Hindu week days 3b.

[Guest guest]

3b. Tuesday.

 

Tuesday is devoted to Lora Hanuman. The devotees listen to this story

before breaking their fast in the afternoon. The wrestlers do not

massage their bodies on this day to avoid hair falling. Some wrestlers

observe Tuesday as a rest day.

 

Once there was an old lady. She used to observe Tuesday fast. She

enjoyed all sorts of prosperity. Her daughter-in-law used to give her

four loaves on every Tuesday. She used to go to the Hanuman Temple and

offer two loaves there. The remaining two she ate herself and felt

satisfied.

 

One day the daughter-in-law asked her children to follow their

grandmother and to keep a watch over her activities. Her grandsons

noticed that their grandmother offered two loaves to Lord Hanuman and

broke her fast with the remaining two. They reported the matter to their

mother. Their mother thought that the old lady was wasting two loaves

and decided to cook two loaves only.

 

On the next Tuesday, the daughter-in-law gave her only two loaves. The

old lady went to the Hanuman temple and offered one loaf to Hanuman and

broke her fast with the remaining one. Her grandsons noticed her and

reported the matter to their mother. Their mother thought that the old

lady was wasting one loaf and decided to give her one loaf only.

 

The old lady accepted one loaf on the coming Tuesday and went to the

Hanuman temple. She offered half a loaf to lord Hanuman and broke her

fast with the other half. Her grandsons noticed it and reported again to

their mother. Their mother thought that the old lady was wasting her

food at family's expense. She decided not to give her any loaf on

Tuesdays.

 

The old lady went to the Hanuman temple empty-handed. She had nothing to

offer. Lord Hanuman appeared before her as a young boy and said, " O,

old ma, what ails you? The old lady narrated the whole story to the

young boy. The young boy said, " Why don't you erect a cottage of

yours behind this temple? Take me as your son. I shall arrange food for

you. What is the use of living with a family which does not care for its

elders? "

 

The old lady agreed and started living in the cottage. Everyday the

young boy would bring a mug full of milk and a lump of crushed bread

mixed with sugar and butter for her. Her life was now very happy and

peaceful. The old lady's daughter-in-law became poorer and poorer

day-after-day. Unwanted quarrels broke out in the house due to poverty.

They had little to eat. One day she said to her children, Go to your

grandmother and observe what she does.

 

The children went to their grandmother. The old lady welcomed them. She

shared milk and bread with them and asked them to visit her everyday.

The children went back to their house and related the whole thing to

their mother. She was surprised to know that the old lady was hale and

hearty instead of growing weak. She realized her mistake and asked her

husband to bring her back.

 

Her husband said, " Why should I go? You are responsible for our

sufferings. You make quarrels in the family everyday. You forced her to

leave this house. You were jealous of her even for meager meals. This

house lost its prosperity the moment she left us. You have no regards

for your elders and their noble deeds " .

 

The lady said, " Let all of us go to her. We shall convince her that

she should come back " . Her husband agreed and they went to the old

lady. The young boy was sitting with her and serving her food. The old

lady's daughter-in-law fell at the feet of her mother-in-law and

begged pardon of her for her misdeeds. The old lady said to the young

boy; " Should I accompany them as they have realized their mistake?

The young boy said, " Yes, you may. If you face any difficulty, you

may come back " .

 

The old lady returned to her family. She observed Tuesday fasts and her

daughter-in-law never objected to her giving half of her food to Lord

Hanuman. Prosperity again visited their house and they lived a happy

life.