Sudama was a comrade and schoolmate of Sri Krishna. They studied together under the Guru Sandipani.
The Task of Collecting Firewood
Among many other students, Sri Krishna, Sudama, and others went to the forest to collect wood. In ancient Guru Seva, students were expected to bring holy firewood from the forest for the Guru’s yajna or havana.
The Bundle of Chickpeas
Sudama, being the oldest, received a handful of chickpeas from Guru Patni. She tied it in a bundle and gave it to him, saying, “It may rain; you may be cold and hungry. When you return in the evening, you will find it difficult, so I will give you this bundle of fried channa to share equally.”
Shelter from the Rain
After collecting the wood, they were returning home when it started to rain. They climbed a tree to wait for the rain to stop. Sudama sat on the highest branch, while Balabhadra and Krishna sat lower down.
Sudama’s Secret Snack
Sudama became hungry and started eating the chickpeas. Krishna heard the sound and asked, “Oh, you are eating something alone to yourself.” Sudama replied, “No, I am not eating. My teeth are chattering due to the cold.”
Sudama Eats All the Chickpeas
Slowly, Sudama ate all the chickpeas. Later, Krishna asked Sudama, “What happened to the chickpeas? I am hungry.”
Krishna’s Lesson
Sudama apologized, admitting that he had eaten them all by himself. Krishna reminded him that one should never eat alone but must always share food. This kind of selfishness can be a downfall in one’s life.
Moral of the Story
In life, we should always share things. There is not as much pleasure when we enjoy by ourselves, but when we share with others, it becomes more fulfilling.
Consequences of Selfishness
This deceptiveness that Sudama showed to Krishna made him utterly poor. He had to come for help from the very same person to whom he did not give a little channa. Through this, Krishna wanted to show how the law of karma works.
Conclusion
This is a story from the Puranas.
Prayer
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Request
PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share these moral/instructive stories they hear so that everyone can benefit by hearing about Krishna and his dear devotees.
