Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 17
Sudāmā Brāhmaṇa: Divine Friendship, Guru-bhakti, and the Lord’s Grace
त्रीणि गुल्मान्यतीयाय तिस्र: कक्षाश्च सद्विज: । विप्रोऽगम्यान्धकवृष्णीनां गृहेष्वच्युतधर्मिणाम् ॥ १६ ॥ गृहं द्वयष्टसहस्राणां महिषीणां हरेर्द्विज: । विवेशैकतमं श्रीमद् ब्रह्मानन्दं गतो यथा ॥ १७ ॥
trīṇi gulmāny atīyāya tisraḥ kakṣāś ca sa-dvijaḥ vipro ’gamyāndhaka-vṛṣṇīnāṁ gṛheṣv acyuta-dharmiṇām
那位博学的婆罗门（与几位当地婆罗门同行）越过三处卫哨，穿过三重门关，行走于安陀迦与弗利什尼诸族——安住于阿周陀之法的虔诚奉主者——的宅第之间，此处平常无人得以通行。随后他进入哈利主一万六千位王后的华丽宫殿之一；一踏入其中，便觉如同证得解脱的梵乐。
When the saintly brāhmaṇa entered the precincts of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s palaces and then actually entered one of the palaces, he completely forgot everything else, and thus his state of mind is compared to that of one who has just achieved the bliss of spiritual liberation. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī quotes from the Padma Purāṇa, Uttara-khaṇḍa, wherein we learn that the brāhmaṇa actually entered the palace of Rukmiṇī: sa tu rukmiṇy-antaḥ-pura-dvāri kṣaṇaṁ tūṣṇīṁ sthitaḥ. “He stood for a moment in silence at the doorway of Queen Rukmiṇī’s palace.”
FAQs
This verse says Sudāmā felt as if he had attained brahmānanda simply by entering one of Kṛṣṇa’s splendid palaces, indicating that contact with the Lord’s presence can surpass impersonal spiritual happiness.
Because he was directly experiencing the Lord’s divine opulence and sanctity—Kṛṣṇa’s home, even among the queens’ palaces, is spiritually potent and evokes transcendental joy in a devotee.
Seek closeness to God through sincere devotion—regular association with sacred practices (name, worship, scripture) can bring inner fulfillment that is not dependent on external wealth.