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=== Brahmana's Daughter-in-law Offers Her Share ===

=== Brahmana's Daughter-in-law Offers Her Share ===

Then it was the turn of the daughter-in-law to respectfully urge the father-in-law to accept her quarter-share of grains and offer it to the guest. The hesitation of the father-in-law in accepting this offer was perhaps the most extreme. The daughter-in-law was a mere child, who was suffering the pangs of hunger, and who had been entirely enfeebled by days and days of fasting. It was his duty, as he told her, to protect her in all respects. How could he deprive such a one—who was a child, a woman, a fasting person and an enfeebled one — of her meagre food? And after all she, as the daughter-in-law, was the font of love and affection for everyone in the family. The father-in-law was indeed hesitant. But the daughter-in-law insisted, telling him that for her he as the elder of the house was both the teacher and the god. She says to her father in law<blockquote>तव प्रसादान्निर्वृत्ता मम लोकाः किलाक्षयाः। पुत्रेण तानवाप्नोति यत्र गत्वा न शोचति॥ (Maha. Asva. 14.90.69)</blockquote><blockquote>धर्माद्यो हि यथा त्रेता वह्नित्रेता तथैव च। तथैव पुत्रपौत्राणां स्वर्गस्त्रेता किलाक्षयः॥ (Maha. Asva. 14.90.70)</blockquote>With your blessings I will attain the infinite lokas. A man attains those heavenly worlds where there is infinite happiness. Just like Dharma associate with Artha and Kama, leads one to svarga loka, and just as the three fires, Garhapatya, Ahvaniya and Dakshnagni; are instrumental in attaining svarga, so also the three kinds of progeny - sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren lead one to the heavenly worlds filled with everlasting bliss.<ref name=":1" />  

Then it was the turn of the daughter-in-law to respectfully urge the father-in-law to accept her quarter-share of grains and offer it to the guest. The hesitation of the father-in-law in accepting this offer was perhaps the most extreme. The daughter-in-law was a mere child, who was suffering the pangs of hunger, and who had been entirely enfeebled by days and days of fasting. It was his duty, as he told her, to protect her in all respects. How could he deprive such a one—who was a child, a woman, a fasting person and an enfeebled one — of her meagre food? And after all she, as the daughter-in-law, was the font of love and affection for everyone in the family. The father-in-law was indeed hesitant. But the daughter-in-law insisted, telling him that for her he as the elder of the house was both the teacher and the god. She says to her father in law<blockquote>तव प्रसादान्निर्वृत्ता मम लोकाः किलाक्षयाः। पुत्रेण तानवाप्नोति यत्र गत्वा न शोचति॥ (Maha. Asva. 14.90.69)</blockquote><blockquote>धर्माद्यो हि यथा त्रेता वह्नित्रेता तथैव च। तथैव पुत्रपौत्राणां स्वर्गस्त्रेता किलाक्षयः॥ (Maha. Asva. 14.90.70)</blockquote><blockquote>पितॄनृणात्तारयति पुत्र इत्यनुशुश्रुम। पुत्रपौत्रैश्च नियतं साधुलोकानुपाश्नुते॥ (Maha. Asva. 14.90.71)</blockquote>Summary : With your blessings I will attain the infinite lokas. A man attains those heavenly worlds where there is infinite happiness. Just like Dharma associate with Artha and Kama, leads one to svarga loka, and just as the three fires, Garhapatya, Ahvaniya and Dakshnagni; are instrumental in attaining svarga, so also the three kinds of progeny - sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren lead one to the heavenly worlds filled with everlasting bliss. Pitru rna (debt to forefathers) is fulfilled by the son to the father.<ref name=":1" />

And her dharma, her earthly body, and the life that animated it, were all dependent on the service of the elders. She implored him not to deprive her of this honour. The father-in-law was greatly pleased. He profusely blessed her and took her quarter-share of grains to offer it to the guest.

She insists that her dharma, her earthly body, and the life that animated it, were all dependent on the service of the elders. She implored him not to deprive her of the honour of fulfilling the debt of the forefathers. The father-in-law was greatly pleased. He profusely blessed her and took her quarter-share of grains to offer it to the guest.

The guest was finally satisfied. And, the guest was Dharma himself, who had appeared in the human form to test the depth of the brahmana's commitment to dharma. The brahmana had proved himself. He and all his dependents had offered justly and painstakingly collected food to a guest, even as they themselves were almost dying of hunger. Even the gods in the heavens were struck with wonder at the tenacity with which the brahmana and his family held on to the dharma of annadana, to the discipline of satisfying the hungry before eating for oneself.

The guest was finally satisfied. And, the guest was Dharma himself, who had appeared in the human form to test the depth of the brahmana's commitment to dharma. The brahmana had proved himself. He and all his dependents had offered justly and painstakingly collected food to a guest, even as they themselves were almost dying of hunger. Even the gods in the heavens were struck with wonder at the tenacity with which the brahmana and his family held on to the dharma of annadana, to the discipline of satisfying the hungry before eating for oneself.

Such selfless offering of food, as Dharma told him, was greater than all the gifts offered in several asvamedha- and rajasuya-yajnas. With the gift of that one measure of roasted and pounded grains, he had in fact conquered, for all times, the brahmaloka: saktuprasthena vijito brahmalokastvayaksayah?

Such selfless offering of food, as Dharma told him, was greater than all the gifts offered in several asvamedha- and rajasuya-yajnas. With the gift of that one measure of roasted and pounded grains, he had in fact conquered, for all times, the brahmaloka: saktuprasthena vijito brahmalokastvayaksayah?

Soon a celestial chariot appeared there. The brahmana, invited with great reverence by Dharma himself, took his place in the chariot along with his wife, son and daughter-in-law. And all of them ascended to the brahmaloka in great glory.

Soon a celestial chariot appeared there. The brahmana, invited with great reverence by Dharma himself, took his place in the chariot along with his wife, son and daughter-in-law. And all of them ascended to the brahmaloka in great glory.

Turning dust into gold

=== Turning dust into gold ===

 

After narrating the story, the mongoose informs the gathering of the great in the asvamedhayajna of Yudhisthira that he himself witnessed the whole sequence of events from his hole in the ground nearby. He came out of the hole after the ascent of the brahmana with his family. The smell of the roasted and pounded grains offered by the brahmana family to their celestial guest entered his nostrils, the soil moistened with the water offered by the brahmana touched his body, and he came in contact with a few grains that had fallen from the hands of the generous hosts and the celestial guest. Such contact with that meagre, yet great, gift of anna turned the whole of his head and half of his torso to gold.

After narrating the story, the mongoose informs the gathering of the great in the asvamedhayajna of Yudhisthira that he himself witnessed the whole sequence of events from his hole in the ground nearby. He came out of the hole after the ascent of the brahmana with his family. The smell of the roasted and pounded grains offered by the brahmana family to their celestial guest entered his nostrils, the soil moistened with the water offered by the brahmana touched his body, and he came in contact with a few grains that had fallen from the hands of the generous hosts and the celestial guest. Such contact with that meagre, yet great, gift of anna turned the whole of his head and half of his torso to gold.

The mongoose goes on to say that since then he has been roving across the earth to find a place or occasion that would make the rest of his body golden. He has attended many yajfias and visited many a forest where the tapasvins perform their great austerities; but to no avail. He came, he says, to the yajna of Yudhisthira in great expectation. But his hopes have been belied. The grand annadana of Yudhisthira's asvamedha has failed to compare with the gift of one measure of roasted and pounded grain made by that austere brahmana of Kuruksetra.

The mongoose goes on to say that since then he has been roving across the earth to find a place or occasion that would make the rest of his body golden. He has attended many yajnas and visited many a forest where the tapasvins perform their great austerities; but to no avail. He came, he says, to the yajna of Yudhisthira in great expectation. But his hopes have been belied. The grand annadana of Yudhisthira's asvamedha has failed to compare with the gift of one measure of roasted and pounded grain made by that austere brahmana of Kuruksetra.

== References ==

== References ==