Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 20
Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa: Divine Friendship, Guru-bhakti, and the Lord’s Grace
अथोपवेश्य पर्यङ्के स्वयं सख्यु: समर्हणम् । उपहृत्यावनिज्यास्य पादौ पादावनेजनी: ॥ २० ॥ अग्रहीच्छिरसा राजन् भगवाँल्लोकपावन: । व्यलिम्पद् दिव्यगन्धेन चन्दनागुरुकुङ्कुमै: ॥ २१ ॥ धूपै: सुरभिभिर्मित्रं प्रदीपावलिभिर्मुदा । अर्चित्वावेद्य ताम्बूलं गां च स्वागतमब्रवीत् ॥ २२ ॥
athopaveśya paryaṅke svayam sakhyuḥ samarhaṇam upahṛtyāvanijyāsya pādau pādāvanejanīḥ
Lord Kṛṣṇa seated His friend Sudāmā upon the bed. Then the Lord, who purifies the whole world, personally offered him various tokens of respect and washed his feet, O King, after which He sprinkled the water on His own head. He anointed him with divinely fragrant sandalwood, aguru and kuṅkuma pastes and happily worshiped him with aromatic incense and arrays of lamps. After finally offering him betel nut and the gift of a cow, He welcomed him with pleasing words.
FAQs
To show that a pure devotee is supremely worshipable; the Lord Himself delights in serving His devotee with humility and affection.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates to King Parīkṣit how Śrī Kṛṣṇa welcomed and honored Sudāmā.
Honor guests and devotees with genuine respect—offer a seat, water, kind words, and attentive care—seeing service as devotion rather than social formality.