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Man
and the Goddess
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A lady I once came
across told me her story of faith in God. She was a very religious woman
and had firm faith on Goddess Durga. She celebrated the Navratri festival
with great fervour. Kirtans were held at her place and she kept fasts
during the nine days. She also invited small children from the
neighbouring houses on the 8th day and fed them happily and gave them
money & gifts.
Her husband did not
have anything at all to do with all this. He was a confirmed non believer.
The lady used to ask him to worship the Goddess, atleast during the
festival days but he wouldn't oblige her. He did not stop her from
celebrating the nine days but took no part in it.
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One night as his
household members slept, on the last day of the Navratras, he read for
sometime and then prepared to go to sleep. He lay down with his feet
towards the puja place where he worshipped the Goddess. He had just
drifted off to sleep when he heard someone call his name. He got up
rubbing his eyes and was surprised to see a lady standing near his bed.
She was dressed in a white sari with a broad red border. There was a big
round red bindi on her forehead. Her long black wavy hair was hanging on
one side of her shoulder. She had long luminous eyes and a smiling face.
She seemed to project an aura of divinity. She stood there smiling at him,
then spoke in a soft melodious sing-song voice - "Why are you lying down
with your feet towards your wife's puja sthan? Don't you know you are
dishonouring me by doing this?" The man was taken aback but as soon as he
came truly awake, he fell on the lady's feet realising it was the Goddess
herself.
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He begged forgiveness
touching her feet and said meekly, - "I have understood that you are
really there. From today, I will never dishonour you and will worship you
with all my heart." The next instant, the room was empty. He woke up his
wife and told her what had happened. She said - "Now do you believe in
her?" He told her he did and after that he started worshipping the Goddess
with all his heart. He fasted on all the 9 days of the Navratri festival
and felt at peace with himself.
When I heard this
amazing story, I realised that God always has a reason for everything. In
this case, Goddess Durga wanted this man to understand the power of faith
which his wife had.
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She had to come herself
in order to convince him of her existence. The man was merely misguided
and would never had listened to his wife unless this miracle hadn't
happened. It is important to honour
and worship God, even if we do not conform to all the rituals. Prayer needs
no speech or show! It is devotion of the
mind, body and soul. A complete submission and surrender to God Almighty.
Contributing Writer: Amita enjoys writing about her
experiences as well as short stories for children and poems. Contact her
at : amita17149@hotmail.com
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