During their stay
in the forest, the Pandavas were given the Akshayapatra, a divine vessel with
undiminishing food, by the Sun God. The God had said, This vessel shall supply
for 12 years as much food as is required for your daily consumption. Not until
everyone has been served and Draupathi herself has taken her share will the
vessel become empty for the day.
One day, sage
Durvaasa went to Duryodhana with his disciples. Knowing the sages temper,
Duryodhana lavished attention on him. The sage was gratified by this. Utilising
the opportunity, Duryodhana asked him to visit the Pandavaas in the forest so
that they too would feel honoured and happy.
He suggested a
time for the visit when he knew there would be no food left for unexpected
guests. The sage consented to do as Duryodhana suggested. Duryodhana felt sure
that the Pandavas would be unable to entertain the sage and his disciples and
would incur some dreadful curse from their visitor for this slip up.
Durvasa went with
his disciples to the Pandavas when they were resting after lunch. The brothers
welcomed the sage, saluted and honoured him. Then the sage told them that he
and his disciples would go to the river for a bath and be back for the meals.
Draupathi was
greatly troubled for the vessel was empty and denuded of its power for the day.
She was at a loss about how to find food for the sage. She prayed earnestly to
Lord Krishna to come to her aid in this hopeless predicament and deliver her
from the wrath of the sage.
Krishna appeared
before her at once. He told her that he was hungry and asked her to serve him
immediately. In spite of Draupathi telling him that the vessel was empty, he
insisted on her bringing the vessel. When Draupathi brought it to him, Krishna
noticed a tiny piece of vegetable sticking to the rim of the vessel and ate it
heartily.
Draupathi was
filled with shame at her slovenliness in not having cleaned the vessel
properly. But Krishna seemed satisfied and asked Bheema to go to the river and
tell the sage that food was ready and they were waiting for him.
The sage and his
followers were surprised to find that their ravenous hunger had given place to
a pleasant satiety. They had all the comfortable cheerfulness of people who had
feasted well. He told Bheema that they were feeling full and could not eat
anything more and went away(Mahabharatham).
Up to these day
,its a custom to leave a finished pot of rice with some water overnight and
wash it only the next day .
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