3. Vengamamba’s strange behaviour.

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3. Vengamamba's strange behaviour.

 

Vengamamba was slowly becoming the talk of the town through

her strange behaviour. God knows when she would go to the temple. The

parents were at a loss to understand her. One day she began dancing

before the temple. The mother came to know of it and dragged her home

and scolded her. To the question `Are you not ashamed of dancing

before the crowd?' she simply answered, `Where is the crowd?

There was no one else except my swami and myself. He made me sing and

dance.' This irritated the mother and father all the more.

Vengamamba couldn't decipher the reason for their anger. She

followed the orders of father of fathers. He asked her to sing and

dance. So she did!

 

Parents shouted at her as much as they could but were moved to tears

when their only daughter cried. Generally diversion is the best medicine. So the

parents tried it out on their daughter. They entrusted lot of household duties

to her. She had to put Rangoli, attend to the cow, cut vegetables, clean vessels

etc. But their plan was an utter flop. She found pleasure in every task. She

could see God in the cow, the calf, milk, flowers, water, fire - everywhere! Her

knowledge of God expanded and her love of God doubled. She did every task

chanting the name of God.

 

One day she was putting the Rangoli but there seemed to be no end to

it. It became broad day light. Father came to her angrily and gave her a big

blow. His daughter's tears or mother's love could

not stop him. There was a reason behind it. Only the previous night one of his

relatives cautioned him, `If you don't control her now,

it will be difficult to get her married. There is a rumour already that she is

mad. Her mad behaviour in the morning irritated him all the more.

 

He warned her, `From today you should not go to temple.

You should not sing songs. If you don't obey me, I'll imprison

you in a room'. He looked like Hiranya Kasipa. She hoped her father

wouldn't face a tragic death like him. She knew father loved her

immensely and so had decided to obey him.

 

One day she heard the temple bells and ran to the temple. She cried

bitterly. `Oh God I can't live without seeing you or

praying to you.' The Pujari asked why she had not come for a long

time. She narrated the story amidst tears. The Pujari felt she was

closer to God than himself. He also knew she would one day turn out to

be a yogin or a saint. All the same, he advised her to go home.

 

She did not go home. She was putting Rangoli in the next

street. Mother made a frantic search for her and dragged her home once

again.