This was the time when the Pandavas were sent on exile, and were forced to live in jungles for several nights. Krishna never left them. They wandered in the forests. One day, Krishna and Arjuna were trekking along the forest trails and soon slipped into a tiny town. In that town, there resided an affluent Vaishnav (sect of devotees to Lord Vishnu) family in the outskirts of the town. The head was a deep devotee of Krishna and their family sang the chantings to Lord, with a pure heart. They were real devotees, not hypocrites. They often thought if one day Lord would visit their house, out of the blue. And,……

The day arrived. Krishna and Arjuna knocked at their door. The man opened the house. Seeing his Ishta before him, he was left entranced. The moon-like face, lotus-like tenderness and the glorious charm bewildered him. He greeted them with an enormous heart. The family members rejoiced in immense happiness. They washed His feet, performed aarti, served their best, with pure love and devotion. Best candlesticks, platers and dishes were arranged, glories of Lord echoed across the town. The family members were thoughtless, and were unable to think about the ways, to serve their Lord. The opulent richness of wealth did not contaminate their devotion.

Finally, the time of their departure arrived. Krishna and Arjuna bid adieu to the members and began moving towards the door. The members surrendered themselves at His Divine feet and paid their respects. As They were leaving, Lord blessed them with majestic showers of prosperity and wealth, which would sustain in their lineage for several generations; the treasures would never be vacant, resources would be in their right hands. The family hailed in Lord’s Name and They left.

Next day, Krishna and Arjuna went in different direction. They walked towards a village. In the village, their dwelt an old lady, in her hermitage. She was pure devotee as well. She was a poor one. Her little shack, light clothes, Mother Cow and Her pure devotion were the only remnant assets in her life. She had given off all her belongings, for serving the Lord. They visited her hut.

Seeing her Lord before herself, she rejoiced in immense joy. She greeted Them in, washed His feet. She had only a Cow to serve her eminent guests. She milked her Cow and served Them , in earthen glasses. The milk and the dissolved purity quenched Him inside out, and He burped heavily! Humors apart, He enjoyed the Motherly devotion of the lady. The rajasic food served by the opulent family was not as satisfying as this one.

Lord consumed half of the served milk and gave her the remaining amount. She accepted it as a prasaad. After sometime, They decided to leave the place. She paid her respects to Him, and surrendered herself at His Divine feet mentally. The pretention never adorned her personality. While leaving, Lord blessed her that her cow should die. The lady rejoiced and accepted the blessing, as rendered. They moved out of her house.

The lady was happy, Krishna was eternally happy, but sorrow hazed Arjuna’s mind. He asked Lord about the reason of quenching the grand treasures with more riches, and depriving a pure old lady with the minimum assets she owned. Lord smiled and elaborated the cause. He said that the rich family was with undoubtable purity. But, they wanted riches and wealth, to carry out the worldly tasks in a full-fledged manner. He said that He rendered what they desired. They wanted to enjoy the riches. But, the lady wished for Eternity and wanted Lord Himself. So, He blessed her for she should be deficient of the Mother Cow as well. That marginal attachment had bound her to the world. If that was taken away, she would soon merge with the Eternity.

The lady listened the conversation. And, to her very amazement, as the Cow died, she felt that she was in Transcendental Vacancy. She came out and she prostrated before Lord and wept in Divine tears. She became Lord herself. Lord supported her to stand up and He touched Her feet. The same light of perpetuity illuminated Her. Arjuna was watching left dumbfound, seeing the symmetrical charm of light glowing within Lord and Mother.