Long ago, in the sacred town of Prayag where two holy rivers meet, lived two brothers named Anandadas and Vishvambhardas. Even as small children, they were different from others. They didn’t enjoy fancy clothes or tasty treats. They didn’t play noisy games or run around the streets. What they loved most was sitting quietly by the river and watching the holy waters flow. When their parents gave them new clothes, the boys would wear them once, roll in the sand, and then give the clothes away to saintly travelers.
Their parents didn’t understand. They wanted the boys to live normal lives. So, one day, the family decided to get Anandadas married. But the night before the wedding, Anandadas felt something deep in his heart. “If I get married,” he thought, “I’ll be caught in the world’s many worries. I want only to be with saints and think of Shri Krishna.”
So, without saying a word, Anandadas took his younger brother Vishvambhardas and left home. They walked quietly to Chitrakut, a peaceful forest where Shri Ram once lived.
When their parents found out, they were heartbroken and searched everywhere. On the ninth day, their father found the boys sitting under a tree. With tears in his eyes, he begged them to come home. The boys said, “We want to live with saints and listen to stories about Shri Krishna, but you don’t like that.”
Their father promised not to stop them from following their hearts. So the boys returned home and started spending all their time with other saints, listening to spiritual talks and eating just one simple meal each day.
One evening, the two brothers were sitting by the Yamuna river. They looked at the sunset and felt a deep sadness. “After taking so many births,” they thought, “we have finally become human. But this life is slipping away without seeing the Lord.” Their eyes filled with tears, and they cried until they fainted from sorrow.
At that very moment, Shri Mahaprabhuji, who was nearby in a village called Adel, suddenly received a message from the Lord. The Lord said, “Two young boys by the Yamuna are deeply sad because they miss Me. If you don’t go quickly, they may leave their bodies.”
Shri Mahaprabhuji quickly woke up his disciple Krishnadas Meghan and called a few other Vaishnavas. In the middle of the night, they went to the river and found the two brothers lying unconscious. Shri Mahaprabhuji gently sprinkled holy water on them and softly chanted a Vedic prayer.
The boys slowly opened their eyes and, as soon as they saw Shri Mahaprabhuji, they bowed down and folded their hands. With love in their hearts, they asked him to accept them as his disciples. Shri Mahaprabhuji brought them home and gave them initiation the next day.
After this, the boys said, “We want to give up everything and become renunciates.” Shri Mahaprabhuji smiled and explained something very special.
He said, “Giving up the world is not always the answer. In this age, becoming a renunciate can bring pride, and pride takes you far from the Lord. Devotion is about love, not about leaving everything behind. If you live in your home with love for Shri Krishna, that is true renunciation.”
The boys listened with open hearts. Shri Mahaprabhuji’s words were like sweet nectar. He told them, “Even if you wear simple clothes and live with your family, as long as your mind is filled with Shri Krishna, you are truly free. Many who become renunciates get caught in pride. But the Lord never comes to a heart full of pride.”
He continued, “In devotion, we follow the ways of great souls like the Rishi Kaundinya and the gopis of Vrindavan. Their love was pure and full of longing. Even Shri Krishna Himself could not ignore such love. You don’t need to leave your home. Serve the Lord where you are, and let love be your path.”
Shri Mahaprabhuji then blessed the boys. “From now on, your hearts will always remember the Lord’s divine pastimes.”
The boys went back to their family home. Their parents, still worried, said, “At least let us see your faces once a day.” So the brothers asked for a small separate room in the house where they could do their daily prayers and worship.
From then on, Anandadas and Vishvambhardas stayed with their parents but lived only for the Lord. They ate little, spoke gently, and filled their days with worship, prayer, and remembering the beautiful pastimes of Shri Krishna.
At night, Anandadas would sit with Vishvambhardas and speak about the Lord’s leelas. Their room would glow with the warmth of devotion.
One night, Anandadas was speaking as always. His younger brother slowly drifted to sleep. But Anandadas didn’t notice, because someone kept saying “uh huh” after every sentence. It sounded just like Vishvambhardas was listening.
But soon, Vishvambhardas woke up and said, “Bhaiya, I’m sorry. I fell asleep in the middle of your story.” Anandadas was surprised. “Then who was saying ‘uh huh’ all this time?” The two brothers realized at once: it was Shri Krishna who had been listening and responding, not wanting the beautiful talks to end.
They were filled with joy. “Shri Mahaprabhuji has truly accepted us,” they cried. “Because of his grace, we have felt Shri Krishna’s presence.”
From that day on, Anandadas and Vishvambhardas lived in full joy, untouched by worldly sorrow. Their hearts belonged only to the Lord.
Poem: The Brothers and the Lord
Tags: Vaishnav stories, Pushtimarg for children, devotional kids stories, Krishna for young hearts, Shri Mahaprabhuji tales, Hindu bedtime stories, spiritual parenting, gentle Hindu values, renunciation in devotion, Vaishnav bhakti simplified, simple Krishna devotion stories, kids learning Sanatan Dharma, Prayag devotional brothers, Yamuna river story, Anandadas and Vishvambhardas, Chitrakut spiritual journey, Krishna listens to devotees, Vaishnav living at home, Shri Mahaprabhuji teachings for kids