Hindu week days 5b.

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5b. Thursday

 

Once there was a young girl. She used to water a banana tree. She also

used to play under it. One day a strange voice came as if fluttering

from its leaves. The girl got frightened and ran away. Next day the girl

was again watering the tree. She heard the same voice. She took courage.

The voice said, " Will you play with me? Will you play with me? "

The young girl looked here and there. She could locate nobody there. She

started to grow weaker and weaker. Her mother noted this change. One day

the mother said, " My dear girl, what is wrong with you? Why are you

losing your health despite best food? "

 

The young girl said, " I water my banana tree everyday. I hear a

strange voice from it. The voice says `Will you please play with

me?' I see no one around me " . The mother heard her daughter and

said smilingly, " You are a very innocent girl. The banana goddess is

pleased with you. You welcome her tomorrow for playing " .

 

The girl heard the same voice the next day. She invited her to play with

her. After the play was over, the goddess of banana or Lakshmi said to

the girl, " Will you please accompany me to my house for lunch? "

The girl said, " Have you a house too? " The goddess took her to

her palace through the hollow of the banana tree and served her with

best sweets and fruit in gold and silver pots. She offered her various

types of costly gifts. When the girl returned, her mother was happy. She

said to her daughter, " Have you offered your friend a return visit? You

must invite her next day " .

 

The girl said, " We are very poor. How can I extend invitation to

her? Our utensils are broken. Our clothes are shabby and torn. We have

nothing to sit upon " . The mother said, " Service and courtesy

will compensate for them. We will clean our house and give her a warm

welcome " . The girl agreed to her mother's advice. When she met

the goddess the next day, she extended her invitation for visiting her

house. The goddess accepted the invitation. She accompanied the girl to

her house the next day. The goddess had hardly stepped into the house

when it was converted into a beautiful palace. The broken utensils

turned into shining gold and silver ones. The shabby and torn clothes

became new and attractive. The ordinary meal prepared by the family

tasted like manna. As she was about to leave, the goddess blessed the

family with a happy future. The girl's mother requested the goddess

to stay with them permanently.

 

The goddess said, " I am goddess Lakshmi. I am of very unstable and

fickle-minded. I cannot commit to stay with you all the time. So long as

you work hard and water the banana trees, I shall be there in form of

banana fruit. Your business will flourish day by day. Water the banana

tree especially on Thursdays.

 

The goddess then disappeared from the scene leaving plenty of wealth for

the family.