Krsna loves His real devotee. No matter what position that devotee is in, if he or she is sincere, seriously following, Krsna plays with that devotee. For example, Sudama was Krsna’s sincere devotee and seriously loved Him so much so that he did not care about his own status of poverty. One day his wife Sushila asked him to go and meet his friend Lord Krsna to ask Him for some help. Sudama was elderly in age but he proceeeded to Dvaraka barefooted. He walked some distance, and on a very hot day he laid down under a tree.
Krsna cannot tolerate His devotee’s discomforts, so He came to that place in disguise driving a bulock cart and asked the humble devotee Sudama to sit on the cart, telling him He was going to Dvaraka. Sudama then sat on the card. While riding the bullock cart Krsna was chanting “Laksmi, Laksmi”. Because it was midday now, Krsna asked Sudama to eat something while on the cart. Sudama said, “No, I want to see Krsna. I have some business to do with Him”, to which Krsna as a bullock cart driver replied, “No no, it is lunch time now, and I cannot eat before a brahmana.” After lots of insistence, Sudama agreed.
Krsna would keep chanting “Laksmi, Laksmi” and told Sudama how much he loves His wife and that her name was Laksmi. He offered the brahmana nice hallava, sweets, and puris. The brahmana thought, “I also have a wife and children at home. How can I eat this nice feast when they are hungry?” Lord Krsna understood what was in the heart of Sudama, because He is stitting in everyone’s heart as paramatma. So Lord Krsna immediately created a magical incident where a king offered a feast to all the brahmanas nearby which included the village of Sudama. The king gave such big feast that all the brahmanas ate and also took home. Then Lord Krsna changed Himself into another form as head of the village of Sudama and reached the place where Sudama was sitting in the bullock cart, and He told Sudama. “You know, your family ate a wonderful feast given by the king.” Sudama and Lord Krsna heard that, and Lord Krsna as the bullock cart driver told Sudama, “See, now you can eat. Your wife already ate before you.” Sudama then ate because he did not want the bullock cart driver to be unhappy for not following His request. Krsna then reached the ocean, He transformed Himself into a boatman who came there with a boat to take His devotee across.
Krsna loves His devotees so much so that He leaves His abode, the company of His wife, and adopts many forms to take care of His sincere devotee. We just have to become sincere devotees and seriously serve Lord Krsna.
[Taken from Sri Krsna Balaram Swamiji talks, 2016.1, KBS0068]
