Udanga and Krishna

Sages wander. They usually do not stay at a place. So when they move back and forth, they have to cross deserts and rivers and mountains alike. They are put to extreme discomfort and pain. They suffer themselves to bear it all as they have renounced the "physicality" of the world.

Udanga was no exception to this rule. But, he, by his constant prayers, love and devotion to Lord Krishna, won the boon that he would find water whenever his throat was parched. He just had to think of water and Lo! Behold! He would have it.

Krishna was extremely proud of a devotee like Udanga. He was of the opinion that Udanga was one of a kind : No ego, extremly pleasant, no racial prejudices and all renouncing.

Once Indra, the king of the devas, had called on Krishna. The discussion came to rest on Udanga. As Krishna was extolling the virtues of the sage, Indra sneered and said nothing. Krishna stung, asked Indra why he did not hold the sage so high.

Indra replied that Udanga was a racist. He did not think much of lower castes and considered it a sin to be associated in any way with them.

Now this was a serious insult and slur. No sage would ever ever do this, as to him, the world, universe, man and animal are the same.

Krishna wanted to clear the slur on His favorite and so said, "Ok. Now you have cast the blame. Prove it to me. For my part, I hold Udanga to be blameless."

Indra replied calmly," Since you hold so much belief on him, I would think him to be worthy of anything. As you are the Lord himself. Even Amirtha which you know is not for anyone other than the devas. I will offer him even that. But in the guise of a tribal man. Not just a common tribal but a tribal leader. Let's see what happens."

Krishna,seemingly sure, of the reaction of Udanga accepted the challenge.

Now the scene shifts to a desert. Extremely hot and dry. Udanga is walking slowly on the sifting sands. He feels extremely thirst and crys out, "Krishna".

Lo! There appears Indra himself holding the pot of nectar disguised as a sand pitcher in the garb of a tribal king. Udanga is scandalized. He refuses to take the water and cries, "Krishna! What sin have I committed to have water forced upon me by this tribal? Answer me my Lord. I would die of thirst than to accept this water!"

Indra vanishes and his place is taken by Krishna. Extremely angry and mortified, He shouts at Udanga, "Oh Sage! Till date I had thought of you as one equivalent to the greatest of the illumined. But you,in this issue, have brought shame on yourselves. What is the sin committed by the tribal that the water offered by him be unpalatable to you? Was it poisoned by his touch?
You have a very long path to traverse. You have not yet even been qualified to see the hallowed halls of the truly devote.
And as a punishment you shall know what you missed. You rejected the amirtha which Lord Indra himself freely offered to you. Now go! Repent."

So saying, He left Udanga to repent over his attitude.

Udanga proceeds further. To reach what now seems unattainable to him.

So. Here we come atlast. The point behind such a drama. Did not the Lord know the true capability of His devotee? Did He not know the outcome of the wager? He did. But He wanted to give Udanga a chance to see his error and correct himself.

Mistake or a wise decision. Every man attains the fruit of his deeds. He might or might not in his present janma. So many a time the consequence of a deed does not strike us at all. But when it does so all at once, we are either elevated to a position never so glorified or brought to our knees crumbling before the world.

Here Udanga sees his mistake come back to hit him so hard that his years and years of penance reduce to naught.

Also the equality of the caste which seems to be the "strike out" moral of the story is re-emphasized. After all, the Lord himself has chosen to be a Brahmin in only 2 of His avatars. In one of which he publicly renounces all dharma attached to it.

Hari Om: