Mangalmandir - Maruti Edition (PDF) - Sai Kirtan Group

with his wife spent the rest of the day at Raam mandir. Applying themselves to the
service of visiting mendicants, the couple occupied themselves.. To eat in the afternoon
and sleep in the evening were the only times they were present in their home. The elderly
couple were dedicated to devotion.
Daughter in law Mani-gauri was of good character and pleasant outlook. She kept the
house clean. The proceeds from the begging, she would clean out the stones from the
beans. She tended the cow and served her, mended torn clothes, cooked twice meals, in
spare time read the Raam kathaa, served the in-laws just like they were her parents was
her daily routine. There is no other painful situation for a woman unlike separation from
her husband. In the Raamaayan, after the abduction of Sitaa, Maaruti searched for her on
behalf of Raam. By bringing the news of her location, Raam was able to fetch Sitaaji
back. She thus concluded it was best for her to pray to Maaruti. Destroyer of suffering
Maaruti would certainly fetch her husband in well condition from foreign land, was her
firm belief. Permission was granted by the in-laws, so for the pleasing of Maaruti, oil,
sindoor, aakdaa flowers with 108 written names of Raam were offered to him every
Saturday. The whole day was fasted and in the evening the offering was made – a routine
that was adopted.
The routine was started at the beginning of Chaitra month. The king gets sanctified by
charity and the populace gets graced by bath – accordingly what else could poor Manigauri
do? But just as colours get identified on white cloth, she was characteristic and so
her devotion was glorified. ―The human does toil, so how can I remain still‖, so how
could Maaruti the incarnation of guileless Rudra not grant his grace?
Sraavan month is considered the most auspicious of the year. All the various worship of
Mahaadev, Vishnu bhagwaan, Jagad-Ambaa and the devas are performed in this month.
The Saturday of Sraavan is considered as wealth bringing. Mani-gauri would get up
before dawn to have darshan of Maaruti at the temple. It so happened on the first
Saturday of Sraavan, a small boy of eight years clad just in loincloth with an upvitam
around his body approached her after she had darshan and asked her to anoint him with
oil and bathe him. Mani-gauri said sadly , ― But dear how can I get any oil as I have
none?‖
―Have look you might have just have some‖, said the child mendicant. There was just a
little left from the prior worship in the metal plate. She used that to smear his body and
bathed him with warm water. She was then supoosed to feed him, but where can the poor
woman get any food from? Mani-gauri made up mix (churi) of adad-math and dhebra and
gave him two of them to eat. The child ate them with great pleasure, and taking drink of
water he departed with a great smile. She fed the in-laws when the arrived and she ate the
left overs.
The child would come similarly for the next 3 Saturdays. Taking bath simiularly, he
would eat and depart. On the fourth Saturday, he scattered rice in all the house and
outside in the cowshed upon departing with a great smile. Mani-gauri was surprised by
the sprinkling of the rice. Thinking about it, she went as per routine to Hanumaanji‘s
temple. She offered oil, sindoor and flower garland as usual. She then stood there in
meditation looking at Hanumaanji‘s statue, and observed and felt there was a smile on his
face. She thought maybe she had seen the child with great smile in the morning, it may
have influenced her vision. So considering, she bowed to Hanumaanji and returned home.
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