Based on The Faith Book by Kadamba Kanana Swami
The Arrival of the Lord
Long ago, in the city of Mithilā, the streets overflowed with joy and fragrance. Why? Because the Supreme Lord Śrī Rāma had come. Accompanied by His bow and endless compassion, He walked among the people—not as a distant deity, but as a gentle prince, smiling at every soul.
The whole city rushed to greet Him. Garland-makers prepared their finest blooms, brāhmaṇas gathered with auspicious mantras, and kings came with chariots of gold.
But in one forgotten corner of the city, an old lady sat alone, poor in wealth, but rich in devotion.
A Devotee’s Simple Offering
Hearing that Lord Rāma was coming, her heart beat like a drum of love. She had no jewels, no riches, no sandalwood or incense. All she had were some ripe bananas—her only food for the day.
She peeled one carefully, but as she gazed at it, her tears fell. “O Rāma,” she whispered, “You are coming, but I have nothing to give You but this banana. Will You accept this from me?”
In her nervous love, she became confused. Without realizing it, she began to throw away the fruit and offer the peels! One by one, she placed the peels on a leaf plate and set it before the Deity she had made from clay.
The Lord Accepts Love, Not Luxury
By the Lord’s divine arrangement, Śrī Rāma heard of this simple act. “Take Me to her house,” He said. His ministers objected. “But my Lord, she is just a beggar!” But Rāma was firm. “She is offering with love. And I am hungry—not for food, but for her devotion.”
Rāma entered her home, and seeing Him, the old lady fainted with joy. When she awoke, she offered Him what she had prepared—banana peels. Rāma took them with His own hands, and with great relish, He began to eat.
The Astonishment of the Assembly
His companions were shocked. “My Lord, those are peels!” But Rāma smiled. “These peels taste sweeter than the richest dishes in Ayodhyā. Because they are flavored with bhakti—pure, innocent love.”
A Lesson in Heartfelt Offering
This story shows that what pleases the Lord is not the grandeur of our gifts, but the sincerity of our hearts. The old lady’s confusion did not matter. Her tears, her eagerness, her wish to serve—that is what reached Rāma. And that is what He accepted.
A Verse to Remember
na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati
“My devotee is never lost.”
— Bhagavad-gītā 9.31
Even if we forget, even if we err, if we offer our life to the Lord with love, we are never forgotten.
