In the previous episode, we had witnessed a critical juncture wherein Bhagawan Krishna gives a grand entry into the home of Draupati and Paandavas. Bhagawan Krishna makes His way urgently to meet Draupati and Yudishtra on the pretext of Draupati’s ardent Bhakti and prayer. As Bhagawan Krishna arrives, He quickly understands what is going on and creates a beautiful “Leela”. He proclaims that He’s extremely hungry owing to the long travel that He had to do to meet them. However, as we know, Draupati did not have anything to offer from the kitchen! The entire kitchen is empty and Sage Dhurvasa too is on his way to have a sumptuous meal at Draupati’s place! Now when Bhagawan Krishna tries to complicate the issue further, Draupati loses herself and cries with complete “Sharanagathi” to Bhagawan Krishna’s divine lotus feet. Acknowledging Draupati’s helplessness, Bhagawan Krishna asks her to bring the empty “Akshaya Paatra” from the kitchen and Draupati obeys. Even though the vessel is empty, to her utter dismay, there is just one rice grain sticking to the corner of the vessel, unwashed! As Bhagawan Krishna spots this, He quickly consumes it and makes fun of Draupati by saying that she can cook very nice food, but she doesn’t know how to wash the dishes properly!
As Bhagawan Krishna consumes that one food grain, His hunger comes to a grinding halt! He gives a satisfied look, which Yudishtra and Draupati couldn’t understand! As Yudishtra asks Bhagawan Krishna for an explanation, Bhagawan explains thus, “Oh Yudishtra! Oh Draupati! Do you really think that this small food grain filled my stomach and satisfied my acute hunger? Absolutely not! I have the entire world under my control and this one small food grain is just a miniscule of what I own in this world! However, what actually quenched my hunger was your unconditional surrender and Bhakti that you showed towards me. Oh Draupati! Please understand one thing – It was me who saved you during the time when you were being molested in the public courtroom by Ducchaasana. If I can do that, why can’t I protect you now? Hence, I came running to meet you because you called for my intervention with your ardent and pure Bhakti! Now please do not worry! Sage Dhurvasa will not be having that hunger in him to consume food at your place!”
At the same time when Bhagawan Krishna says this, Sage Dhurvasa’s 10,000 disciples who had gone to take a shower are starting to have a feeling that they’ve consumed an excessive amount of food! Their stomachs are completely full and they feel that the food is choking their throats! Surprised by this feeling, all of them slowly walk towards Yudishtra’s place along with Sage Dhurvasa. As they walk slowly, all of them ask Sage Dhurvasa thus, “Oh Guru! Shall we start from here as quickly as possible? We don’t think that we need any meal from Yudishtra’s place as our stomachs are already so full and brimming!” As the disciples ask thus, Sage Dhurvasa doesn’t understand what is going on all of a sudden! He replies thus, “Oh disciples! How can we leave without having any food at Yudishtra’s home? Won’t that be a breach of Yudishtra’s “Dharma”? What would he feel? Won’t he think that he has deviated from his “Dharma” of serving the Maharishis? In fact, I’m also having that “full” feeling in my stomach!”
Saying thus, Sage Dhurvasa is now in fear instead of Yudishtra, who actually was shaking with fear until a few minutes ago! On one hand, Sage Dhurvasa feels so full and so are his disciples! They are in no position to consume any further food! However, on the other hand, if they do not consume food, Yudishtra’s “Dharma” would be grossly disobeyed, and the blame will come on Sage Dhurvasa for not acting as per the “Dharma”! Now what does Sage Dhurvasa do, as the tables turn around? Let us wait for an interesting accord in the next episode! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 