09/01/2025
Bandhu Mohanty- reincarnation of Sudama in Kali-yuga
Folklore is rich with the immortal life story of the legendary devotee and childhood chum of Lord Krishna in Dvapara Yuga-Sudama. The God incarnate, Krishna, stayed with Sudama as a disciple in his Guru’s Ashram during childhood. They played together, hugged each other, and cheered in childhood pranks. Krishna performed innumerable miracles as a child. Shrimad Bhagavad is replete with tales of Krishna’s miraculous deeds as Sudama and other friends were His constant companions.
On one occasion, Sudama was asked by his Guru’s wife to herd a group of cows, and as usual, Krishna was his companion. She gave Sudama some food and asked him to share it with Krishna. As dusk came, both the friends were exhausted and fell asleep under a tree. They had decided to return to the monastery of their Guru after some time. But then, Krishna and Sudama felt pangs of hunger. Sudama was greedy and he hid the food from his friend. Sleeping at the side of Krishna, he took a handful of food and began eating it. The omniscient Krishna knew instantly that His friend was secretly gulping “Khuda” (the dust particles of food), and asked Sudama- “Buddy, what are you chewing”?
“Nothing, I have nothing to eat. I am hungry like you”-lied Sudama. He was ignorant of his Karmic consequences. As he lied to God, his later life passed through grinding poverty. One day, devastated by utter poverty and debt, he decided to undertake a journey to Dwaraka, where Lord Krishna was the ruler. The journey was arduous. He reached Dwaraka after several days and met Krishna after many difficulties.
Krishna smiled as he greeted His friend. “What have you brought for me”- asked the Master of Universe?
Sudama brought out “Khuda,” neatly tied in a torn cloth. Krishna was amused and took a handful of it. As he gulped it down, Sudama’s life transformed greatly. He had paid back his Karmic debt, and his life was thereafter splendidly abundant.
Our scriptures have forever stated that poverty, diseases, and other financial, physical, and mental agonies are the results of past deeds. One cannot escape from what one has committed. You only reap as you sow.
The life story of Bandhu Mohanty strikes a similar chord in Kali Yuga. Born in the idyllic hamlet of Duttapur in Odisha, his matchless devotion to Lord Jagannath finds no parallel. He was equally at ease to narrate Jagannath as his friend, philosopher, and guide before his wife and family. Sudama loved to describe Krishna as his best friend before his wife.
Both had undertaken an epic journey to meet God. When circumstances in Bandhu Mohanty’s life became unbearable due to grinding poverty, and other miseries, he decided to visit Srikhetra Puri with his family as he had told every member of his family that they were going to meet his best friend-Lord Jagannath- there and the latter could only bring him out of all sufferings.
As Sudama faced untold severities in meeting Krishna, Bandhu Mohanty’s effort to meet his best friend was equally difficult. From his distant village in Jajpur district, he had to walk miles with his family to reach Puri. It took days to step inside the holy precincts of Badadanda.
His family was famished. They found no one to greet them. They were sleeping after drinking “Peja” from the outlet of Lord Jagannath's kitchen. He told members of his family that his friend must be very busy.
Like Krishna, the God incarnate of Kali Yug-Jagannath- was testing the devotion of his dearest disciple. He appeared in the guise of a Brahmin before the family of Bandhu Mohanty. With plenty of food on His priceless plate from the temple- “Ratna Thali”, he fed all the family members of his devotee and vanished then.
As the authorities found the “Ratna Thali” missing from the temple and it was found in the possession of Bandhu Mohanty and his family, the Police arrested the entire family. They were beaten and tortured in the prison. But the merciful Lord appeared in the dream of the then King-Pratap Rudra Dev- and asked him to free His beloved devotee from prison.
Sudama and Bandhu Mohanty have so far remained the icons of timeless devotion. They symbolize unconditional love for eternity. Generation after generation gets mesmerized by the boundless affection of the duo for the supreme. Both the characters in the annals of History give the message to mankind that in the hours of need, God is only their savior.
Srikant Mohanty,
Writer & Journalist
