30. God is Omnipotent

Despite the Pandavas being exiled to the forest for 13 years, Duryodhana remained unsatisfied. He was constantly seeking ways to eliminate them permanently. One day, sage Durvasa, accompanied by his 1,000 disciples, visited Duryodhana. Eager to impress, Duryodhana welcomed them warmly and ensured their needs were met to their full satisfaction. Pleased with his hospitality, the sage offered to grant him a boon.

Aware of Durvasa’s fiery temper and tendency to curse those who displeased him, the devious Duryodhana saw an opportunity to bring harm to the Pandavas. Concealing his true intentions, he suggested that the sage and his disciples visit the Pandavas too and allow them the same privilege of hosting them. Unaware of Duryodhana’s cunning scheme, Durvasa accepted the suggestion and even praised him for his noble intentions. Duryodhana rejoiced, believing that the Pandavas, living a simple and austere life, would be unable to provide for such a large gathering and would incur the wrath of the sage.

However, Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, possessed the celestial Akshaya Patra, a divine vessel gifted by the Sun God, Surya. This miraculous vessel provided an endless supply of nutritious and delicious food but it came with one condition: It would cease producing food once Draupadi had eaten her meal for the day.

Unfortunately, when Sage Durvasa and his disciples arrived at the Pandavas’ hut, Draupadi had already finished her meal, rendering the Akshaya Patra inactive. Yudhishtira welcomed the sage with utmost respect, and Durvasa stated, “We are all very hungry. Please arrange food for us after we complete our rituals at the river bank and return here.” With no option but to agree, Yudhishtira consented, though he knew they had no means to feed the guests.

Worried, Draupadi turned to Lord Krishna in prayer, seeking His divine intervention. Moments later, there was a knock at the door. To their amazement, it was none other than Lord Krishna Himself. However, to their bewilderment, Krishna, too, expressed His hunger! The Pandavas and Draupadi pleaded with Him, explaining their dire situation, but Krishna simply smiled and asked Draupadi to bring the Akshaya Patra to Him. Upon inspecting the vessel, He found a single grain of cooked rice stuck to its corner. He picked it up, placed it in His mouth, and declared, “The hunger of the Lord of the Universe is now satisfied.”

Miraculously, at that very moment, Durvasa and his 1,000 disciples, who were still at the river, felt completely full, as though they had eaten a grand feast. Realizing they could no longer eat, they became fearful of returning and offending their hosts. When Yudhishtira sent Bhima to summon them, Durvasa humbly declined, stating that they were no longer hungry and would continue their journey without returning to the hut. Through this divine intervention, Krishna protected His devotees from calamity.

God is all-powerful, and nothing is beyond His capability. God always comes to the aid of His true devotees. ❃❃❃❃