By 
No time for reading the story? Give it a listen on Spotify.
When Lord Krishna unexpectedly visits Vidura's house, it reveals the deep devotion of Vidura's wife as she humbly serves Krishna with great reverence and love.
Characters in the story:
Lord Krishna: Lord Krishna is one of the most popular and revered deities in Hinduism. He is worshiped as the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu and is known for his divine teachings in the Bhagavad Gita and for his role in the epic Mahabharata.
Vidura: Vidura, an astute and righteous counselor, played a pivotal role in the epic Mahabharata as the wise advisor to the Kuru dynasty, known for his sagacity and unwavering commitment to truth and justice.
Upon completing twelve years of exile followed by one year in disguise, the Pandavas, accompanied by their wife Draupadi, returned to Hastinapur. Despite their rightful claim to Indraprastha, Duryodhana remained obstinate, refusing to yield even if it led to conflict with his own kin. Yudhisthira, epitomizing righteousness, hesitated to resort to war. Instead, he implored Lord Krishna to journey to Hastinapur as a peace envoy on their behalf, a plea to which the divine agreed.
Numerous Kings eagerly invited Krishna to partake in their hospitality, including Duryodhana, who orchestrated a grand feast in his honor. Aware of Duryodhana’s ulterior motives to curry favor, Krishna discerned the true nature of the invitation.
Meanwhile, Vidura, a devout follower, patiently anticipated Krishna’s arrival, surrendering himself and all he possessed to the Lord’s will. Recognizing that everything ultimately belongs to the divine, Vidura humbly offered himself as a servant to the Sole Giver and Protector of all.
Upon reaching Hastinapur, Krishna proceeded directly to Vidura’s residence and announced His arrival with great fervor. However, Vidura was absent at the time. Nonetheless, Vidura’s wife, upon hearing of the Lord’s presence, hurried to welcome Him, recognizing the divine guest. Upon reaching the door, she beheld the Lord’s sweet smile and was filled with overwhelming joy, promptly bowing at His feet. For years, she had heard tales of the Lord’s divine exploits and glory, silently cherishing Him in her heart like a Gopi, yearning for His darshan. And now, unexpectedly, the Lord stood before her! Such a guest, arriving without prior notice (thithi), is termed “Athithi,” and when such a guest arrives, it is none other than the Lord Himself. In this instance, Lord Krishna had graced her home as the Divine Athithi!
At that moment, Vidura received word that Lord Krishna had arrived at his residence. Excusing himself from the royal assembly, he hurried home. Upon entering, he was taken aback to find his wife feeding Krishna banana peels instead of the fruit, utterly absorbed in her devotion to him.
Startled, Vidura admonished his wife, snapping her out of her trance. Realizing her actions, she was mortified to see the peels consumed by Krishna. With a newfound focus, she prepared another fruit, discarding the peel before offering it to the Lord. Though accepted, Krishna expressed dissatisfaction, questioning Vidura’s interruption of her heartfelt offering.
Krishna explained that the peel, offered with pure devotion, held a sweetness far surpassing that of the distractedly given fruit, illustrating the power of unwavering devotion in even the simplest of acts.
Vidura understood what the Lord implied. The Lord who is an embodiment of LOVE seeks love, and nothing but love from His devotees.
“Whatever is offered to Me, whether it is a leaf, flower, fruit or a drop of water, if it is offered with devotion, I accept it totally” ~ Verse 26, Chapter 9 – Bhagavad Geeta.
In the humble offering of a banana peel, Vidura’s wife learned that true devotion transforms the ordinary into the divine, echoing Krishna’s eternal call for love in every gesture.
