Lord Krishna was sold to Narada Muni !!!

8/22/08

I am sure most of the people would be familiar with this story. But I thought it is auspicious to remember this story one more time on the eve of Krishnaashtami.

 

Sathyabhama, one of Krishna's consorts was proud of Krishna's love for her and wanted to show everybody that she was Krishna's favorite. Another consort Rukmini Devi also stayed in the same palace, and  had unswerving devotion and love for Krishna. She did not worry about Krishna's love for her, instead tried to give all her love to Him and found happiness in loving Him. 

 

One day Sathyabhama asked Narada muni about having Krishna just for herself. Narada muni told her that she could sell Krishna to somebody and buy back Him by paying money and gold equivalent to Krishna's weight! If she did that Krishna would belong to her completely.

 

Sathyabhama agreed and thought it was easy to weigh as much as Krishna weighs by using not even half of her jewellery. So she sold poor (!!) Krishna to Narada himself and asked Krishna to sit on a balance to weigh enough gold against Him. The obedient Krishna sat on the plate on one side of the balance. Sathybhama started adding her gold jewellery to the plate of the other arm,  to balance Krishna's weight. She added and added and exhausted herself and all her jewelry. Still Krishna weighed more. She panicked and ran inside to Rukmini Devi.  She was offering Tulasi leaves to Krishna who was dwelling in her mind. She heard the story of Sathyabhama, got up and came near the balance with a Thulasi leaf in her hand. She prayed with sincere love and devotion and placed the Thulasi leaf along with all the gold ornaments Sathybhama had put. 

 

At that moment, weight balanced and actually Krishna's side slowly went up a little bit more than the side with Tulasi leaf. Sathyabhama was ashamed of herself and her actions and left the room with tears in her eyes.   Krishna smiled at Narada and then at Rukmini Devi . Narada played the slokam below on his veena and went on his mission of spreading the glory of the Lord:

 

pathram pushpam phalam thoyam
yo mae bhakthyaa prayachchathi
thadaaham bhakthyupahrutham

ashnaami prayathaathmana 

പത്രം പുഷ്പം ഫലം തോയം 

യോ മേ ഭക്ത്യാ പ്രയച്ഛതി 

തദാഹം ഭക്ത്യുപഹൃതം 

അശ്നാനി പ്രയതാത്മന :

(whatever you give Me, a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water, with devotion , I will accept happily).

Shri Rukmini naayika sametha Sree Krishna Swaamine nama: