Post by jksivan on Aug 22, 2013 5:51:57 GMT 5.5
15 "WEALTH"
Dear children
Money makes many things. Money is a good servant but a bad master. We require money like medicine we take for curing diseases. It is required just for the minimum essential purpose and should not be given any importance. Many suffer in life because they become victims of their own greed for money.
Have you noticed something special in all these stories about the Mahans like Eknath, Narsi Metha and Thukaram. They lived a very simple yet fulfilled life. Even if one of their family member turned out to be greedy, they brought them back to life by simple teachings. This is one such story about Thukaram and his wife Jija.
One day, Thukaram's wife Jija was doing a special puja at home. Thukaram asked his wife Jija:
"What is special today. You are busy with some puja?".
"I am performing a special Lakshmi Puja to Rukmani asking for Lakshmi Kataaksham".
" This is something quite strange to me as I do not understand. Can you please explain me the need and purpose for this pooja? His wife retorted
"You know nothing. You are always singing about Krishna, Panduranga and Vittala. This is also similar to that".
“”Then it appears good to do the puja. No doubt. But you should not do any puja demanding something from the god in return for your performing the pooja.
God knows what we need and HE is already giving us what we need. That is enough".
Soon after her Lakshmi pooja, Jija got some money. She bought new clothes for herself and the children. She retrieved the jewels from the pawnshop and wore them.
Thukaram noticed all these when he sat down to eat. He asked his wife "where did you get all these?". She answered "All these are the result of the Lakshmi Puja I did to Rukmani" and went inside to get food for him.
When she came back from the kitchen, he was not there. She thought that he was angry and would return soon. But he did not come back. After waiting for three days, she went and searched for him everywhere. No one saw him. He used to go to Pandarpur often. She searched for him there also but could not find him.
At last she stood in front of Vittal and cried "Hey! Vittala! Please bring my husband back". Immediately she had an intution. She felt that someone told her to go to the nearby hill and look for him. Immediately she went back to her town Dehu and searched for him in the nearby hill. There she saw a thin Thukaram singing abangams. He did not eat after he left the house. He opened his eyes and asked 'Jija! why did you come here? I am happy singing my Vittalan's abangams.".
Jija asked "How can I and the children live without you?"
"Why! You are doing the Lakshmi Puja and getting the things necessary to run the family. Why do you need me?" She said "No. I need you."
Thukaram said "Yes. I am very happy at the mercy of Vittal to live what I am. How can roll in wealth and be what I am. So I can be at home only when I don’t co exist with the wealth you acquired not needed by us. If you donate the wealth you demanded and acquired, to the needy poor people we can resume our simple life".
Jija did so and their old thatched house once again reverberated with the hearty abhangs composed and sang by Thukaram with Vittal standing before him with an enchanting smile in his lips.
Dear children, understanding that a simple satisfied life in service to society is what pleases Him. All of us are equal and His children.