Meditation On The Story Of Kuchela (The Story)

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The Vedanta Kesari, p. 306-310, August 2005

What is the secret behind Kuchela's unruffled equanimity in the face of the worst assaults of chronic poverty? The answer lies in Bhagavata's crisp delineation of his profile. Sri Suka says in Bhagavata, 'There was a friend of Krishna. He was a Brahmin, a knower of Brahman with intense dispassion towards sense- enjoyments, tranquil in mind and a conqueror of sense-pulls. He was a householder who lived by whatever he got by chance.'

Each of the words of the above description clearly demonstrates how Kuchela is well armed against the assaults of poverty. Being a Brahman-knower ever anchored in unitive experience, he is beyond the touch of dualities, Being a virakta (a man of dispassion) he is not lured by sense-delights. As he has conquered his sense-pulls, he is ever tranquil and free from the torments of mental cravings.

Contentment with what he gets by chance releases him from the frantic rat-race for more and more acquisitions. Normally, house-holders are, by the circumstances of their stage of life, driven to be desire-ridden and avaricious. But Kuchela is a house-holder (gruhasrami) with a difference. And this fact enhances his prestige. Kuchela's wife, though a chaste woman of sterling virtues, is different. She has, it would seem, still faint traces of worldliness lingering in her for, unlike Kuchela, she is conscious of her acute poverty and yearns to be rid of it. Unable to bear the distress of penury any longer, she gently reminds her husband of his childhood pal and classmate Sri Krishna and entreats him to meet Krishna and beg for material wealth. As Bhagavata puts it, she says, 'Your friend is the Bhagavan, the Consort of Sri (the goddess of wealth). He is the sole refuge of virtuous suppliants. He is the haven for the sadhus. Betake yourself to Him and beg Him of wealth. He is capable of showering wealth on the needy and rescuing you from the dire straits you are in.'

Now, the plea of Kuchela's wife to her spouse has two distinct parts. The first part is her gentle reminder to her spouse of Bhagavan Krishna who was his class-mate and childhood pal and who being the Consort of Sri, is a veritable treasure-house of wealth. The second part is her plea urging her spouse to meet Krishna and seek wealth from him. Both parts clearly show how tactless and indiscreet she is in employing the phraseology in which she couches her plea. They also prove how seriously she has misread Kuchela's mind.

About the author

Mr. Hariharan of Madurai occasionally contributes thoughtful articles to The Vedanta Kesari.