God’s Grace can be
acquired by selfless devotion

        Once, Sudama (Shrikrushna's childhood friend) went to meet Shrikrushna. Sudama's wife had told him to ask Shrikrushna for wealth; however, Sudama did not ask for anything from Him. On meeting Sudama, Shrikrushna's eyes were filled with tears of joy. Sudama thought, 'a  true friend never asks for anything; if I ask for anything God will be unhappy'. So, he kept quiet and did not ask for anything. Instead, Sudama gave a handful of rice flakes to the Lord. His only wish was that the Lord should eat the rice flakes offered to Him; as it was everything that Sudama had. God first takes everything from you and then gives you everything that you wish. He did the same with Sudama as well. When Sudama returned home, he saw that God had converted his hut into  gold, and thus had given him all the wealth he could have ever imagined.

-  Dr. Vasant Balaji Athavale (year 1990)