|
Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 81: Verses 15-30
He said to himself, "Oh (wonder of wonders) I have seen today with my own eyes, Bhagavan Sri Krsna's love for a Brahmana. He is really a devotee of the Brahmanas. He clasped to His bosom, which is the abode of the Goddess of Wealth, a destitute like myself! What affinity is there between me, a vile sinner and destitue (on the one hand), and Sri Krsna, the abode of Laksmi (on the other). Only because I am born of Brahmana parents, He folded me in his arms. Not only that, like His own brother, He made me sit on the bed of His beloved consort Rukmini, and finding me fatigued, Queen Rukmini fanned me with a chowry in Her hand. The God of gods, who treats the Brahmana as His deity, shampooed my feet and rendered every other form of personal service to me and treated me with the respect due to a god! Heavenly bliss, salvation,riches of this world or of the nether world, and all supernatural powers follow from the worship of His feet. And yet He did not give me even a little wealth. Because He thought, poor as I was, wealth would completely turn my head and make me forget Him. Oh, how merciful is the Lord to me. (He has really done me an act of grace by withholding wealth from me)." Musing inwardly thus, the Brahmana arrived near his house. There he found the area surrounded on all sides by seven-storeyed buildings resplendent as the sun, fire and the moon.
It was interpersed with beautiful gardens and parks which resounded with the warbling of birds of all descriptions, with ponds and pools in which various types of lilies and lotuses were in full blossom. Well-adorned men and pretty women were moving here and there. The Brahmana stood puzzled at the sight. He said to himself, " What is this (I am seeing in front of me)? Whose place is this? (Is it the same place where I lived ? If so) what magic has transformed it into so many palaces?" As he was engrossed in these thoughts, men and women, possessing the splendour of gods advanced to receive the blessed Brahmana singing and playing upon various musical instruments. Hearing of the return of her lord, the wife of the Brahmana was extremely delighted (at heart), and in joyous impatience, hurriedly came out of the palace. She looked like the veritable Goddess Laksmi coming out of her abode. At the sight of her husband her eyes became wet with tears of love and excitement. Closing her eyes (out of shyness) she respectfully bowed to him and mentally embraced him. The Brahmana was astonished to see his wife brilliant like a celestial lady and shining in the midst of maid-servants adorned with necklaces of gold. Followed by her he now joyfully entered his own house, which contained hundreds of columns of gems and looked like the abode of the celestial king, Indra. It was furnished with bedsteads made of ivory and plated with gold, the beds on which were spread sheets as white and soft as the foam of milk. Chowries with gold handles were hanging here and there. There were seats of gold provided with soft cushions and strings of pearls hung from brilliant canopies.
|
|
