The importance of love (priti)

         Subhadra was ShriKrushna’s younger sister. Although ShriKrushna loved her, Draupadi, who was His step-sister, was His favourite. One day, Subhadra asked ShriKrushna, “I am your real sister while Draupadi is your step-sister, then why do you love her more than me?” ShriKrushna smiled and said, “You will soon know the answer.”

         A few days later, ShriKrushna cut His finger and it started bleeding. He rushed to Subhadra and asked her to wrap a piece of cloth around His finger to stop the bleeding. Subhadra rushed to her wardrobe and started looking for an inexpensive garment, to bandage the wound. Meanwhile, Draupadi happened to visit Subhadra. When she saw ShriKrushna’s bleeding finger, she instantly tore a strip off the expensive silk garment that she was wearing and wrapped it around His finger. Soon the bleeding stopped.

         Upon witnessing this selfless behaviour of Draupadi, who sacrificed her rich garment without blinking, Subhadra realised what pure love and devotion is. She felt ashamed that she loved her rich clothes more than The Lord and had received the answer to her question.

Moral: One should learn to love God just the way Draupadi did. Spiritual practice is a sure way to develop such love.