The Story of Tulabhara…

Hi!! Today's story is a beautiful tale about Shri Krishna and two of his 16,108 wives!!!!!! Their names were Satyabhama and Rukmini. Satyabhama belonged to a royal lineage and was very proud of her origins, whereas Rukmini, even though being the avatar of Goddess Lakshmi, was very humble. Let's start…

One fine morning, in the palace of Dwaraka, Shri Krishna's wife, Satyabhama, was giving away alms to the needy, when the revered sage Narada walked into the palace. He recited the same shloka that he always said, "Narayana! Narayana!" Satyabhama was astonished! She bowed to Narada, "Welcome, o venerable sage. To what do I owe the pleasure of your arrival?" Narada blessed Satyabhama. "O Satyabhama, may you live in prosperity. I had just come to see the happy faces of the poor, who are in ecstasy after they receive their alms." Satyabhama agreed, that seeing the joy in the faces of the families was lovely. Satyabhama added, "You have arrived at an auspicious time. Please do me the honour of accepting a gift from me." Narada thought for a while, then said, "Narayana! Narayana! I shall accept a gift from you!" Satyabhama was elated! "Please tell me what I can give you that is worthy of being accepted by your Holiness," Satyabhama said. Narada asked, "Will you give me anything I ask for?" Satyabhama nodded her head. "Then, umm… I'd like what is most precious to you," proclaimed Narada. Satyabhama thought for a while, then escorted Narada to a room, with gold pillars and silver walls. The walls had carvings of peacocks and flowers on it, with beautiful swirls and curls surrounding the peacocks.

"These are all of my most precious jewels and ornaments. Which one would you like, O holy one?" Narada went and inspected the jewels. He picked up a shining diamond and looked at Staybhama, "I asked you to give me what is most precious to you!!! Is it this diamond?! Or this necklace?! Or this earring?! Tell me, Satyabhama!!" Narada started to impose on Satyabhama. She was a little nervous. Narada walked towards her. She closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands. Suddenly, Krishna shouted, "Bhama?! Where are you?! Bhama?!" Satyabhama ran to Krishna and looked at Narada. "Well, my question is answered," said Narada. Satyabhama looked nervously at Krishna and explained the gift that Narada had asked for. Krishna understood, "Ooohh… So that is what happened! I shall do as Bhama says. Do you want me to go with Narada?" Krishna asked Satyabhama whether he should go or not. Satyabhama was thinking. She finally concluded, "O Krishna, I don't want you to go! Please stay in Dwaraka. O revered Sage Narada, please do ask me for anything, but not Krishna. Anything but Krishna! " Narada reluctantly agreed. "I shall agree with your wish. But, I have a condition. You must give me anything equal in weight to him." Satyabhama was overjoyed. "Thank you, O sage!" She bowed to Narada. Satyabhama was thinking to herself, "The Lord can't weigh more than all the gold I have!"

A giant balance was bought. It had two huge pans attached to iron chains, which were hanging from a metal rod. Satyabhama asked Krishna to sit on one of the pans. Krishna willingly obliged. He sat on one of the pans, and the other was lifted into the air by Krishna's weight. Krishna got ready, and Satyabhama pulled off her earrings, and dropped them into the pan. Then, she pulled off her nose pin. She pulled off her other nose pin. She pulled off every last piece of jewellery from her body, but Krishna's pan didn't move an inch higher!! She was confused. "Bring out all of the gold that we have, " she told her handmaidens. They brought out cart-loads of gold, and they put it on the pan. It became so heavy!!!! Not even a thousand elephants could lift that much gold!!!!! But, Krishna's pan didn't even move a hair's breadth off the ground!!!! Satyabhama was shocked!! She had put all of the gold, ornaments and jewels that she had onto the plate, but it was of no use!!! Krishna just wouldn't budge!!!! She closed her eyes in despair.

Just then, Rukmini (Krishna seniormost wife) came running into the gold-pillared room. She was shocked!!!! "Bhama!!!! What is this?!?!" she questioned Satyabhama. Satyabhama told her the story, about Narada's request, and that she had no more gold left. Rukmini was enraged!! "How could you use gold as a measure?!" She was so angry!! Suddenly, Narada butted in, " Satyabhama, either honour your promise, or allow me to take Krishna," Satyabhama fell on the floor in tears, "Krishna! NO!!!" Narada asked her, "Don't you wish to bid him goodbye, Satyabhama?" She just shook her head, wailing. Suddenly, Rukmini shouted, "Wait!!!! Remove all of the gold and jewels from the plate and put it back in its respective place." Her order was obeyed. All of the gold was gone from the plate opposite Krishna. Rukmini proclaimed, "Krishna is not a commodity to be possessed, evaluated and disposed of. If at all he has to be evaluated, only the power of his own name uttered with selfless love could be the measure."With that, Rukmini started chanting Krishna's name, "Om Shri Krishnaya Namaha… Om Shri Krishnaya Namaha…" After chanting Krishna's name many times, Rukmini placed a small tulsi leaf on the other scale. And lo!!!! Krishna's pan went higher, and higher, until it was level with the tulsi leaf's pan!!!

As Krishna stepped off the scale, Narada picked up the tulsi leaf and showed it to Satyabhama, "This is what I sought, Satyabhama. The symbol of love and devotion. I now take your leave. Narayana! Narayana!" Narada left to Vaikuntha. Satyabhama turned and hugged Rukmini, "O sister!! Until today, I was proud of all my wealth… I was proud that it could buy me anything I wanted. Now I know better. All my wealth is mere dust compared to the wealth you possess… The wealth of selfless love…" Thus, Satyabhama realised that material wealth is nothing compared to spiritual wealth.

Moral: Happiness comes from spiritual wealth, not material wealth.

Fun Fact Nº 1: The story of Tulabhara is named after this:            Tula = weighing scales, Bhara = weight.

Thanks for reading the story of Tulabhara!!!!! Please follow by typing your email in the box above followers to receive emails about my posts!!!!