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 then seated His friend Sudāmā upon the bed. O King, the Lord who purifies the worlds personally honored him: He washed his feet and sprinkled that water upon His own head. He anointed him with divinely fragrant sandalwood, aguru, and kuṅkuma, and joyfully worshiped him with sweet incense and rows of lamps. Finally, offering betel 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.