Once there lived a small girl in
a small village.
The girl lived with her family in
a small hut. There was a banana tree in the backyard of the hut. The girl loved
the tree and watered it everyday. In the evening, the girl lit lamp at its
roots every evening.
One day when the girl was
watering the tree, a voice called her from it and said, ‘Little girl, would you
like to play with me?’
The girl was horrified to hear
the strange voice and ran inside. She was terrified and narrated the incident
to her mother. The girl’s mother fondled her and took her in her lap. She said,
‘My dear girl, it was the voice of Goddess Laxmi. She is the Goddess of the
banana tree. She is pleased with your service and came to bless you. Go and
take her blessings’.
So next day when the girl went to
water the tree, Goddess Laxmi appeared and played with the little girl. When it
was noon, the Goddess asked the girl, ‘Will you come with me to my home?’
The girl was very happy and
agreed to go with the Goddess. The Goddess Laxmi who is known as the Goddess of
riches and grants prosperity, took the girl to her palace through the hollow of
the vast tree. The girl was mesmerized. She enjoyed the best food at the
Goddess’s palace in utensils of gold and silver. After this the Goddess came back with her and
the girl returned to her home.
The girl was elated and narrated
the entire sequence of events to her mother. Her mother was equally charmed to
her. She said, ‘You should invite the Goddess to our home tomorrow when you
meet her’.
But the girl became sad and said,
‘Mother we are poor. We live in this small hut of mud. We are improvised and do
not have enough to eat. Our utensils are old and broken and our clothes are
equally bad. How can we invite the gracious Goddess in such condition?’
The little girl’s mother was
wise. She said, ‘The Goddess is merciful and compassionate. She is fond of our
devotion and love rather than our riches. I am sure she’ll be pleased to visit
our home. You should request to visit us and bless us’.
The girl was convinced by her
mother’s words and next day she requested the Goddess to visit her home. The
girl’s mother bowed before her and seated her respectfully. She served her food
and when. When Goddess started accepting the offering, the old utensils turned
into gold. Their hut was renewed and illuminated with light from all around.
The girl and her mother were pleased to see the blessings of Goddess Laxmi come
to them.
The girl’s mother said, ‘O Goddess
of bounty and prosperity! We are so fortunate to have you at our home. We are
fortunate that you gave us a chance to serve you. I pray that you stay with us
always let us serve you’.
But Goddess Laxmi said, ‘I am omnipresent.
But I stay in house where people are hard working. I am pleased with people who
are happy, contended and water the banana tree where I live’. The Goddess
blessed the girl and her family and retuned to her home in the tree.
The girl watered the banana tree everyday
and remembered the benevolent Goddess. They lived happily thereafter.
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