Chapter
22
The Feeding of Durvasa
Durvasa, however, accepted the prayer
of Duryodhana! He started towards the forest,
saying "Right! I shall do so". In this prayer,
there was a deep sinister purpose. It was this:
One morning at sunrise, when the Pandavas were
worshipping the Sun, He took pity on their
condition and out of His immeasurable Grace
bestowed on them a Vessel, whose contents will
remain undiminished, however much they are used
up. It was called A-kshaya-pathra. Droupadi as
the dutiful wife, used to take her food only
after the five Brothers had taken theirs. Until
she finishes her meal, the Vessel will be full
of food, however many may partake of it. When
she has finished and cleaned the vessel it can
give no more. Thus once every day, the vessel
was pouring plenty, until she has eaten her
meal. Prior to that, she could feed thousands,
even millions, from out of that Vessel. But,
once she has taken her food out of it, it loses
that power for the day. That is to say, there
must be some part or particle of food in it so
that it could be multiplied a millionfold and
used. That was its peculiar glory. Duryodhana
requested Durvasa to approach the Pandavas and
demand hospitality, after Droupadi had taken her
food for he had this special handicap in mind.
When the
short-tempered Sage seeks food and the Pandavas
are unable to satisfy him and his huge retinue,
he was certain to invoke a terrible curse in the
throes of hunger; that would destroy the
brothers for ever. The knotty problem of living
with them will be solved and the Kauravas can
rule the entire realm in peace. That was the
evil intent of Duryodhana. But, the Pandavas
looked for support, not to something or someone
outside them, but, to the Lord within them. What
can the curse of a sage, however mighty, do to
such? When the all-protecting Lord is on their
side, how can the wiles of evil-minded men harm
them? Their conspiracies will have to fail
ignominiously. The wicked Kauravas did not
realise that when they plan in one direction,
the Lord plans in another.
Durvasa
appeared before the Pandavas with his ten
thousand disciples, just when Droupadi was
resting, after her food and after cleaning the
sacred Vessel, conversing with her lords.
Dharmaraja saw the sage coming towards the
leaf-thatched hut where they spent their days.
He rose quickly, welcomed him enthusiastically,
washed his feet, offered flowers in worship, and
fell prostrate before him. He declared, "I have
realised my highest ambition in life; this is
indeed a day of supreme luck." He shed tears of
joy and stood with folded hands. His brothers
and Droupadi stood by his side, after their
prostrations, with heads bent in reverential
homage.
Durvasa, who was
visibly tired by the exhaustion of the long
journey, spoke with evident exasperation, "We
are going to the river for bath and noon
rituals; have food ready for me and my ten
thousand followers, when we return." They moved,
on fast, to the river, after this announcement.
When these words
fell on his ears, Dharmaraja felt a shock; his
heart very nearly stopped. He consulted Droupadi
and discovered that the vessel had been cleaned
nicely and kept aside. They all sank in sorrow,
fearing what might happen to them. "Ten
thousands to be fed! 0' God! What has this day
in store for us?", they lamented, lost in grief.
For Droupadi, the ideal housewife, the chance to
entertain guests with food was a welcome gift,
but, at this late hour, when so many had to be
fed so soon, in the jungle where no provisions
were available, she became desperate. "The guest
who has landed on us is the celebrated Durvasa,
whose attainments and capabilities are known all
over the world. By a mere thought, he can turn
those who anger him into ashes! Alas, what
terrible calamity awaits my lords!", she
wondered and shivered in fear.
She could not
decide on any plan to feed the horde that had
descended on her. Who else could help her out
than the Lord, the saviour of the good, Krishna.
"0, Gopala! Save my lords; guard us from the
destruction threatening us; show us some means
of satisfying these ascetics and this sage." She
called upon Krishna, with tears streaming from
her eyes, and with anguish gnawing at her heart.
She pleaded yearningly with the Lord. Whatever
may be in store for her, she did not mind; but,
she prayed that her husbands be saved and her
mangalyam "married status" retained intact. She
wept aloud, in irrepressible grief. The Pandava
brothers heard the wail; their agony was
doubled; they too prayed to Krishna, their only
refuge. "0, Nandanandana, you rescued us from
calamity after calamity designed by the
Kauravas. You guarded us as the eyelids guard
the eye. Why have you plunged us in this awful
distress today? Pardon our sins and faults; save
us from this dire peril; help us to satisfy the
sage and his huge retinue."
The prayers of the
Pandavas and the tears of Droupadi softened the
heart of Krishna, at Mathura, and moved Him from
there. Footfalls were heard; the Pandavas whose
heads were bent with anxiety about Durvasa
returning from the river, raised their eyes and
saw Krishna entering their hut, scattering
brightness with His smile, His yellow robe
trailing along the ground. They exclaimed,
"Krishna! Krishna!" and ran towards the Lord.
Droupadi heard that voice and hurried out of the
inner apartment; she surmised it must be some
sign of the Grace of God that might be showered
on them. But when she saw Krishna, she hastened
to fall at His feet and wash them with her
tears. "Save me, save my mangalyam, satisfy the
sage and his followers. Krishna, the consummate
Director of this Universe-drama, appeared
unconcerned with their anxieties, but, immersed
only in His own hunger! He said, "Droupadi! This
is strange. I am hungry. First, appease My
hunger and then, you can ask Me what you need.
Give Me, immediately, some little food!" and put
out His palm, as if He could not wait.
Droupadi said, "0
Lord! This is not the occasion for fun; this is
testing time for us. Save us, do not laugh at
our plight." She wiped the flow of tears with
the border of her sari. She prayed, both hands
extended in supplication. Krishna lifted up her
head with His hand, and said in soft assuring
tones, "Child! Tears collect in the eyes of
women at the slightest provocation. But, can My
hunger be appeased by tears?" Krishna was in a
sarcastic mood, evidently. Droupadi replied,
"Gopala! You are the second supplicant at our
door today. But, if we do not give you what you
ask, you will not curse us and bring destruction
on us. But, the other supplicant is waiting with
ten thousand followers to appease his hunger by
a dinner on all of us! We are all about to be
reduced to ashes; where can we get even a single
grain in this forest? How can I appease the
hunger of so many people, at such short notice,
in this desolate place." She explained the
reason for the gloom that had overtaken them.
Gopala laughed
aloud. "Ten thousand guests have come, you say.
But, I do not see a single one here! I can only
laugh at your words. You are throwing away the
child on your hip to fondle the children who are
afar. First, give Me enough for My hunger; you
can then think of satisfying people who are far
away." Krishna was adamant that He should be
attended to, first; He acted the part of a
hungry person so perfectly. Droupadi had to
explain her predicament. "Lord, The Vessel had a
variety of food; they were all served and
finished; I took my food last. I have cleaned
the sacred vessel gifted by the Sun and kept it
aside. How can I get food from it now? How can I
appease Your hunger? You are our only refuge. If
You, who know everything, cause us suffering,
what shall we say of others?" Droupadi wept
again.
Gopala said,
"Well, bring here the Vessel. Even if I get from
it a particle of some eatable, I shall be
content". So, she went in and brought the vessel
and placed it in the hands of Krishna. Gopala
passed His fingers carefully inside the vessel,
seeking some particle that might have escaped
the scraping and washing. He found in the 'neck'
of the vessel the fraction of a cooked leaf. So,
He asked "Droupadi! You seem to have had a leafy
dish for lunch today!"
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