The Story of Kanaka Thara

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Sri. Adis Sankara who was born at Kalady was a student of Gurukula before he took sanyas at the age of eight. Collecting Biksha is one of the duties of the students. One day when he was on his rounds with the words Bhavathi Biksham Dehi in front of a house, it took time for the householder to respond. It may be noted that it is the duty of householders to feed the Brahmacharis and Sanyasis who devote their time and energy for the welfare of others. The lady of the house came from a poor

family and was alone at that time and had nothing to offer. She was attracted by the tejas of Sankara and wanted to offer something to him. She found only a rotten piece of gooseberry which was kept in their poor household for Dwadasi parayana. With lot of humility and helpless feeling she offered the gooseberry to Sankara. Realising her poverty, but at the same time her generous nature to offer him the last piece of food left in the house, Sankara rendered his first sloka Kanaka Thara Sthavam in praise of Goddess Mahalakshmi. The lady told Sankara that they are not destined to get wealth in this birth as they had abused their position in their previous births by insulting wealth. However, Sankara convinced Goddess Lakshmi to wipe out the lady’s sins of earlier births as the lady offered her the only gooseberry she had and therefore she needed to be rewarded for that. Immediately there was a shower (Tara) of Kanaka (gold) gooseberries. Even today, people who wish to attain wealth to use it in good ways are rewarded when they recite the Kanaka Thara Sthavam shloka with faith. Sri.Adis Sankara demonstrated that the Almighty responds to prayers done for the benefit of others rather than for selfish gains.Krishna... Guruvayoorappa... Murali Bangui. Tel: +236 06 99 99.

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