Shloka 12
Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa: Divine Friendship, Guru-bhakti, and the Lord’s Grace
स एवं भार्यया विप्रो बहुश: प्रार्थितो मुहु: । अयं हि परमो लाभ उत्तम:श्लोकदर्शनम् ॥ १२ ॥ इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा गमनाय मतिं दधे । अप्यस्त्युपायनं किञ्चिद् गृहे कल्याणि दीयताम् ॥ १३ ॥
sa evaṁ bhāryayā vipro bahuśaḥ prārthito muhuḥ ayaṁ hi paramo lābha uttamaḥśloka-darśanam
As his wife repeatedly entreated him, the brāhmaṇa reflected, “To behold Uttamaśloka, the Lord praised by the finest hymns, is the greatest gain.” He resolved to go and said, “My good wife, if there is any offering in the house that I may take as a gift, please give it to me.”
Sudāmā was naturally humble, and thus although at first he was dissatisfied with his wife’s proposal, finally he settled his mind and decided to go. Now the last detail was that he had to take a gift for his friend.
FAQs
This verse states that the supreme gain is Uttamaḥśloka-darśanam—having the Lord’s audience/vision, i.e., direct connection with Śrī Kṛṣṇa through devotion.
Sudāmā’s wife repeatedly urged him to approach Kṛṣṇa, and Sudāmā concluded that meeting the Lord is itself the highest profit—beyond any material help he might receive.
Prioritize bhakti practices—hearing, chanting, prayer, and temple/Deity darśana—seeing spiritual connection with Kṛṣṇa as the real success rather than merely chasing external gains.