokya - seeing; brâhmanah - the brâhmana; tatra - there; samriddhîh - the flourishing; sarva - all; sampadâm - of opulences; tarkayâm âsa - he conjectured; nirvyagrah - free from agitation; sva - his own; samriddhim - about the prosperity; ahaitukîm - unexpected.

> > TRANSLATION

> > In Sudâmâ's home were beds as soft and white as the foam of milk, with bedsteads made of ivory and ornamented with gold. There were also couches with golden legs, as well as royal câmara fans, golden thrones, soft cushions and gleaming canopies hung with strings of pearls. Upon the walls of sparkling crystal glass, inlaid with precious emeralds, shone jeweled lamps, and the women in the palace were all adorned with precious gems. As he viewed this luxurious opulence of all varieties, the brâhmana calmly reasoned to himself about his unexpected prosperity.

> > ******

> > TEXT 33

> > nûnam bataitan mama durbhagasya

> > s'as'vad daridrasya samriddhi-hetuh

> > mahâ-vibhûter avalokato 'nyo

> > naivopapadyeta yadûttamasya

> > nûnam bata - certainly; etat - of this same person; mama - myself; durbhagasya - who am unfortunate; s'as'vat - always; daridrasya - poverty-stricken; samriddhi - of the prosperity; hetuh - cause; mahâ-vibhûteh - of Him who possesses the greatest opulences; avalokatah - than the glance; anyah - other; na - not; eva - indeed; upapadyeta - is to be found; yadu-uttamasya - of the best of the Yadus.

> > TRANSLATION

> > [Sudâmâ thought:] I have always been poor. Certainly the only possible way that such an unfortunate person as myself could become suddenly rich is that Lord Krishna, the supremely opulent chief of the Yadu dynasty, has glanced upon Me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 34

> > nanv abruvâno dis'ate samaksham

> > yâcishnave bhûry api bhûri-bhojah

> > parjanya-vat tat svayam îkshamâno

> > dâs'ârhakânâm rishabhah sakhâ me

> > nanu - after all; abruvânah - not speaking; dis'ate - He has given; samaksham - in His presence; yâcishnave - to him who was intending to beg; bhûri - plentiful (wealth); api - even; bhûri - of plentiful (wealth); bhojah - the enjoyer; parjanya-vat - like a cloud; tat - that; svayam - Himself; îkshamânah - seeing; dâs'ârhakânâm - of the descendants of King Das'ârha; rishabhah - the most exalted; sakhâ - friend; me - my.

> > TRANSLATION

> > After all, my friend Krishna, the most exalted of the Dâs'ârhas and the enjoyer of unlimited wealth, noticed that I secretly intended to beg from Him. Thus even though He said nothing about it when I stood before Him, He actually bestowed upon me the most abundant riches. In this way He acted just like a merciful rain cloud.

> > ******

> > TEXT 35

> > kin'cit karoty urv api yat sva-dattam

> > suhrit-kritam phalgv api bhûri-kârî

> > mayopanîtam prithukaika-mushthim

> > pratyagrahît prîti-yuto mahâtmâ

> > kin'cit - insignificant; karoti - He makes; uru - great; api - even; yat - which; sva - by Himself; dattam - given; suhrit - by a well-wishing friend; kritam - done; phalgu - meager; api - even; bhûri - great; kârî - making; mayâ - by me; upanîtam - brought; prithuka - of flat rice; eka - one; mushthim - palmful; pratyagrahît - He accepted; prîti-yutah - with pleasure; mahâ-âtmâ - the Supreme Soul.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The Lord considers even His greatest benedictions to be insignificant, while He magnifies even a small service rendered to Him by His well-wishing devotee. Thus with pleasure the Supreme Soul accepted a single palmful of the flat rice I brought Him.

> > ******

> > TEXT 36

> > tasyaiva me sauhrida-sakhya-maitrî-

> > dâsyam punar janmani janmani syât

> > mahânubhâvena gunâlayena

> > vishajjatas tat-purusha-prasangah

> > tasya - for Him; eva - indeed; me - my; sauhrida - love; sakhya - friendship; maitrî - sympathy; dâsyam - and servitude; punah - repeatedly; janmani janmani - life after life; syât - may be; mahâ-anubhâvena - with the supremely compassionate Lord; guna - of transcendental qualities; âlayena - the reservoir; vishajjatah - who becomes thoroughly attached; tat - His; purusha - of the devotees; prasangah - the valuable association.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The Lord is the supremely compassionate reservoir of all transcendental qualities. Life after life may I serve Him with love, friendship and sympathy, and may I cultivate such firm attachment for Him by the precious association of His devotees.

> > ******

> > TEXT 37

> > bhaktâya citrâ bhagavân hi sampado

> > râjyam vibhûtîr na samarthayaty ajah

> > adîrgha-bodhâya vicakshanah svayam

> > pas'yan nipâtam dhaninâm madodbhavam

> > bhaktâya - to His devotee; citrâh - wonderful; bhagavân - the Supreme Lord; hi - indeed; sampadah - opulences; râjyam - kingdom; vibhûtîh - material assets; na samarthayati - does not bestow; ajah - unborn; adîrgha - short; bodhâya - whose understanding; vicakshanah - wise; svayam - Himself; pas'yan - seeing; nipâtam - the downfall; dhaninâm - of the wealthy; mada - of the intoxication of pride; udbhavam - the rise.

> > TRANSLATION

> > To a devotee who lacks spiritual insight, the Supreme Lord will not grant the wonderful opulences of this world - kingly power and material assets. Indeed, in His infinite wisdom the unborn Lord well knows how the intoxication of pride can cause the downfall of the wealthy.

> > ******

> > TEXT 38

> > ittham vyavasito buddhyâ

> > bhakto 'tîva janârdane

> > vishayân jâyayâ tyakshyan

> > bubhuje nâti-lampathah

> > ittham - in this way; vyavasitah - fixing his determination; buddhyâ - with intelligence; bhaktah - devoted; atîva - absolutely; janârdane - to Lord Krishna, the shelter of all living beings; vishayân - the objects of sense gratification; jâyayâ - with his wife; tyakshyan - wanting to renounce; bubhuje - he enjoyed; na - not; ati - lampatah - avaricious.

> > TRANSLATION

> > [S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued:] Thus firmly fixing his determination by means of his spiritual intelligence, Sudâmâ remained absolutely devoted to Lord Krishna, the shelter of all living beings. Free from avarice, he enjoyed, together with his wife, the sense pleasures that had been bestowed upon him, always with the idea of eventually renouncing all sense gratification.

> > ******

> > TEXT 39

> > tasya vai deva-devasya

> > harer yajn'a-pateh prabhoh

> > brâhmanâh prabhavo daivam

> > na tebhyo vidyate param

> > tasya - of Him; vai - even; deva-devasya - of the Lord of lords; hareh - Krishna; yajn'a - of Vedic sacrifice; pateh - the controller; prabhoh - the supreme master; brâhmanâh - the brâhmanas; prabhavah - masters; daivam - deity; na - not; tebhyah - than them; vidyate - exists; param - greater.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Lord Hari is the God of all gods, the master of all sacrifices, and the supreme ruler. But He accepts the saintly brâhmanas as His masters, and so there exists no deity higher than them.

> > ******

> > TEXT 40

> > evam sa vipro bhagavat-suhrit tadâ

> > drishthvâ sva-bhrityair ajitam parâjitam

> > tad-dhyâna-vegodgrathitâtma-bandhanas

> > tad-dhâma lebhe 'ciratah satâm gatim

> > evam - thus; sah - he; viprah - the brâhmana; bhagavat - of the Supreme Lord; suhrit - the friend; tadâ - then; drishthvâ - seeing; sva - His own; bhrityaih - by the servants; ajitam - unconquerable; parâjitam - conquered; tat - upon Him; dhyâna - of his meditation; vega - by the momentum; udgrathita - untied; âtma - of the self; bandhanah - his bondage; tat - His; dhâma - abode; lebhe - he attained; aciratah - in a short time; satâm - of great saints; gatim - the destination.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Thus seeing how the unconquerable Supreme Lord is nonetheless conquered by His own servants, the Lord's dear brâhmana friend felt the remaining knots of material attachment within his heart being cut by the force of his constant meditation on the Lord. In a short time he attained Lord Krishna's supreme abode, the destination of great saints.

> > ******

> > TEXT 41

> > etad brahmanya-devasya

> > s'rutvâ brahmanyatâm narah

> > labdha-bhâvo bhagavati

> > karma-bandhâd vimucyate

> > etat - this; brahmanya-devasya - of the Supreme Lord, who especially favors the brâhmanas; s'rutvâ - hearing; brahmanyatâm - of the kindness toward brâhmanas; narah - a man; labdha - obtaining; bhâvah - love; bhagavati - for the Lord; karma - of material work; bandhât - from the bondage; vimucyate - becomes freed.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The Lord always shows brâhmanas special favor. Anyone who hears this account of the Supreme Lord's kindness to brâhmanas will come to develop love for the Lord and thus become freed from the bondage of material work.

> > Back to the running text