18. Story of Durva -1

nce there lived a Sage named Sage Kaundinya.

Sage Kaundinya was very learned. He was a great devotee of Lord Ganesha. He offered durva grass to Ganesha everyday with changing of mantras appraising and glorifying Ganesha.

One day after Sage Kaundinya concluded his prayers and sat for the midday meal, when his wife Ashraya asked him, "Why do you keep the druva on head of Ganesha everyday? How can such frutile grass blades please the God?"

Sage Kaundinya began explaining the importance of druva in appraising Lord Ganesha. He even narrated the mythological story of Ganesha and Analasura. However Ashraya thought that the story was a mere mythological myth and refused to believe Kaundinya.

Once again Ashraya expressed her doubt about the importance of durva. Now Sage Kaundinya gave her a bunch of twenty one 'Durva grass and asked her to fetch equivalent gold from Indra, the King of Heaven.

Ashraya approached Lord Indra and asked him for gold equivalent to 'Durva she had brought with her. Indra asked Ashraya to see Kubera the celestial treasurer.

Kubera agreed to offer gold equivalent to 'Durva Ashraya had brought with her. He began weighing gold equivalent to 'Durva brought by Ashraya. However, as Kubera added equivalent gold, the durva kept outweighing the gold. This continued and the entire gold from Kubera's treasure house was exhausted. Kubera then asked the higher Gods to come and help him.

Lord Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh and Gods of Heaven stood together against the 'Durva. However, durva outweighed all of them put together. They all were taken back by the power of durva and went to Sage Kaundinya who had send his wife Ashraya to fetch gold equivalent to the bunch of 21 Durva grass.

The Gods and Ashraya were enlightened. They went to Sage Kaudinya and confessed doubting thd important of 'Durva grass. The sage reiterated the power of 'Durva in appraising Ganesha which found universal acceptance henceforth.