Shloka 40
Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa: Divine Friendship, Guru-bhakti, and the Lord’s Grace
अहो हे पुत्रका यूयमस्मदर्थेऽतिदु:खिता: । आत्मा वै प्राणिनां प्रेष्ठस्तमनादृत्य मत्परा: ॥ ४० ॥
aho he putrakā yūyam asmad-arthe ’ti-duḥkhitāḥ ātmā vai prāṇinām preṣṭhas tam anādṛtya mat-parāḥ
[Sāndīpani said:] O my children, you have suffered so much for my sake! To every living being, one’s own body is most dear, yet, devoted to me, you neglected your own comfort entirely.
FAQs
It teaches that pure devotees may even neglect personal comfort for Kṛṣṇa’s sake, and that Kṛṣṇa deeply acknowledges and appreciates such loving service.
In the Sudāmā episode (Canto 10, Chapter 80), Kṛṣṇa honors His poor brāhmaṇa friend with extraordinary care; seeing the effort and hardship taken for His sake, He expresses tender concern and gratitude, addressing the servants affectionately as “children.”
Serve with devotion but also with wisdom: offer time and effort for God and His devotees, while remembering that Kṛṣṇa values sincere love—not reckless self-neglect—and He recognizes even small sacrifices made in bhakti.