Whenever
a mendicant Brahman came to this house, it was the custom of all
the ladies to give him alms and then prostrate themselves in front
of him. One day a Brahman came, tall as a tree and shining like the
sun. The seven daughters-in-law ran out as usual and gave him alms
and then threw themselves at full length at his feet. The Brahman
blessed them and said, "Increase of children be yours; increase of
wealth be yours; may your husbands cherish you all your lives." But
the Brahman's daughter Gunvanti was a lazy little girl, and when the
mendicant came she was still in bed. Her mother, Dhanvanti, rushed
into her room and cried, "Daughter, daughter, get up and give the
Brahman alms," The little girl jumped up in a fright and ran out and
put alms before him and prostrated herself at his feet. The mendicant
blessed her and said, "Observe the precepts of religion."
The little girl ran back to her mother. "Mother, Mother," she cried,
"Bhatji [13] did not give me the same blessing as he gave to my
sisters-in-law," Her mother said, "Go back again and give him some
more alms and see what he does," The little girl ran back, put
some more alms before the mendicant, and again prostrating herself
asked for his blessing.
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