Meeting of Lord Krsna with Sudama Brahmana 177

he and his wife appeared to be very thin. The wife was not very anxious
for her personal comfort, but she felt very concerned for her husband,
who was such a pious brahmana. She was trembling due to her weak
health, and although she did not like to dictate to her husband, she spoke
as follows:

“My dear lord, I know that Lord Krsna, who is the husband of the
goddess of fortune, is your personal friend. You are also a devotee of Lord
Krsna, and He is always ready to help His devotee. Even if you think that
you are not rendering any devotional service to the Lord, still you are
surrendered to Him, and the Lord is the protector of the surrendered soul.
Moreover, I know that Lord Krsna is the ideal personality of Vedic culture.
He is always in favor of brahminical culture and is very kind to the quali-
fied brahmanas. You are the most fortunate person because you have as
your friend the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Krsna is the only
shelter for personalities like you because you are fully surrendered unto
Him. You are saintly, learned and fully in control of your senses. Under
the circumstances, Lord Krsna is your only shelter. Please, therefore, go to
Him. I am sure that He will immediately understand your impoverished
position. You are also a householder; therefore without any money you
are in a distressed condition. But as soon as He understands your position,
He will certainly give you sufficient riches so that you can live very com-
fortably. Lord Krsna is now the King of the Bhoja, Vrsni and Andhaka
dynasties, and I have heard that He never leaves His capital city, Dvaraka.
He is living there. without outside engagements. He is so kind and liberal
that He immediately gives everything, even His personal self, to any person
who surrenders unto Him. When He is prepared to give Himself personally
to His devotee, then there is nothing wonderful in giving some material
riches. Of course, He does not give much material wealth to His devotee if
the devotee is not very fixed, but I think in your case He knows perfectly
well how much you are fixed in devotional service. Therefore He will not
hesitate to award you some material benefit for the bare necessities of
life.”

In this way, the wife of the brahmana again and again requested, in
great humility and submission, that he go to Lord Krsna. The brahmana
thought that there was no need to ask any material benefit from Lord Sri
Krsna, but he was induced by the repeated requests of his wife. Moreover,
he thought, “If I go there I shall be able to see the Lord personally. That
will be a great opportunity, even if I don’t ask any material benefit from
Him.” When he had decided to go to Krsna, he asked his wife if she had
anything in the home that he could offer to Krsna, because he must take
