Bheem, a humble potter, was an ardent devotee of Lord Venkateswara. Though his heart longed to visit the Lord’s temple at Tirumala, his meager earnings and daily toil kept him bound to his modest hut. Yet, his devotion never wavered.
Each evening, after a long, exhausting day at the potter’s wheel, Bheem would craft a small clay kadai (bowl) and place the remnants of his simple meal before a handmade clay idol of the Lord. His offering was neither grand nor expensive, yet it overflowed with sincerity and love. With folded hands, he would whisper his prayers, believing that his Lord accepted his humble meal.
As the story goes, one day, the heavens themselves answered. Lord Venkateswara, moved by Bheem’s pure-hearted devotion, descended in front of Bheem’s hut. The divine Garuda stood at Bheem’s doorstep, waiting to carry him to Vaikunta. At that moment, the simple potter was no longer bound by his worldly struggles—his devotion had touched eternity.
When the Lord said He was hungry, Bheem hurried inside and brought jowar sangati (millet dumpling) prepared by his wife. But when he couldn’t find a plate to serve it, he took a pot he had made, broke it, and used a shard as a plate to offer the meal.
Even today, this tradition is honored at the Tirumala temple. The naivedyam (sacred offering) is presented in a broken clay pot. In fact, this is the offering taken inside the sanctum sanctorum. This act signifies that God values humility over wealth.
Bheem’s story is a reminder that true devotion is not measured in riches but in love, faith, and surrender.
