The Blessed Lord welcomed the brāhmaṇa and spoke to him with gentle affection: “O brāhmaṇa, what have you brought me from your home as a gift? Know that even the smallest offering, when given by a devotee with love, becomes great in My eyes. But even the greatest gift, if offered without devotion, does not please Me.” He continued, “Whoever offers Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even water with a pure and loving heart, I accept that offering from them.” Despite the Lord’s words, the brāhmaṇa felt embarrassed before the Lord of Śrī. He hesitated, unable to present the humble handful of parched rice he had brought, and remained silent, overcome by shame. But the Supreme Lord, who sees the Self in all beings, understood the brāhmaṇa’s heart and the true reason for his visit. The Lord thought, “This man did not approach Me earlier out of any desire for wealth. Now, prompted by his devoted wife and out of friendship, he has come to Me. I shall grant him riches that are rarely attained by mortals.” With this resolve, the Lord entered the brāhmaṇa’s dwelling, took the parched rice wrapped in cloth, and wondered aloud, “What is this?” Smiling, He said, “O friend, this offering you have brought gives Me supreme satisfaction. These grains of parched rice, dear one, please not only Me but the entire universe.” Having eaten a handful, the Lord reached for a second, but at that moment, Lakshmi, ever devoted to Him, gently seized His hand. She said, “O Soul of the Universe, this alone is enough to bring all prosperity, in this world or the next, to one whose only aim is to please You.” The brāhmaṇa spent that night in Achyuta’s abode, eating and drinking with joy, feeling as if he were in heaven itself. When morning came, he was honored by all, filled with happiness, and joyfully set out for home, accompanied along the way. He had not received wealth from Krishna, nor had he asked for it. Yet, he returned home feeling bashful but fulfilled by the great vision he had experienced. He reflected, “Ah, I have witnessed the devotion of the Lord who cherishes the brāhmaṇas. Though I am most poor, Lakshmi herself embraced Him as He accepted my offering. Where am I—poor and sinful—and where is Krishna, the abode of all fortune? Though I am only a brāhmaṇa in name, He embraced me in His arms.” He recalled, “I was seated on a couch, cherished by my dear friend as if we were brothers. The queen herself fanned me with her gentle hand, like a child’s fan. With utmost service, such as massaging my feet, I was honored by the Lord of gods, the protector of brāhmaṇas, as if I were a god myself. Truly, for all people, the root of happiness in heaven, liberation, wealth on earth, and all perfections is the worship of His feet.” He pondered further, “If I, a poor man, were to gain wealth, I might become proud and forget the Lord. Out of compassion, He did not give me abundant riches.” Thinking thus, he approached his humble home, only to find it surrounded on all sides by aerial palaces shining like the sun, fire, and moon. He saw wondrous groves and gardens, filled with the songs of flocks of birds, and ponds blossoming with lotuses, water lilies, and blue lotuses. The place was graced by men and women, beautifully adorned, with gentle, deer-like eyes. Amazed, he wondered, “What is this? Whose place is this? How has this come to be?” As he pondered, men and women, radiant as immortals, welcomed him with songs and the music of instruments. Hearing of her husband’s arrival, his wife, overwhelmed with joy and excitement, quickly came forth from the house, shining like Lakshmi herself. With eyes brimming with love and longing, she closed her eyes and embraced him with reverent mind and heart. Astonished, the brāhmaṇa beheld his wife radiant among the maidservants, shining like a celestial goddess amid those not adorned with necklaces. Pleased and united with her, he entered his own palace, adorned with hundreds of jeweled pillars, resembling the mansion of Indra. There were beds soft as milk foam, decorated with gold, couches with golden rails, and yak-tail fans. Golden seats with soft cushions, canopies hung with pearl garlands, and shining coverings adorned the halls. On clear crystal walls and great emerald surfaces, jeweled lamps glowed, and women adorned with gems were present. The brāhmaṇa, seeing this abundance of riches, calmly reflected on his newfound prosperity, which had come to him without cause. He thought, “Surely, this is the work of my friend, the foremost of the Yadus. Even without asking, a generous king gives abundantly to those who request; like a cloud, he observes and provides. Whatever little he gives, even if small, is out of friendship. Though he is a great giver, he accepted from me a mere handful of parched grain, offered with affection.” He prayed, “May I have friendship, companionship, and service to him, birth after birth. Through association with that great soul, the abode of all virtues, my heart is forever fixed in devotion. For the devoted, the Lord grants wondrous prosperity and kingdoms; but the unborn One does not bestow them on those lacking discernment, knowing that pride and downfall often follow the wealthy.” Thus resolved in mind, the devotee of Janardana, though surrounded by pleasures, enjoyed them without excessive attachment. For Hari, the Lord of sacrifice and god of gods, the brāhmaṇas are his origin; nothing is higher than them. In this way, the brāhmaṇa, friend of the Lord, saw the unconquerable One conquered by His own servants. With his mind bound in meditation on Krishna, he soon attained the Lord’s own abode, the path of the virtuous. Whoever hears this account of the Lord’s devotion to the brāhmaṇas and gains devotion to Him is freed from the bondage of karma. Thus ends the eighty-first chapter, “The Story of Prithu’s Anger,” in the tenth book, second half, of the great Purāṇa, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the scripture of the supreme paramahamsas.