- Friendship should be like that of Krishna and Sudama.
- The division among the four varnas was created by the then governments.
- Brahmins have always been revered, are revered, and will remain revered.
Rajnandgaon (BTI)– On the seventh day of the Shrimad Bhagwat Katha Gyan Yagna Week, organized by Shri Durga Mandir Samiti, Kilapara, renowned Bhagwat Acharya and special disciple of Ramesh Bhai Ojha, the emerging Bhagwat Acharya of the region, Pandit Arpit Bhai Sharma, addressed the audience at the packed venue in front of Digvijay College. He said, “True friendship should be like that of Krishna and Sudama. Despite being extremely poor, Sudama never approached Lord Krishna with the greed for wealth. He never even mentioned his friendship with Krishna to his wife, Sushila. Though Sudama lacked material wealth, he was a Brahm Gyani and possessed spiritual wealth. He was detached from his senses and had control over his speech.”
While analyzing the story of Sudama, Pandit Arpit Bhai explained how Lord Krishna, through his divine vision, witnessed Sudama’s poverty and, taking the form of a Brahmin, went to Sudama’s house to seek alms from his wife, Sushila. Sushila replied, “I have given birth to poverty itself, so my house is presently impure. I cannot offer you anything.” Then, Lord Krishna revealed to her the deep friendship between her husband, Sudama, and Dwarkadhish Krishna. In today’s world, even a friendship with a person in a small position is often exploited for personal gain.
Continuing the discourse, Pandit Arpit Bhai said that there was never any discrimination among the four varnas—Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras—since ancient times. However, certain governments misrepresented history in educational curricula to create confusion and division. The present government is making efforts to correct this by revising the curriculum, which is commendable. The tradition of organizing community feasts (bhandaras) was established to ensure that people of all castes and religions could sit together and partake of the prasad without discrimination.
Further, Pandit Arpit Bhai emphasized that Brahmins have always been revered and should always be respected. One should never commit an offense against a Brahmin, as they are considered the gods of the earth (Bhu-Deva). He urged people to respect Brahmins, as their blessings bring success in life and help remove obstacles and hardships.
Speaking on the Shrimad Bhagwat Katha, Pandit Arpit Bhai explained that Lord Krishna inspired Draupadi to laugh mentally when Duryodhana mistook land for water and fell, thus planting the seed for the Mahabharata war. He also beautifully narrated the episode of Lord Krishna’s 16,108 marriages, elaborating on the Ashta Vivaha (eight marriages) and the incident where Narakasura imprisoned 16,000 princesses.
Pandit Arpit Bhai concluded by stating that listening to the Shrimad Bhagwat Katha destroys all the negativities of Kaliyuga, deepens one’s spiritual growth, and strengthens faith in the Lord. It is a path to peace and liberation. The Shrimad Bhagwat Katha is the literary incarnation of Lord Krishna. It purifies the mind, fosters devotion and spirituality, and washes away sins accumulated over multiple lifetimes. The Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapurana extensively describes the divine form and divine acts of Lord Krishna, narrating the stories of 24 incarnations.
According to information provided by Shri Durga Mandir Samiti, on February 24, a Havan, Purnahuti, and a grand procession of Shri Bhagwat Bhagwan was organized in the afternoon.
