Bhakta Sangam

The Brahmans replied, "Now, take these Vaishnavas to Your side and eat, O embodiment of good qualities. We will calm our minds and sit beside You." Krishna responded to the Brahmans' words, saying, "I will do so." Just then, Rukmini arrived with various kinds of food served on golden plates. Satyabhama quickly came with a golden vessel in her hand and offered them water to sip. A most extraordinary thing happened at that moment.

Krishna, the Holder of the Sharang bow, called Uddhav, Akrur, Narad, Tumbar, and Nama to His side as companions in His line of guests. Nama, who was standing at the great door of the temple, was also called. However, he had lost consciousness of his body, overwhelmed with love. Pandharinath, through His inner light, saw Nama filled with supreme joy and rushed to his aid, just as a cow hurries towards her young one with her teats full of milk. The Life of the world, with His four hands, lifted Nama and embraced him lovingly. He brought Nama back to consciousness and caressed him. Taking him by the hand, He seated him by His plate so that he could eat. As Nama began to sob, the Lord of the world comforted him. With each joyous morsel Nama ate, he saw Krishna as the same Supreme Element as Himself, and Krishna, in the form of intelligence, assumed the same form.

Then, seizing a flag on the Garuda platform, Krishna shared one of His secrets with Nama. He said, "My dearest friend, let go of the shame of considering ourselves as different and speak to me. When you turn to the secrets of the heart, clarity prevails like the heavens without any back or front. Nama, you are in the closest relation to Me. This is what you recognize in Me, and I recognize the same in you. Recognize in your heart that we are of one essence, O Nama. Direct your attention towards Me and see in your heart that I am your dearest friend. I, the Unmanifested, am yourself, or so I consider. Open your eyes and witness this extraordinary completion of pilgrimage rites done for your sake, O loving devotee, for you possess the lamp of knowledge. The chief of devotees has come to visit you. Speak nectar-like words to them and offer them the feast of joy. Nivritti personifies supreme joy, and Dnyandev is the companion of all joy. Over there is Sopan, a guide to lead individuals to their spiritual destination. O fortunate one, pay him reverence with nectar-like words."

Saying this, the Husband of Rukmini reassured Nama with His hand, and in reverence, Nama placed his head at Krishna's feet. He said, "In all my future lives, grant me the gift of love for You." Hearing these words, the Life of the world smiled. Thus, this Lover of devotees fed Nama morsels of food, and Gopal Krishna, the Merciful to the humble, wiped away the perspiration of weariness from His servant. The hand that Hari placed on the heads of Sanak and the others, that very hand of the Enemy of Putana caressed Nama. Vanamali, Krishna, said to Nama, "Let go of all your concerns. I am near you to give you rest. I will always take care of you. You toiled hard on your journey, and your body has become emaciated from being separated from Me. Your moon-like face has lost its glow, and your eyes lack lustre due to lack of sleep. No one has attended to your thirst or hunger since you left Me. Besides you, I have seen nothing that pleases Me. Unable to control Myself, My eyes kept searching in all directions. I said to Myself, 'When will Nama, the servant of Vishnu, return to Me?' Impatiently, I looked for you at the Garuda platform. Not finding you there, I searched for you at the grand temple door on the banks of the Bhima river. If you were not at the sacred bathing place at Padmatirtha, then I sought you at the Venu-nad. But not finding you anywhere, I was filled with sorrow. As the Life of the world, I sat down to eat, and every day I drank the nectar, but I remembered you, expecting you to come quickly. I believed that in your impatience, you would rush to meet Me, embrace Me with love, and share the secrets of your heart. This was the wish I held in My heart."

As the compassionate One expressed these words, feelings of mercy surged forth, much like a mother's joy upon seeing her beloved child. In the same way, the king of heaven, Vaikunth, showered His love on Nama. Anyone who drinks this divine elixir finds it never distasteful. Thus, the Holder of the disc, Krishna, fulfills the desires of His devotees. At that moment, He performed a wonderful deed. Listen to it, you pious people. Krishna, with affection, consumed the food that Nama had left on his plate. Witnessing this, all the Brahmans were astonished and, feeling perplexed, hung their heads down. The Brahmans regarded it as a peculiar act and discussed it amongst themselves. They wondered, "What are we to make of this? He has truly violated the religious rules of caste. His wives served the food, and we do not know to which caste they belong. They are neither Kshatriyas nor Brahmans, neither Vaishnavas nor Shudras. His actions are unfathomable. He appears different from the four castes. How did we forget this when observing His incomparable acts? Now, we must consider it certain that He is Nama's mother and father, and He loves him with His body, mind, and speech." Krishna took the rice in His yellow garment and sprinkled it over Nama's head. And when the food offering to the deity was to be performed, He made Nama the leader in it.